LAUSR

In this article, the effect of weathering and corrosion on the bond properties of bamboo- and steel-reinforced cement-stabilized rammed earth blocks was investigated. The treated, untreated bamboo and steel reinforcement types were considered under regular and weathered categories. Reinforcement of 8 mm, 10 mm and 12 mm diameters were used along with 10% of cement as stabilizer. A total of 90 reinforced cement-stabilized rammed earth blocks were prepared and tested for bond strength. The investigation shows that the bond force and bond strength of all the blocks reduced due to weathering and corrosion of reinforcement. In case of blocks with bamboo reinforcement only, a minor reduction in bond properties (bond force and bond strength) was identified, but in case of blocks with steel reinforcement, a major reduction in bond properties was identified. All the blocks failed by either lateral splitting, pullout or pullout along with lateral splitting. However, the pullout failure was observed only in the blocks with weathered or corroded reinforcement, making it clear that the mode of failure was influenced by the type and physical condition of the reinforcement. Based on the results obtained, it was not advisable to use of corroded steel (CS) bars as reinforcement in rammed earth. However, considering the bond properties, treated bamboo can be a potential and economical alternative to CS. A series of statistical analysis was performed using the test data to predict the bond properties correlating perimeter, diameter, type and condition of reinforcement. The regression equations generated from statistical analysis represent a strong correlation between the actual and predicted values and can be used for predicting the bond properties of rammed earth accurately.