Abstract
Large amounts of cotton microwastes are accumulated in textile industries. The cotton microdust is less to ignite and causes serious environmental problems and health hazards. This paper presents an experimental study, which investigates the potential use of cotton microdust to produce new and lightweight brick for construction industries. The physical and mechanical properties of brick mixes having different levels of cotton microdust ratio were investigated. The test results recorded for compressive strength, unit weight, and water absorption values satisfy the relevant required standards for normal construction bricks. The results show that the replacement of clay soil and cement by cotton microdust does not exhibit a sudden brittle fracture even beyond the failure loads, indicates high energy absorption capacity, reduces the unit weight dramatically, and introduces smother surface compared to the current concrete bricks in the market. The results also show that usage of cotton microdust with different mixing ratios for bricks will give light-weight composite, and brick could be an economical alternative to be used for partition of board concrete blocks and sound barrier panels.
Highlights
Brick is a building material used to make walls, pavements, and other elements in masonry construction
E observations during the tests show that the effect of 100% cotton waste does not exhibit a sudden brittle fracture even beyond the failure loads and indicates high energy absorption capacity by allowing lower labouring cost
Brick can be produced from different industrial wastes, and it can be used for different purposes in constructions such as for aesthetic purposes, structure unit, and fire resistance
Summary
Brick is a building material used to make walls, pavements, and other elements in masonry construction. Since the large demand has been placed on building material, especially in the last decade, owing to the increasing population, which causes a chronic shortage of building materials, people have been challenged to convert the industrial wastes to useful materials such as building and construction materials. Accumulation of unmanaged wastes in developing countries increased environmental concern. Recycling of such wastes as building materials appears to be a viable solution to such pollution problem and to the problem of economical design of buildings. In spinning and fabric manufacturing processes, dust and fly generated from the industry is a major health hazard for the people working inside the textile industry. Cotton in its whole processing value chain can generate potential health hazards
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