Integration of Port Dredged Sediments Into the Production of Fired Clay Bricks

Abstract

Bricks manufactured, based on dredged sediments extracted from Tangier and Larache ports in Morocco were investigated. Chemical, physical, geotechnical, mineralogical and environmental characterizations studies of ports dredged sediments were performed. Partial substitution of natural clay by dredged sediments was achieved with different substitution rates by weight (20%, 40%, 50%, 60% and 70%) to manufacture brick samples at the laboratory scale. The compressive strength was the factor determining the optimal substitution rate of the natural clay. Compressive strength values of fired bricks with different rates of sediments incorporated show that the manufactured bricks have mechanical characteristics relatively close to natural clay until 60% substitution for Larache port dredged sediment (SL) and until 50% for Tangier port dredged sediment (ST). The results in this study confirm that dredged sediments from the ports of Tangier and Larache can be used as an alternative raw materials resource for the manufacturing of fired bricks.