THE Myanmar Engineering Society (MES) will introduce new building technology to assist in the construction of long-lasting, low-cost houses in the cyclone-hit Dedaye Township, MES president U Than Myint announced last week.

U Than Myint said from August, the MES will begin teaching local communities in the area how to create interlocking blocks – from a mixture of cement, clay and sand – that can be used to rebuild destroyed homes.

The interlocking blocks are frequently used in developing countries following natural disasters but have never been implemented in Myanmar, the MES president told The Myanmar Times.

The new building technology will save money and time while producing quality, long-term housing, MES auditor U Ko Ko Gyi said.

“One advantage of these interlocking blocks is that they are immediately ready to install and fit – there is no need for plastering or cement. They are also made from locally-available materials,” he said.

After the training sessions, villagers will be able to create homes without relying on skilled labour and building materials such as wood and bricks.
“After that training course, the local people can produce the blocks without using machinery or being reliant on skilled labour, reducing the cost of the homes,” U Ko Ko Gyi said, adding that transportation costs will be significantly reduced.

Society president U Than Myint said the MES will perform soil tests to ensure the quality of the interlocking blocks, which will be used to construct the foundations and walls of houses.

Each block is 250 millimetres in length, 125mm in width and 100mm in height, with a strength resistance of 900 pounds per square feet.

The blocks are made from a 1:4:2 mixture – one for cement, four for sand and two for clay soil.

The MES is also using the interlocking blocks to build a school at the Dadanaw model village in Kungyangon township, at a cost of K17 million. Construction is expected to be completed in August.