This document discusses reinforced concrete block masonry (RCB) as a construction method for green, affordable housing. RCB uses hollow concrete blocks reinforced with steel rebar for load-bearing walls. It is faster and cheaper than traditional reinforced concrete, reducing costs by up to 30% while providing durable, earthquake-resistant structures. RCB architecture can also be attractive, and the method is proven after being used for millions of buildings globally for over 90 years.

1. Green, Speedy,
LOW - COST,
DURABLE,
R.C.B.,
HOUSING

2. Ganesh Kamat
B.E. (Civil), M.S. (U.S.A.)
Pioneers in R.C.B., Planning & Design.
Licensed Structural Engineer,42 yrs. Exp.
Mobile: 98 20 86 77 55
aneshkamat47@gmail.com
www.AffordableConstruction.in

3. Approval Procedure Cycle.
Approval
Redevelopment
Build
Repair
Do you want cycle in every 20 years ?

4. Approval Procedure
= Monopoly
+ Power
- Transparency

5. We can Reduce Approval Procedure
by
 Simple Bye-laws
 Power to Architect
 On line Procedure
 Sustainable Construction for
at least 100 years maintenance
free & Green Building for
M.o.E.F. Approvals.

6. More People Die
Due to more food
Than
Less Food

7. More Buildings
Collapse
Due to Self Load

8. Although we have high strength
concrete & steel then why are
the beams, columns, slabs, of
our Buildings NOT comparably
of smaller size than (1:2:4:)
M15 in olden days? & steel
quantities reduced?

9. Are we designing Buildings to
take care mostly of self load ??
As of now about 90% self load
takes care of only about 10%
live load.
Can the self load be reduced by
hollow, light weight members?

10. R.C.C. Life…..50yrs.
R.C.B. Life........100yrs
Stone Load bearing
Bldg. Life………1000yrs

11. Need for
Green, Load Bearing ,
Affordable , Speedy
Durable for 100 year
Construction Method

12. Good
Construction
Needs
Knowledge &
Honesty

13. Green Load bearing Houses Must Be
 Attractive
 Economical
 Eco Friendly
 Proven
 Simple
 Speedy
 Sturdy
 Sustainable

14. While Planning the Building it is
more Appropriate To Work Out
Which is the Most Suitable
Construction Method and Plan as
per the Technology.
 R.C.C.,
 STEEL,
 PRECAST , RIB SLAB.
 Aluminum-Shuttering
R.C.B. (Reinforced Concrete Block
Masonry.)

15. Affordable Due To




Optimum Planning
Detailed Designing
Detailing of each Joint
Appropriate Technology

16. PLANNING







More common walls
Least number of notches
Least wall area / Floor area ratio
Complete detailing for each member
Minimum number of staircase
Least common passages
Least foot print & loading

23. LESS OFFSET, MORE COMMON WALLS
10% More Carpet Area. So Most Affordable

24. 1.5 BHK in 3 Lacks Beauty with Economy

26. TOTAL COST WITH FINISHING
For R.C.C. …….. Rs. 1000/- per Sqft.
For Aluminum Form ..Rs. 1200/- per Sqft.
For R.C.B . ………Rs. 700/- per Sqft.

27. 1) R.C.C. type of construction was taught by
British & we are following Beam & Column
type of construction for the last hundred
years or so in India.
2) R. C. C. building needs repairs within 15
years of construction.
Not that anything is wrong with R. C. C. but
there is more scope to use inferior material &
workmanship in R.C.C.& hence need for
early repair.

28. 3) Our Forts, Old buildings, V. T. Station,
Municipal Bldg., Palaces, Towers are
generally constructed by Stone Masonry load
bearing method & have stood since hundreds
of years without any major repair work.
4) The same load bearing technology has been
further developed in U.S.A. which is Speedy,
Sturdy, Simple, Durable, Eco-Friendly which
also saves 30% in construction cost & is
called R.C.B./ Reinforced Masonry/ C.M.U.

29. Presentation on Green Load Bearing Housing
By Reinforced Concrete Block Masonry R.C.B.
Method of Construction
Green Affordable Structures
Advantages
(Economy, Speed & Simplicity)
Architectural Features
Earthquake, Wind & Fire resistance
Conclusion

30. Method Of Construction

31. Concrete block 8” X 8” X 16”
Ultimate strength = 40,000 Kg/block

32. As Air is freely available
and Hollow Concrete
Block is 50% hollow, if a
structure is built by
R.C.B.
the cost of construction
is slashed down.

33. Staggered Joints In Block Masonry

34. R.C.B. Work Under Progress

35. 13 Block Layer + Slab=15 Days.

36. R.C.B. Pointing From Outside

37.  In India 300 buildings have
been designed by R.C.B.
method in the past 30 years by
us.
In the world millions of
buildings have been built by
this established & proven
American technology in the
past 90 years.

38. R.C.B. Users









BMC
MHADA
P.W.D.
Govt. of Gujarat
Kamat Hotel (i) Ltd.
Royal Hotel
Ganaka Hotel
Poddar Developer
Panoramic Universal
Bhojwani Const.
Unity Const.
Vipassana
Lodha
Excon
Arch. Bhatnagar
Arch. Kudalkar
Arch. Premnath.
African Countries

39. R.C.B. Structures

40. Architect Bhatnagar’s Bungalow, Malad,

41. No Beam, Column & Offset in Bungalow

42. 6 Storey Building At Mahim For Unity Construction

43. Budget Motel at Igatpuri – Under Construction

45. RCB Column

46. Interior
Pointing

47. Method Of Pointing

49. BMC School At Goregaon, Mumbai

50. No Beam, No Column only RCB

51. Vertical Reinforcement At Corner

52. Door-Window Frame before casting Slab

54. Advantages
Speed,
Simplicity
Sustainability,
Economy

55. Eco - Friendly As it
SAVES,
100% Bricks,
50% Steel & Shuttering,
40% Concrete,
25% Utility Bill.

56. 96 Houses For Policemen, Jogeshwari

57. R.C.B. Pointing From Outside

58. Vipasanna Meditation Hall, Igatpuri

59. Plan
For
65 feet
Meditation
Hall

60. R.C.B. WALL & SLAB

61. 150 Earthquake Proof Homes, Gujrat

62. Foundation Work

64. Foundation For R.C.B. Work

65. Vertical Steel.
Runner Beam
Horizontal Steel.
Wall Footing

66. MASONARY JOINTS

67. MASONRY HORIZONTAL REINFORCEMENT

68. HOUSING & SLUM PROJECTS
 6 Bldg. Quarters for Policemen of SRPF,






Goregaon, Mumbai For P.W.D.
16 Bldg at Vinoba Bhave Nagar transit camp,
kurla, Mumbai For MHADA.
5 Bldg. For Pancharatna Soc. Complex at Neral,
Maharashtra.
Transit Bldg. For Unity Construction at
Sitaladevi Temple Rd. Mahim Mumbai.
150- Earthquake Proof House for Gujarat Govt.
at Morvi (World Bank Project.)
Transit Bldg. For Bhojwani Builders at Khar,
Mumbai.
Housing Complex for Lodha at Shirdi

69. RIB
BLOCK
RIB

71. Concealed Wiring in Slab

73. RIB SLAB BOTTOM
RIB
BLOCKS

74. SHOPPING MALL AT AFRICA

75. THE GREAT PYRAMID AT EGYPT

76. PROPOSED RCB PYRAMID PRAYER –HALL AT AFRICA

77. COMMERCIAL & SCHOOL
PROJECT
 School & Dispensary for B.M.C at Film City







road, Goregaon (E) Mumbai.
Meditation Hall for Vipassana at Igatpuri ,
Maharashtra
Old man colony at Badlapur
Fire Station at Illinois, U.S.A.
The Eldorado Theatre at Tucson U.S.A.
Shopping Centre at Tucson U.S.A.
Shopping Centre (100000 Sq.Ft.)at Africa.
R.C.B. Pyramid Prayer Hall at Africa.

78. BUNGALOW PROJECT
 Triplex Bungalow at Malvani Church, Malad (W)








Mumbai.
Six Bungalow at Kalyanpur Colony, Lonavala.
Bungalow for Arch. Bhatnagar at Chickni Murud
Bungalow for Mr. Rohidas Koli at Malvani, Malad
Mumbai.
Bungalow for Assi. Teachers for Vipassana,
Igatpuri
Bungalow for Bhatnagar, Bordi.
Bunglow for Vipasanna at Titwala
Bunglow for architect Premnath at Vasai
500 – (4 BHK) Bunglow at Africa.

79. Architectural Features

80. Arch Masonry Bungalow

81. Royal Hotel Building, Arizona. USA

82. R.C.B. Hotel, Tuscan, Arizona, USA

83. Bungalow At Lonavala

84. Beauty With Simplicity

85. Bungalow at Arizona U.S.A.

86. Slum House At Malad

87. Typical Compound Wall

88. HOTEL PROJECTS
 Hotel Granada Inn at Tucson Arizona, U.S.A.
 Hotel Granada Inn at EI Paso, Texas U.S.A.
 Hotel - The Chaparral at Siera Vista, Arizona





U.S.A
Hotel Maharaaja Inn at Lonavala Maharashtra,
India.
Ganaka Motel - NH3 - Near Manas Resort,
Igatpuri, India.
Kamat Hotel at Nashik
Lotus Suit at Chandigarh
4 Star Resort at Durgapur

89. First R.C.B. Hotel Building In India, 1977

90. Proposed 3 Star Hotel At Nasik For Kamat Hotel

91. 4 Star Resort At Durgapur

92. Completed Masonry Building

93. Shear Wall
Structures Are
Also Earthquake,
Wind & Fire
Resistance

94. nt Failure in R.C.C.

97. Simple water
Penetration Test.
Slab must NOT
Leak After
Casting

98. Simple Cement
Test.
Make Cement Roti
If Roti Hardens in
One Hour
Cement is OK

99. Need for
Low Strength
Cement for
Plaster, Masonry, P.C.C/
Flooring, Waterproofing,
Ceiling, Drainage,
Plumbing work

101. Fire Resistance Due To Horizontal Projection

102. Decorative Block Masonry

103. Elevation From Decorative Block Masonry

104. R.C.B. Decorative Blocks

105. Decorative
Block
Masonry

106. Decorative Jali Block

108. Brick Wall ~ Block Wall

109. 9’’ Brick Wall Costs:15 Brick xRs.5/Brick = Rs.75/Sq. Ft.
7.5” Block Wall = Rs. 40/ block
So SAVING = Rs. 35/ Sq. Ft.
Also SAVING in Time,
Mortar Joint, Plaster, Labor,
Environment, Shuttering,
Column, Beam, Supervision.

110. Economy
(Save up to Rs. 300 / SF of slab area)
RCC
Reinforcement
RCB
Savings
3.5 Kg / SF X
Rs 55 / Kg
1.2 Kg / SF X
Rs 55 / Kg
Rs 126.50
Rs 192.50
Cement
0.6 Bag/SF X
Rs 310 / Bag
Rs 66
0.25 Bag/SF X
Rs 310 / Bag
Rs 186
Sand , Mettle, Brick,
Plaster, Labour.
Finishing & Fees
Total
Rs 77.50
Rs 300
Rs 235
Rs 321
Rs 321
Rs 1000
Rs 700
Rs 108.50
Rs 65
----------
Rs 300
Note : By Optimized Plan get 10% more Carpet Area.

111. Advantages of R.C.B. Method.
 Economy : As steel, cement, formwork, concrete & Labor
required is almost half & due to simplicity of construction &
speed, minimum saving is Rs. 300/- per sq. ft. Also by
optimum planning for R.C.B. get up to 10% more carpet
Area.
 Speed: No heavy equipment needed on site, less formwork,
less steel so construction is simple, speedier & hence
economical.
 Fire Resistant : Due to concrete block & 3.5" cover to steel,
rusting is minimized & such buildings are fire resistant too.

112. Durable: Concrete blocks are attractive, durable and have
excellent thermal, acoustic properties. No repair like R.C.C. is
needed in every fifteen years.
 Earthquake: Load bearing concrete blocks can be designed to be
wind, earthquake resistant too. Up to 22 Storied.
 Warranty: R.C.B. Method assured warrantee against heavy rain,
flood, fire, storm, earth quake & all other natural calamities for
at least 50 years.
 Architecture: Ancient type of architectural elevation is also
possible by R.C.B type of construction. Also R.C.B. is
Environmental friendly too.

113. R.C.B. is Useful For
1) Retaining Wall
2) Bridge Abutment
3) Bridge Pier
4) Highway Culverts

114. CONCLUSION 30%
Considering Durability, Speed, Simplicity,
Saving & 10% more Carpet Area. This Eco
Friendly R.C.B. Construction is Particularly
Suited For,
Housing,
Slum Project,
Transit Camp,
Schools & Hospital,
Hotel & Bungalow,
Industrial Projects,
Retaining Wall, Culverts etc.

115. REMARKS
1) For Affordability Architects/Engineers/Clients
need to take a lot of efforts in
Planning, Design,
Detailing, & technology.
2) The Architect / Engineer /Client must learn
about Planning for the Technology first.
3) Affordable structure is always green.
4) Affordable does not mean cheap construction.
5) By Optimum Planning we get 10% more
Carpet Area.(Bonus to the Builders)

116. Ganesh Kamat B.E. (Civil) M.S. (U.S.A.)
Pioneers in R.C.B., Planning & Design.
Licensed Structural Engineer ,42 yrs. Exp
Mobile: 98 20 86 77 55
aneshkamat47@gmail.com
www.AffordableConstruction.in

117. Thanks
All of You,
Call: 9820867755