| dc.description.abstract | Uganda, a developing nation in Africa, currently has a housing shortage of roughly 2.4 million units annually, with a projected increase to about 3 million units by 2022. (UN- HABITAT, 2017). These numbers reflect the rapid population growth, being the fourth highest in the world (World Bank, 2018). Additionally, because of changes in the pricing of cement and clay bricks, traditional construction methods have relatively expensive costs. Cost analysis suggests that the material cost is constantly increasing. This has made life extremely tough for 34% of Ugandans who, as of 2013, live below the poverty line (Uganda Poverty Assessment, 2016) to build a decent residential house. Therefore, research in construction materials should not only focus on discovering new alternative materials but also in appreciating the quality of those available for better application. This research aimed at assessing the feasibility of bamboo walls as an alternative to Burnt Clay Brick walls, especially with regards not only to their strength but also to new concepts such as durability and affordability. The study comprised mainly of laboratory tests of both BCB and Bamboo walletes and cost estimation analysis. Study results established the average compressive strength of Bamboo walletes was 3.32, 3.35 and 3.36 at 7, 14 and 28 days respectively. A comparative study was also done for both walls to determine which one would be more affordable for a low-income earner in Uganda. This was done based on material costs that included cost of purchase of materials, labor and equipment. It was found out that the bamboo walling was 34.5% more cheaper than the Burnt clay Brick walls. It would even be very cheap with the assumption that the general public engages in the plantation of these bamboo other than purchasing. This study findings therefore suggest that bamboo walling is a feasible option both economic-wise and structural integrity in terms of load bearing capacity. | en_US |
