Optimization of the Impact of Dune Sand, Recycled Rubber Aggregates, and Clay Brick Waste on Eco-Mortar Mechanical Strength by the Taguchi Method

Abstract

Utilizing local materials and recycling waste has the potential to yield both ecological and economic advantages in the field of construction materials. In this context, the object of this work is to apply Taguchi's design of experiments on cement eco-mortar, which were designed using an L-9 orthogonal array, to optimize and model the effect of dune sand of the El Oued region, rubber aggregates, and crushed clay brick waste on the mechanical strength at 28 days. The different interactions were also investigated between the factors targeted in our study, namely: dune sand (DS) content, rubber aggregates (RA) content, and brick waste (BW) content. The results of the analysis of variation (ANOVA) as well as the mathematical models developed in this study showed that the BW factor content has a positive effect on compressive strength and a negative effect on flexural strength. In addition, the interactions between DS and BW contents and between RA and BW contents have a negative effect on the compressive strength of eco-mortar. With regard to flexural strength, the results showed that the interaction between the factors DS and RA contents has a negative effect on flexural strength, in contrast to the interaction between the RA and BW contents, which has a positive effect.