This work focuses on the feasibility of improving the mechanical strength of Compressed Earth Blocks (CEBs) made from Macrotermes termite mound soil with corn starch gel to provide an ecological and sustainable building material. The results demonstrate the suitability of raw earth collected from termite mounds for the production of compressed earth blocks (CEB) at the Proctor optimum. Mechanical tests on 4 x 4 x16 cm(3) specimens showed an increase in the compressive strength with decreasing water content (0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, 10% and 13.6%). In addition, unstabilised CEB and CEB stabilised with corn gel (5%, 10% and 15%) concentrated at 10% in water are compared in the dry state. Our results show that corn gel improves the mechanical properties by more than 50% and has a negligible effect on the thermal conductivity of compressed earth blocks. In short, starch seems to give CEBs improved thermal properties. This new family of composite materials - termite mound soil and starch - would be ideal for the construction of modern, sustainable, renewable buildings with a low carbon footprint.

来源平台：SECOND RILEM INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON EARTHEN CONSTRUCTION, ICEC 2024