Performance of Interlocking Brick using Quarry Dust as Mixing Agent

Abstract

Sand demand is currently very high and constantly increased up to cause problems in the construction industry. In an effort to solve this problem, various studies have been conducted as an alternative to replace the use of sand and among them are the use of quarry dust as a substitute sand. In this study, quarry dust is used as a substitute of sand in the manufacture of interlocking brick cement-sand. However, it has raised questions about the ability of interlocking brick with quarry dust in terms of compressive strength and water absorption compared to interlocking brick with sand that are often used in construction. Interlocking brick made using an appropriate mixture of sand and quarry dust as the main components, cement as a binding agent. Providing 70 samples of interlocking bricks different mixing and all the interlocking brick dimensions are 250mm x 125mm x 100mm. The various percentages of quarry dust that to be used in the experiment. This percentage ratio is required to determine the appropriate percentage to be used in the production of brick in order to produce optimum strength. Interlocking brick will be tested using hydraulic machines for days 7 to days 28 for compressive strength and water absorption test. The results showed that the highest value of compressive strength test is from a sample of 70% quarry dust of 31.07 N/mm ² which consisted ratio of 1 cement: 1.8 sand: 4.2 quarry dust while for water absorption test, the highest reading was recorded by 0 % sample of quarry dust with a ratio of 1 cement mixture: 5.1 sand of 11.8%. As a conclusion, quarry dust content can affect the compressive strength of bricks, thereby increasing the compressive strength of brick and reduce the rate of water absorb.