1. Reduced Mortar Use
The TIB eliminates the need to use mortar while constructing a wall, or a small slurry mix applied to make the wall permanent. Mortar is needed to secure the first layer of blocks. This reduces the use of mortar by over 90% in constructing the wall.
2. Reduced Construction Time
The TIB greatly reduces the time needed to construct a wall by over 90%. Using traditional blocks and construction methods, a lot of time goes into letting the mortar set to allow construction to continue. The TIB is assembled, and hence doesn’t need setting time to allow for construction to continue.
3. Reduced Labor Expense
The TIB is designed to be easily assembled hence eliminating the need for trained personnel in wall construction. The locking design auto centers the block and eliminates the need of leveling the block row on every step. And time also being part of the labor cost, the labor is greatly reduced by over 80%.
4. Simplified Wall Calculation
The TIB’s dimensions (300 x 150 x 150mm/12 x 6 x 6 Inches) are designed like that to make it easy for one to calculate how many blocks a wall needs. One block covers 0.5 ft2 of wall surface area making it easy to calculate the number of blocks needed.
5. Reduced Need for Plaster Mortar
The TIB has smooth walls and combined with the fact no mortar is used between the blocks, a smooth wall is erected which requires little to no plaster mortar. 1-2 inches of plaster is usually applied on either side of walls. But with using the TIB, the plaster mortar can be sprayed on as a thin layer of about 0.25 inches, sufficient to seal any gaps and produce a much smoother plaster resulting in over 80% savings.
6. Eliminated Construction Waste
The TIB has a direct impact on the reduction of construction waste by making it easy to change a wall without losing the material that made the wall, hence the modular effect. Changing a wall is as easy as disassembling the wall and reassembling it. Wastage in construction accounts for over 15% of construction expenses, but the TIB brings it to near zero.
7. Earthquake Safe
Interlocking blocks are the best option for earthquake zones. Due to the fact they are assembled and not bound together by mortar, when an earthquake occurs, the blocks settle and the energy dissipates by the gaps between the blocks. This saves the entire wall from collapsing due to lack of an energy dissipation.
8. Light Weight
The TIB is a relatively light block when compared to other interlocking blocks on the market. Most interlocking blocks, made from a concrete mix, are solid, and if hollow, only less than 10% of the blocks volume and hence weight is eliminated. The TIB is made with crevices that reduce the volume and hence weight of the blocks by 38.4%.
9. Affordable Quality
Due to the over 38% reduction in volume of the block, this translates to reduced material used in making the block making it affordable. The TIB still meets and exceeds the standard block strength of 3.5 MPa. The TIB achieves over 8.6 MPa of compressive strength (See Attached Lab Test Results).
10. Improved Logistics
The lightweight nature and design of the TIB makes it easier to transport hence reducing logistical costs incurred in the transportation of the material. More blocks can be loaded on a vehicle without stressing the vehicle compared to other solid blocks.
The TIB weighs 10 kgs (22 lbs), easy to use when calculating how much a vehicle can carry based on its tonnage.
11. Easy Handling
The design of the block allows for easy handling due to the light weight and spacing between the two circular openings at the top. One only needs one hand to lift it without straining their hands or arms.
12. Plumbing and Electrical Openings
The 50mm (2 Inch) hollow crevices in the TIB are designed as such to allow for the integration of electrical conduits and plumbing without the need to break the wall.
Electrical conduits and plumbing can be routed through the wall without breaking the wall to create their space. This eliminates both waste, time wastage, redoing work and creates an organized format knowing where the utilities run.
Summary
The TIB has been designed to reduce the cost of house construction, hence the cost of housing in Uganda. When aggregated, the advantages stated above, make the TIB achieve over 40% in reduced construction costs when compared to similar material that does the same job.