Adobe Brick, an Effective Construction Material

Arc. Boyce A. Odoko                                                                                      1-9

A Trial of Commonest Fish in Africa in Control of Vector

Transmitting Wuchereria Bancropti Infection (wuchereriasis or

bancroftian flariasis)

Ahmed, U.A                                                                                                    10-16

Efficient Building Modifications: The Case for Flexible and Modular

Structural Composition of Buildings

Bereprebofa Dimie                                                                                        17-30

Simulating Port Harcourt City Mass Transportation Problem

Denor Dennis Popnen                                                                                   31-39

Integrating Therapeutic Techniques in the Design of a Drug

Rehabilitation Center in Bayelsa

John Ockiya                                                                                                    40-52

The Importance and Necessity of Flexible Spaces and Buildings

in Nigerian

Taylor-Harry, Sobomabo                                                                               53-68

THE IMPORTANCE AND NECESSITY OF FLEXIBLE SPACES AND BUILDINGS IN NIGERIAN

Taylor-Harry, Sobomabo

Email: taylorharrysobomabo@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Building adaptation has a limited time perspective, suited premises need to change over time in order to keep up with the processes in using a building. In an ideal situation, owners, clients and users, based on a demand for effortless adaptability, would be able to transform the building when it is needed. This puts high demand on the flexibility in a building, i.e. adaptability. A well- structured questionnaire which data were analyzed using the mean value and simple percentage were used to find the importance of creating flexible and adaptable spaces and buildings in Nigeria. Most structures in Nigeria are left out of use or abandoned for a long time due to the fact that they were designed as a single use spaces or buildings which has made it difficult for them to be converted into a multi-use spaces that could effectively and efficiently serve other purpose.  Hence to ensure optimal use of spaces and buildings gave rise to the idea of flexibility and adaptability for multifunctional and multi-use buildings and spaces which implementation in construction should starts  right from the conceptualization and design stages.

Keywords: Flexibility, Multi-functional, Design, Buildings, Spaces, Adaptability, Architecture.

INTEGRATING THERAPEUTIC TECHNIQUES IN THE DESIGN OF A DRUG REHABILITATION CENTER IN BAYELSA

John Ockiya

Department of Architecture,

Rivers State University, Port-Harcourt.

johnockiya@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Drug addiction is one of the worst global pestilence that affects virtually all sectors of society in the world. The widespread of this menace triggered the creation of agencies to fight drug peddlers and treatment centers for rehabilitation of the infected ones. However, these treatment centers were created focusing primarily on detention approach of treatment instead of medication and mind abstinence, neglecting the patients’ mental, psychological, social, and spiritual needs, which are the important ingredients that contribute towards achieving effective treatment. This study aimed to integrate therapeutic techniques in drug rehabilitation centre design For the purpose of this study, visual survey, observation checklists and structured interview were used as instruments of data collection. The design is intended to provide a model for a responsive drug rehabilitation center that facilitates drug addicts’ recovery.  It was recommended that the government should provide more treatment facilities that will help in drug abuse and also emphasize on making the centers more supportive and therapeutic and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) should collaborate with other stakeholders such as religious institutions and nongovernmental organizations to  counsel the society on issues of drug abuse.

Key words; Rehabilitation centre, Design, Drugs, therapeutic techniques, Integration

SIMULATING PORT HARCOURT CITY

MASS TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM

Denor Dennis Popnen

Department of Architecture, Rivers State University

Nkpolu Oroworukwo, Port –Harcourt

E-mail: popdenor@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Transportation in engineering deals with the movement of goods and people.  In this work transportation as a major problem in Nigeria and Port Harcourt city axis in particular is identified.  The major types of transportation were road, water, rail and air in the country were discussed.  How the oil industry has contributed to the congestion of Port Harcourt and that government controlled bus transportation system is the solution is identified.  The transportation problem is a queuing problem and requires simulation solution; hence computer is used to solve this problem.  Therefore, in this research work computer software was developed to tackle the problem.  Some constraints were established and the developed software was tested with life data to ascertain the usefulness of the computer programme and a print out is included.  Finally, conclusions and comments were made on the research work and areas government should assist are also stated.

ADOBE BRICK, AN EFFECTIVE CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL

Arc. Boyce A. Odoko

Department of Architecture

National Institute of Construction Technology, Uromi, edo state.

E-mail: odokoarch@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

Adobe bricks are known to be durable and long lasting when used in building construction, especially in dry climates like in Northern Nigeria or Southwest of the United States of America, New Mexico, for example.

In the Southwest of the United States of America, Adobe brick is produced by mixing soil (clay) with binding material straw and water. The straw holds the Adobe brick together like reinforcement, preventing the Adobe brick from cracking. Adobe bricks (mud bricks) are made of earth with fairly high clay content and straw. If produced manually the earth mix and cast in open mold on the ground and then left to dry out. Adobe bricks are only sun dried, not kiln – fired. When used for construction they are laid up into a wall using an earth mortar. Before drying out, the finished walls are smoothed down. Often a clay render is applied as a surface coating. The modern Adobe is stabilized with either emulsified asphalt or Portland cement up to 10% by weight.  However, most soil throughout the world is suitable for production of Adobe brick and it is economical. Sun backed clay bricks are one of earliest basic building materials used by man and indeed are still used today. This is because of their simplicity and low cost, low thermal conductivity, good acoustic properties, and at the end of a building’s life, the clay material can easily be reused by grinding, wetting or returned to the ground without any interference with the environment.

Key wards: Adobe bricks, construction material, earth construction, earth, compressed, soil, brick, rammed earth, earth buildings, style of architecture, popular material, durable and long lasting material, binding material, straw and water.