Enhancing the Value of Clay Soils in Ebolowa (Cameroon) for the Sustainable Production of Cement‐Stabilised Earth Bricks

This study investigates the valorisation potential of clay soils from MVAM ESSAKO and LO′O‐BIYENG (Ebolowa, Cameroon) for cement‐stabilised earth bricks (CSEBs). Two representative soils were characterised using geotechnical tests, mechanical testing and FTIR analysis after stabilisation with 2%–8% Portland cement (28 days curing). The soils exhibit moderate plasticity (IP: 20.6%–22.4%) with methylene blue values of 2.43–2.80. Cement addition significantly improves performance: At 8% cement, compressive strength reaches 5.68–5.81 MPa (exceeding the 5 MPa requirement for structural masonry), flexural strength is 0.81–1.06 MPa and water absorption decreases to −1 (suggestive of dehydroxylation) and increasing intensity of bands in the 1000–1100 cm −1 region (consistent with the formation of cementitious silicate phases). The integrated approach demonstrates that Ebolowa clay soils are suitable for producing CSEBs, offering a potential local alternative for sustainable masonry in humid tropical environments. These two representative soils show promising results, but further studies are needed to confirm extrapolation to the wider range of soils in the Ebolowa region.