This paper is laboratory test-focused, and reports the results of
investigation of the strength and density of sandcrete blocks based on a 1:4 model
of the prototype. Two hundred and seventy-one sandcrete block models from
four mixed proportions, namely 1:4, 1:6, 1:8 and 1:10, were tested at the ages of
7, 14, 21 and 28 days, with various water – cement ratios. The result revealed the
practical correspondence of test values and trends for test values and variational
trends for BS 2028 reference characteristics of strength and density, which
provide concrete evidence of reproducibility of the prototype physico-mechanical
behaviour under load by its one-quarter structural model. The possibility of
application of scaled-down wall models containing model block units will
reduce requirements of laboratory space and loading equipment, thus widening
the scope of research on the structural resistance mechanism of sandcrete
blockwalls.

• Physico-mechanical behaviour of sandcrete block masonry units