Code of practice for in-situ construction of walls, in buildings with soil-cement

IS 2110: Scope - Key Specifications & Tables

Scope (Clause 2.1):
Defines terms related to soil-cement mixtures for construction.

Soil Requirements for Soil-Cement (Clause 3.1.2)

Additional Specifications

• Raw soil must be sourced economically close to the work site (Clause 4.1.1).
• Use ordinary, low heat, Portland slag, or Portland pozzolana cement as per relevant BIS standards.
• For plaster finishing, GOBRI-LEEP (1 part cow dung + 5 parts soil) is applied to fill cracks and smooth surfaces (Clause 5.1).
• Bitumen (80/100 cut-back) can be added at 5% by mass to improve water resistance.

Summary Diagram: Soil-Cement Preparation Flow

flowchart TD
    A[Raw Soil] --> B[Check Soil Properties]
    B -->|Meets IS 2110 Criteria| C[Mix with Cement & Water]
    C --> D[Apply Soil-Cement Mixture]
    D --> E[Optional: Apply GOBRI-LEEP Plaster]
    E --> F[Final Surface Treatment]

Use IS 2110 as a guide for soil selection, mixture preparation, and finishing to ensure durable soil-cement construction.

IS 2110 - Definitions & Key Specifications

Clause 2.1: Definitions

• Defines terms used in soil-cement standards.
• Essential for understanding material properties and mix design.

Key Table from Clause 3.1.2: Raw Soil Requirements for Soil-Cement Mix

Importance:

• Ensures soil suitability for soil-cement stabilization.
• Controls workability, strength, and durability.

Summary:
Soil for soil-cement must have minimum 35% sand, plasticity index between 8.5-10.5%, and low soluble salts to avoid durability issues.

flowchart LR
    Soil -->|Check Sand Content ≥35%| Suitable
    Soil -->|Check Plasticity Index 8.5-10.5%| Suitable
    Soil -->|Check Soluble Salts ≤1%| Suitable
    Soil -->|Check Sodium Salts ≤0.1%| Suitable
    Soil -->|Check Liquid Limit ≤27%| Suitable
    Suitable --> Soil-Cement Mix

This ensures compliance with IS 2110 for soil-cement materials.

IS 2110 - Materials Specifications Summary

Soil Requirements (Clause 3.1.2, Table 3.1)

Soil Source (Clause 4.1.1)

• Soil must be sourced within an economical distance from the site, considering transport means.

Special Mixture: GOBRI-LEEP (Clause 5.1)

• Mix 1 part cow-dung + 5 parts soil by weight.
• Add water to make a thin paste.
• Optionally add 5% cut-back bitumen by mass for water resistance before adding water.

Additional Notes:

• Use Ordinary and Low Heat Portland Cement, Portland Slag Cement, or Portland Pozzolana Cement as per respective IS specifications.
• Cut-back bitumen specification applies when enhancing water resistance.

flowchart LR
    Soil[Raw Soil]
    CowDung[Cow Dung (1 part)]
    SoilMix[Soil (5 parts)]
    Water[Water]
    Bitumen[Cut-back Bitumen (5% optional)]
    GOBRILEEP[GOBRI-LEEP Paste]

    Soil --> SoilMix
    CowDung --> GOBRILEEP
    SoilMix --> GOBRILEEP
    Bitumen --> GOBRILEEP
    Water --> GOBRILEEP

This concise summary covers key material specs for soil-cement mixtures per IS 2110.

IS 2110: Preparation of Soil-Cement Mixture — Key Specifications & Formulas

Soil Requirements (Clause 3.1.2)

• Soil must be free from organic matter, mica, schists, saline impurities (Clause 3.1.1).
• Avoid black cotton soils and similar uneconomical soils.

Physical Properties (Clause 4.9)

• Maximum Dry Bulk Density (ρd max) ≥ 1.8 g/cm³ (IS 4332 Part II & III)
• Compressive Strength (f_c):
  • Dry condition ≥ 1.4 N/mm²
  • Saturated condition ≥ 0.7 N/mm² (IS 4332 Part V)

Typical Process Flow for Soil-Cement Preparation

flowchart TD
    A[Select Suitable Soil] --> B[Check Soil Properties]
    B --> C{Meets IS 2110 Criteria?}
    C -- Yes --> D[Mix Soil with Cement & Water]
    C -- No --> E[Reject/Modify Soil]
    D --> F[Compaction & Curing]
    F --> G[Test Density & Strength]
    G --> H{Passes Tests?}
    H -- Yes --> I[Use in Construction]
    H -- No --> J[Adjust Mix & Retest]

Notes:

• Follow IS 4332 for test methods (moisture content, density, cement content, compressive strength).
• Cement content and water-cement ratio depend on soil gradation and desired strength.

This ensures durable, stable soil-cement suitable for wall construction as per IS 2110.

IS 2110: Construction Procedures for In Situ Soil-Cement Walls

Key Points from IS 2110:

• Rammed In Situ Wall Construction (Clause 1.2):

  • Use unstabilized soil with recommended standard procedures.
  • Protect wall surfaces with waterproof mud plaster (see Appendix A for mix specs).

• Shuttering Construction (Clause 5.1):

  • Shuttering must be rigid, leak-proof, and strong enough to withstand compaction forces.
  • Ensure proper alignment and tight joints to avoid soil loss.

• Lifting Process (Clause 5.2.2):

  • Construction proceeds in lifts (layers).
  • Repeat compaction and lifting until wall reaches full height.

Typical Waterproof Mud Plaster (Appendix A):

• Apply plaster immediately after compaction to prevent moisture loss.

Construction Procedure Summary:

flowchart TD
    A[Prepare Soil Mix] --> B[Set Up Shuttering]
    B --> C[Place Soil-Cement Mix]
    C --> D[Compact Layer (Lift)]
    D --> E{Is Wall Height Reached?}
    E -- No --> C
    E -- Yes --> F[Apply Waterproof Mud Plaster]

Note:

• Compaction energy and layer thickness depend on soil type and design (typically 150-200 mm lifts).
• Follow IS 2110 detailed guidelines for soil-cement mix proportions and curing.

IS 2110: Structural Details & Finishing for Soil-Cement Walls

Key Specifications:

• Horizontal Joints (Clause 6.4.2):

  • Finish rammed surface smoothly at the end of each lift to form horizontal joints.

• Vertical Joints:

  • Use tongue and groove plank sections for vertical joints.
  • Typical plank sizes and joint details are provided for 300 mm thick walls (Fig. 2).
  • MS angle iron sections:
    • Corner angles: 50 x 50 x 6 mm
    • Other angles: 40 x 40 x 6 mm

• Shuttering (Clause 5.1.1 & 5.2.1):

  • Shuttering for 300 mm thick walls as per Fig. 1.
  • For thicker walls, modify shuttering accordingly.
  • Removal of bolts and planks must be done carefully to avoid damage.

• Plaster Finishing (Clause A-5.1):

  • Use Gobri-Leep (1 part cow dung + 5 parts soil by weight) for crack filling and smooth finishing.
  • For water resistance, add 5% cut-back bitumen by mass to the Gobri-Leep mixture.

Typical Construction Joint Details (Fig. 2):

Summary Diagram (Mermaid.js):

graph TD
    A[Wall Construction] --> B[Horizontal Joint]
    B --> C[Smooth Rammed Surface]
    A --> D[Vertical Joint]
    D --> E[Tongue & Groove Plank]
    A --> F[Shuttering]
    F --> G[MS Angle Iron Support]
    F --> H[Careful Bolt Removal]
    A --> I[Finishing]
    I --> J[Gobri-Leep Plaster]
    J --> K[Optional Bitumen Addition]

Note: Always refer to IS 2110 figures and clauses for exact dimensions and procedural details.

IS 2110: Quality Control and Testing for Soil-Cement

Key Specifications (Clause 3.1.2 - Raw Soil)

Testing Requirements

• Soil-cement samples must be periodically tested as per Clauses 4.9.1 to 4.9.4 before use.
• A field laboratory is recommended for timely testing.
• Optimum moisture content (OMC) and natural moisture content must be determined using standard soil testing methods (Clause 4.5.3).

Typical Tests Include:

• Moisture content determination
• Compressive strength of soil-cement cubes
• Density and compaction tests
• Chemical analysis for salts and plasticity

Formula for Optimum Moisture Content (OMC) Determination:

OMC is found from the Proctor test curve where dry density is maximum.

[ \text{OMC} = \text{Moisture content at maximum dry density} ]

flowchart TD
    A[Raw Soil] --> B[Check Soil Properties]
    B -->|Meets IS 2110| C[Prepare Soil-Cement Mix]
    C --> D[Test Samples Periodically]
    D --> E{Pass Tests?}
    E -->|Yes| F[Use in Construction]
    E -->|No| G[Adjust Mix/Reject]

This process ensures soil-cement quality meets IS 2110 standards for durability and strength.

Typical Specification of Waterproof Mud Plaster (IS 2110 - Appendix A)

1. Soil Mix for Waterproof Mud Plaster

• Sand content: 45-50% by mass in soil.
• Stabilizer: Add 64 kg of BHUSA (cut-back bitumen) per cubic meter of dry soil.
• Preparation: Mix soil and BHUSA thoroughly, add water, and allow BHUSA to rot for 1 week.

2. Preparation of Cut-Back Bitumen (A-1)

• Use cut-back bitumen (BHUSA) as stabilizer for waterproofing.
• Ensure proper aging/rotting of BHUSA for effective bonding.

3. Plastering Specifications (Clause 7.1)

• Stabilized soil walls to be plastered with cement plaster.
• Mix ratio: Cement : Sand = 1 : 5 (not leaner).
• Thickness: Minimum 12 mm single coat.
• Follow IS 1661-1972 for plastering procedures.

Summary Table:

flowchart TD
    A[Soil (45-50% sand)] --> B[Add 64 kg BHUSA/m³ dry soil]
    B --> C[Mix with water]
    C --> D[Allow BHUSA to rot for 1 week]
    D --> E[Apply waterproof mud plaster]
    E --> F[Apply cement plaster (1:5) ≥ 12 mm thick]

This ensures a durable waterproof mud plaster as per IS 2110 standards.

IS 2110: Details of Shuttering and Joints for In Situ Soil-Cement Walls

Key Specifications & Details:

• Shuttering Thickness: Standard for 300 mm thick walls; modify details for thicker walls (Clause 5.1.1).

• Materials:

  • MS Angles:
    • Corner: 50 x 50 x 6 mm
    • Others: 40 x 40 x 6 mm
  • Planks held by bolts; removal done carefully (Clause 5.2.1).

• Shuttering Arrangement:

  • Figure 1 shows shuttering for load-bearing & internal non-load bearing walls.
  • Vertical tongue and groove joints ensure tight fit (Fig. 2B).
  • Planks section detail for vertical joints (Fig. 2A).

• Construction Joints:

  • Horizontal joints formed by smoothing rammed surface at each lift (Clause 6.4.2).
  • Vertical joints use tongue and groove for stability and alignment.

Typical Dimensions (all in mm):

Procedure Summary:

1. Unscrew and slowly withdraw bolts holding lowest planks.
2. Remove lower three planks carefully.
3. Turn angle iron pieces upwards.
4. Tighten top bolts to hold plank firmly.
5. Reassemble shuttering planks and align vertically.

flowchart TD
    A[Start: Shuttering Setup] --> B[Fix MS Angles & Planks]
    B --> C[Assemble Planks with Bolts]
    C --> D{Wall Thickness > 300 mm?}
    D -- Yes --> E[Modify Shuttering Details]
    D -- No --> F[Use Standard Details]
    F --> G[Form Vertical Tongue & Groove Joints]
    G --> H[Form Horizontal Joints by Smoothing]
    H --> I[Complete Shuttering & Casting]

Note: Always ensure planks are aligned plumb and bolts are tightened securely for stability during casting.