A case study on mineralogy and physico-mechanical properties of commercial bricks produced in Nepal

Abstract

Uses of clay brick have practiced since ancient times in the Kathmandu valley of Nepal as structural materials for the construction of historical monuments, temples, and even modern buildings so on. However, their durability and sustainability properties are less studied scientifically in Nepal. Taking into consideration, analysis of mineralogical phases and physico-mechanical properties of modern clay bricks of Nepal was carried out using X-ray powder diffraction as well as Fourier transform infra-red techniques, and American Standards for Testing Materials standards, respectively. Quartz, feldspars, alumina-rich spinel, muscovite, primary mullite, and hematite are constituent in the bricks. Appearance of the spinel and primary mullite phases in burnt brick samples with diminishing feldspar peaks were to be different, indicating that the temperature applied for the making of these clay bricks presumed to be between 900 and 1050 °C. All the commercially used contemporary brick samples analyzed herein could be of II and III classes based on the estimated physical and mechanical properties. They showed the water absorption capacity (WAC), apparent porosity (PA), bulk density (DB), and compressive strength (SC) in the range of 5–30%, 10–40%, 1.1–2.15 g/cm3, and 3.35–10.53 MPa, respectively, and these properties have a reasonable correlation. The SC is to be decreased exponentially with increasing both the WAC and PA and increased exponentially with DB.