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Effect of cement and geopolymer stabilization on the thermal comfort: case study of an earthen building in Burkina Faso

Ibrahim Neya (Laboratoire Energies Renouvelables et Efficacité Energétique (LabEREE), Institut International d’Ingénierie de l’Eau et de l’Environnement (2iE), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso) (Laboratoire Eco-matériaux et Habitats Durables (LEMHaD), Institut International d’Ingénierie de l’Eau et de l’Environnement (2iE), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso)
Daniel Yamegueu (Laboratoire Energies Renouvelables et Efficacité Energétique (LabEREE), Institut International d’Ingénierie de l’Eau et de l’Environnement (2iE), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso)
Adamah Messan (Laboratoire Eco-matériaux et Habitats Durables (LEMHaD), Institut International d’Ingénierie de l’Eau et de l’Environnement (2iE), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso)
Yezouma Coulibaly (Laboratoire Energies Renouvelables et Efficacité Energétique (LabEREE), Institut International d’Ingénierie de l’Eau et de l’Environnement (2iE), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso)
Arnaud Louis Sountong-Noma Ouedraogo (Laboratoire Eco-matériaux et Habitats Durables (LEMHaD), Institut International d’Ingénierie de l’Eau et de l’Environnement (2iE), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso)
Yawovi Mawuénya Xolali Dany Ayite (Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Ingenieurs de l'Université de Lomé, Lomé, Togo)

International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation

ISSN: 2398-4708

Article publication date: 28 March 2023

48

Abstract

Purpose

The stabilization of earthen blocks improves their mechanical strength and avoids adobe construction erosion due to rainwater. However, the stabilization affects the thermal properties of the earthen blocks, and thus their capacity to provide adequate thermal comfort to occupants. This article examines the influence of cement and geopolymer binders on thermal comfort in compressed earthen buildings in hot and arid climates.

Design/methodology/approach

The test cell is on the building platform in Burkina Faso. The building is made of compressed earth blocks (CEB) consisting of laterite, water and binder. The thermal models of the building were implemented in EnergyPlus v9.0.1 software. Empirical validation is used to check whether the model used for the thermal dynamic simulation can reproduce with accuracy the thermal behavior in a real situation. The adaptive thermal comfort model of ASHRAE 55–2010 was used to assess thermal comfort in long-term hot and dry tropical conditions.

Findings

The results show that the CEB buildings remain hot despite the use of cement or geopolymer binder. Indeed, with both cement and geopolymer binders, on a daily basis, 19 h and 15 h are uncomfortable during, respectively, the hot and cold seasons. An increase of 1% in cement content raises the comfort hours by 9.2 h during the hot season and 11.7 h during the cold season. Hence, the comfort time varies linearly with the cement content in the building material. Moreover, there is no linear relationship between comfort time and geopolymer rate.

Research limitations/implications

Complementary work should also assess the influence of stabilization on building humidity levels. In fact, earthen materials are very sensitive to outdoor humidity and indoor humidity affects thermal comfort even if it is not taken into account in the ASHRAE adaptive thermal comfort model.

Practical implications

The present study will certainly contribute to a better valorization of clay potential in countries with similar climatic conditions.

Social implications

The use of geopolymer binder is a suitable ecological option to replace the cement binder. It is important to mention that nighttime comfort can be increased through passive strategies such as natural ventilation.

Originality/value

Most CEB material stabilization analyses including cement and geopolymer ones were mostly investigated at the laboratory scale and less at the building scale. Also, the influence of the binder rate on the thermal performance of buildings made of cement and geopolymer has not yet been assessed. This paper fills this gap of knowledge by assessing the impact of cement and geopolymer binder rates on the thermal comfort of CEB dwellings.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The research of this article was supported by DAAD within the framework of the climapAfrica program with funds from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The funding programme was Climate Research for Alumni and Postdocs in Africa, 2021 (57560641). The publisher is fully responsible for the content.

Citation

Neya, I., Yamegueu, D., Messan, A., Coulibaly, Y., Ouedraogo, A.L.S.-N. and Ayite, Y.M.X.D. (2023), "Effect of cement and geopolymer stabilization on the thermal comfort: case study of an earthen building in Burkina Faso", International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJBPA-05-2022-0069

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited

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