Material Selection for the Production of Roof Tiles using Digital Logic Method

Abstract

Roof tiles are important for roofing in housing construction. Different roof tiles are made of fired ceramics and concrete, polymer composite and metals. In this study, digital logic method (DLM) was employed in analyzing properties obtained for samples tested, with the view of optimizing, towards selecting most suitable material for roof tiles production. Five materials were considered for selection in the production of roof tiles, each sample containing granite dust (GD); FB-30 (30% by weight GD, 70% by weight clay), CT-35 (10% by weight cement, 35% by weight GD and 55% by weight fine sand), CCT-30 (10% by weight cement, 30% by weight GD, 20% by weight fine sand, 40% by weight clay), POL-02 (2% by weight GD, 98 % by weight high density polypropylene) and AL-08 (8% by weight GD, 92% by weight Aluminum alloy-AL 6061) samples. Properties evaluated for material selection are flexural, compressive and tensile strengths, bulk density, thermal conductivity, wear resistance, and water absorption. DLM involved ranking of samples based on values obtained for figure of merit (FOM). FOM values for FB-30, CT-35, CCT-40, POL-02, and AL-08 was 3.68, 3.83, 3.55, 14.43, and 2.42 respectively. Thus, optimum material for roof tiles was POL-02 based on its highest value of 14.43 and presented as a durable and sustainable roof tiles material..