Strength Behavior of Mud Brick in Building Construction

Farraj Al-Ajmi,Jamal Almatawah,Magdi Abdelghaffar,Hany Abdalla

doi:10.4236/ojce.2016.63041

Abstract

The use of earth construction is well established in energy efficient housing. Mud bricks consist of clay, water, and binding material such as rice husks or straw. The advantages of mud brick include its low-cost and great thermal behavior. Although mud brick is considered one of the oldest construction materials, engineers and builders do not have enough information about its mechanical properties. Also there is no accurate design code to follow before construction. This study is devoted to enhance the low compressive strength of mud brick without sacrificing its low thermal conductivity properties. The experimental program in this research includes the use of different admixtures to increase the compressive strength of the basic mud mix. The experimental results show that the increase of cement ratio, as ingredient to a certain limits, can lead to an optimum compressive strength of the brick.

Highlights

Earth as mud bricks, has been used in building construction for thousands of years and approximately 30% of the world’s present population still live in earthen shelters [1]
The results show that without hay, the cement is more effective than lime in increasing the compressive strength of the produced brick
The results show that the major change in compressive strength was achieved in Group 3, where hay was replaced by cement as a binding material

Summary

Introduction

Earth as mud bricks, has been used in building construction for thousands of years and approximately 30% of the world’s present population still live in earthen shelters [1]. Mud brick is an inexpensive, environmentallyfriendly and abundantly-available building material. It has been used extensively for building construction around the world, in extreme hot, dry desert climates like that of most Arabian countries [2]. In these countries, mud bricks are made by blending mud and water together into a goopy mixture. Straw is added to improve tensile strength, and may prevent mud bricks from cracking.

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Conclusion