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Adobe in the form of sun dried bricks and clay mortar is still one of the
primary building construction material in Tanzania especially in rural areas due to its
low cost, availability and affordability. Investigations carried out in some regions of
Tanzania revealed that, despite this extensive use, adobe constructed buildings have some
major shortcomings, which include its heavy weight, low material strength, cracking and
lack of proper connections between the main load – carrying elements of the buildings.
Therefore, in order to improve the performance of adobe building constructions, there is a
need to provide an overall binding system in the form of wood acting as ring beams
supported by vertical elements, that would prevent walls from falling out of their planes,
plaster the walls externally to minimize the action of rainwater, provide strong
foundations such as stone made foundations with damp proofing material applied between
it and the walls and avoid adobe made flat roofs. |
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