Sandbag Latrine Construction Guide

8/12/2019 Sandbag Latrine Construction Guide

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STEP BY STEP SANDBAG LATRINE CONSTRUCTION

The latrine is made with a sandbag lined pit and the superstructure is made from tarpaulin sewn

onto local timber and bamboo.

The pit diameter is 120cm. A piece of string with a nail

or needle on the end can be used to draw a circle of

60cm radius in the sand.

Step 1 is to measure the radius of 60cm and position the

needle at the appropriate place.

120cm

60cm


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A digging spike (miners bar) is used to loosen the soil. Spades and hoes are then used for digging. When

you start digging, it isis important to stay well inside the circle you have drawn, to ensure that the pit is not

too big. The sides of the pit can be enlarged later, using a trowel.


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Check your work as you go, to ensure that the hole

size is no bigger than 120cm. The pit should be no

deeper than 150cm because of the high groundwater

table at Goz Amir.

A trowel is used to enlarge the hole and smooth and

straighten the sides of the pit.

150cm


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A padlock on the end of a string is used as a plumb bob to ensure that the sides of the hole are dug straight.

Sandbags are arranged in a circle and used to line the pit.


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The bags are stitched 20cm from the edge. If the bag is large, as illustrated below, then three small 20cm bags

can be made. Otherwise, there will be only two.

The stitching should be closely spaced and two rows of stitching should be used, otherwise the bag will tear,

as illustrated below:


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The bags should be turned inside out after sewing and cutting.

The bags are filled with a 5% mix of cement and sand. 10 buckets of sand are mixed with half a bag of

cement. The filled sandbags have a diameter of 120mm. As illustrated below, they should be approximately

80% full.


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The bags are tied with a local string made of recycled tyres, known as Garang or JohnGarang This is torn

into thin strips.

Five short bags or four long bags are used for each layer of lining., bent to form a circle.


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The join of each bag with its neighbour should be directly under the middle of the sandbag directly located

above, as shown in the following photograph.

The sandbags should be pressed firmly against the walls of the latrine:

Holes in the bag can be repaired with duct tape, as illustrated above.


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A hammer is used to press the sandbags down firmly to make a level surface:

If there is a small space between the sandbags, then a short sandbag can be used:

Palm Beams/roniers/dileb is placed across the pit to carry the weight of the slab. If the top of the lining is

raised, using extra sandbags, then the dileb must be supported on bricks.


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The Slab is supported by these palmbeams/dileb timber planks.


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Additional timber is placed alongside the slab as illustrated below:

Short sandbags can be used at each end of the latrine slab, if the roniers are flush with the ground level.


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Plastic sheeting or empty sugar bags are placed under the slab as illustrated below. A clay ring is constructed

around the latrine slab to stop surface water from getting into the pit.

A fairly dry mixture of clay is used around the slab. Break up lumps and add a little water.


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The clay is also placed above the plastic sheeting.

Pack the clay around the slab and tamp the clay down firmly. Smooth the surface and sprinkle a little sand

on the top to stop people from slipping on the surface.


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Make holes for timber uprights for latrine superstructure. Push latrine uprights into the holes and tamp down

firmly


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The poles for the superstructure should be evenly spaced approximately 1050mm apart. Check that when a

person enters the latrine by mistake, they see the persons face first. The entrance should be at least 600mm

so that a large person should not have to turn sideways to squeeze through the latrine doorway.

Tamp down the soil firmly so that the uprights will resist the wind loads. Sharp edges should be removed

from the latrine uprights.


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Check that the tarpaulin is the right length for the poles, before attaching the bracing to the structure. If the

tarpaulin is shorter than the spiral formed by the poles, adjust the position of the poles as necessary:

Bamboo is used for horizontal ties and diagonal bracing:


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Garang is used for lashing the plastic sheeting to the superstructure

Attach plastic sheeting to superstructure starting from the outside of the doorway and working around to the

inside of the spiral superstructure

Wrap garang around the upright poles using a sewing needle.

Work from one end of the latrine to the other stretching tarpaulin as you go. Vertical uprights should be

stitched first, then horizontal poles and finally diagonal bracing


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Sand should be smoothed over the clay inside the latrine so that it is not slippery to walk on.


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The completed latrine.

Inside the completed latrine


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Sandbag Latrine Construction Guide

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