This study examined Residents’ evaluation of turning transport infrastructure (road) to spaces for holding social ceremonies in the indigenous residential zone of Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria. Upon stratifying the city into the three identifiable zones, the core, otherwise known as the indigenous residential zone was isolated for study. Of the twenty (20) political wards in the two local government areas of the town, fifteen (15) wards that were located in the indigenous zone constituted the study area. Respondents were selected along one out of every three (33.3%) of the Trunk — C (local) roads being the one mostly used for the purpose in the study area. The respondents were the residents, commercial motorists, commercial motorcyclists, and celebrants. Six hundred and forty-two (642) copies of questionnaire were administered and harvested on the spot. The Mean Analysis generated from the respondents’ rating of twelve perceived hazards listed in the questionnaire were then used to determine respondents’ most highly rated perceived consequences of the practice. These were noisy environment, Blockage of drainage by waste, and Endangering the life of the sick on the way to hospital; the most highly rated reasons why the practice came into being; and level of acceptability of the practice which was found to be very unacceptable in the study area. Policy makers should therefore focus their attention on strict enforcement of the law prohibiting the practice in order to ensure more cordial relationship among the citizenry, seeing citizens’ unacceptability of the practice in the study area.

No abstract

Flexibility of Lime Mortar resulting from its good permeability feature through its relatively large interconnected pore structure makes it popular as an old sustainable building material. This characteristic feature enhances its capability to suppress masonry deformation. However, its mechanical strength is weak. To address this shortcoming, cement is added to form a stronger composite. This study, therefore, evaluates the pore structure of the resulting lime-cement composite, with a view to assessing impact and sustainability of the lime’s flexibility in the overall performance of the composite. Adopting equal mix ratio (1:3) of Binder/Aggregate (B/A), mortars were prepared using lime as a lone binder, as well as other five different compositions in the ascending and descending order of lime and cement binders (i.e., 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 2:1 and 3:1). Each composition was assessed in fresh state using Water/Binder ratio, Air Content and Bulk Density. For the hardened state assessments, mechanical characteristics and microstructural features evaluated through six (6) and twelve (12) month curing periods respectively, were considered. Results of the investigation reveal that low cumulative porosity (i.e., summation of the porosities) across the three pore regions of Inter-Nano pores (1 – 10 nm), Super-Nano pores (10 – 100 nm) and Sub-Micro pores (0.1 – 1 µm), for each of the mortars, is observed to be synonymous with low cement content, low Modulus of Elasticity, low (fc/ff), and thus, high flexibility. This observation is supported by high linear coefficient of correlation (R2 = 0.89) for the equation describing both ‘cumulative porosity’ (within the referenced three pore ranges) and cement content. Thus, it could be inferred that despite cement addition with resulting alteration in the pore structure of the composite, presence of lime would retain flexibility property of the composites, with more flexibility in the descending order of cement contents. Considering the impacts of pandemic climate change, growing energy costs and human activities on the environment, this study therefore attempts to promote revival of an old but partially abandoned sustainable lime based mortars, with a view to facilitating improved lime mortar performances, conservation of energy resources and overall protection of the environment.

Lime Based Mortar became very popular due to its outstanding features of flexibility, permeability and low carbon emissions. However, lime’s characteristic delayed setting, late hardening time, low mechanical strength, among others, overshadowed significance of its outstanding features, thereby putting its overall use into decline, particularly, with the 19th century Portland Cement discovery. This study therefore aims at reviving lime usage through a sustainable lime composite, by integrating an industrial by-product, Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (slag) with lime, in form of lime-slag mortar, with a view to reducing the mortar thermal conductivity. The methodology involved mortars with the same Binder/Aggregate (B/A) mix ratio (1:3) using five separate volumetric compositions of ‘slag-lime’ binders (i.e. 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 2:1 and 3:1). Physical properties of the mortars involving their Water/Binder (W/B) ratios, Air Contents and Bulk Densities were recorded. Comparative evaluations of the compositions in hardened state, involving thermal conductivities were carried out at specific intervals through a twelve-month curing period. These were partly monitored through assessments of the composites’ microstructural behaviours over a six-month period. Results of the investigation show that addition of slag to mortars facilitate slightly larger pores with increased porosities. However, these effects are minimal (i.e. from 23.42% to 25.37% porosity) when slag content is at equal volumetric content with lime. A general reduction (not in a linear trend) in the thermal conductivities of the mortar with increasing slag content was observed, cumulating in 25% decrease in the composites having thrice volumetric content of slag, relative to lime. Composite’s reduced thermal conductivity would be of utmost importance in construction especially, where material’s limited thermal conductivity property is of utmost importance.

Lime Based Mortar became very popular due to its outstanding features of flexibility, permeability and low carbon emissions. However, lime’s characteristic delayed setting, late hardening time, low mechanical strength, among others, overshadowed significance of its outstanding features, thereby putting its overall use into decline, particularly, with the 19th century Portland Cement discovery. This study therefore aims at reviving lime usage through a sustainable lime composite, by integrating an industrial by-product, Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (slag) with lime, in form of lime-slag mortar, with a view to reducing the mortar thermal conductivity. The methodology involved mortars with the same Binder/Aggregate (B/A) mix ratio (1:3) using five separate volumetric compositions of ‘slag-lime’ binders (i.e. 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 2:1 and 3:1). Physical properties of the mortars involving their Water/Binder (W/B) ratios, Air Contents and Bulk Densities were recorded. Comparative evaluations of the compositions in hardened state, involving thermal conductivities were carried out at specific intervals through a twelve-month curing period. These were partly monitored through assessments of the composites’ microstructural behaviours over a six-month period. Results of the investigation show that addition of slag to mortars facilitate slightly larger pores with increased porosities. However, these effects are minimal (i.e. from 23.42% to 25.37% porosity) when slag content is at equal volumetric content with lime. A general reduction (not in a linear trend) in the thermal conductivities of the mortar with increasing slag content was observed, cumulating in 25% decrease in the composites having thrice volumetric content of slag, relative to lime. Composite’s reduced thermal conductivity would be of utmost importance in construction especially, where material’s limited thermal conductivity property is of utmost importance.