Laboratory Evaluation of Finely Milled Brick Debris as a Soil Stabilizer

Cesar Hidalgo,Fredy Muñoz,Gloria Carvajal

doi:10.3390/su11040967

Abstract

Brick is one of the most common building materials, and it is also one of the largest components of waste generated from both construction and demolition. Reuse of this waste would reduce the environmental and social impacts of construction. One potential bulk use of such waste is as a cementing agent for soil stabilization. However, this is currently limited by the need to mill the residue to a particle size below 0.035 mm. In this study, the behavior of two soil types stabilized using alkali-activated brick dust was investigated. The unconfined compression strength at different curing temperatures and moistures and the use of different types and concentrations of alkaline activators were investigated. It was found that the addition of brick dust resulted in an increase in the soil strength between 1.7–2.3 times with respect to the non-stabilized material, suggesting that the resulting materials will find practical applications in construction.

Highlights

Construction and demolition waste (CDW) represents a significant portion of the waste generated annually worldwide [1]
This research demonstrated the technical feasibility of using Brick dust (BD) for soil stabilization
The activated brick debris (ABD) produced a substantial increase in soil strength

Summary

Introduction

Construction and demolition waste (CDW) represents a significant portion of the waste generated annually worldwide [1]. It is estimated that CDW in the European Union represents 30% [2], in Australia 57% [3], UK 50%, 30% USA, and 60% in Hong Kong [4] of solid waste. The final disposal of these materials continues to be mainly in landfills [4], which generates severe environmental impacts It has been demonstrated through the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) that landfilling has a greater environmental impact than the alternative of reusing or recycling [5]. The reuse of CDW in construction has been promoted, and in some European countries it has been possible to reuse up to 90% [5]. The use of CDW as aggregates for the manufacture of concrete, mortars and pavements has been well explored [2,6,7,8,9], showing results that vary according to the quality of the aggregate and the production process used [7]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion