Sustainability Study of Concrete Blocks with Wood Chips Used in Structural Walls in Seismic Areas

The concept of sustainability has become a priority in the construction field, in a context where there is an increasing discussion about reducing carbon dioxide emissions, as the construction industry is one of the most polluting industries with a focus on the production of building materials. At present, the classic solution used for structural masonry walls worldwide is the ceramic block. Given that the production of ceramic blocks represents an environmentally polluting process, the alternative solution of using concrete blocks with wood chips is proposed. The proposed solution is more environmentally friendly, both in terms of production technology and materials used, as it is made of wood chips, wood being a sustainable material. These types of blocks are currently used in non-seismic areas due to their poor structural performance. This paper deals with a study on the use of recyclable materials, such as wood chips, from waste materials and aims to propose viable solutions for the use of this type of blocks for structural walls in seismic areas. Two solutions, including concrete blocks with wood chips, have been proposed and numerical analyses have been carried out. Numerical analyses were also carried out for the classical solutions, so that, finally, a comparison could be made between them from a structural point of view. Following the numerical analysis of four types of walls, the two proposed solutions of concrete blocks with wood chips had the best results in terms of force–displacement relationship. Moreover, the quantitative results are presented in a force–displacement graph for the four wall types. This stage represents the first phase of the research, while phase II will continue with experimental tests of the proposed solutions.