Abstract
Cement is considered a key raw material for brick production. However, excessive use of cement leads to a negative environment impact. Cement replaced with locally available waste materials has a significant potential to address this environmental impact, especially in the construction industry by contributing to cleaner production. The objective of this research is to investigate the performance of brick where cement is replaced by fly ash and palm oil fuel ash, waste materials typically available in Malaysia, where the construction industry is on the rise. To determine the performance of these bricks, a compressive strength test, a water absorption test, and a thermogravimetric analysis were carried out at different percentage combinations of fly ash and palm oil fuel ash. The results from the tests reveal that both fly ash and palm oil fuel ash incorporated bricks satisfy Class 1 and Class 2 load-bearing brick requirements according to the Malaysian Standard MS76:1972 along with water absorption requirements as per ASTM C55-11. The thermogravimetric analysis study confirms that the Ca(OH)2 gradually decreases due to the increase of pozzolanic material contents (fly ash and palm oil fuel ash). Moreover, these newly developed bricks cost less than the conventional bricks.
Highlights
IntroductionThere are various forms of bricks available [1], and among them fired bricks and cement bricks are usually popular for their perceived reliability
Bricks tend to be one of the most important elements in the construction industry
It can be seen that the density of the brick increases moderately with the replacement of fly ash because of its fineness
Summary
There are various forms of bricks available [1], and among them fired bricks and cement bricks are usually popular for their perceived reliability Malaysia uses both fired bricks and cement bricks, and these bricks are popular throughout the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region. The incorporation of more sustainable materials in the production of bricks can partially address this large issue, and the use of waste materials for this purpose can be an attractive option due to their natural availability and the aspect of recycling. Waste materials, including empty fruit branches, oil palm shell, and Palm Oil Fuel Ash (POFA), are generated in significant amounts and it is expected that 100 million tonnes of dry waste materials will be generated by 2020 [4]. Empty fruit branches and oil palm shell are usually burnt to produce POFA
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