Brick Construction Research Articles

Porosity Investigation of Bricks by Gamma-ray Transmission Measurement

Abstract Porosity property was measured with gamma-ray transmission and Archimedes method for construction bricks after that shown the comparison of their results. The gamma-ray transmission and Archimedes method are useful methodology to determine the porosity property of material but gamma-ray is advantage methodology for NDT (Non-Destructive Test) and accuracy than Archimedes method. The NaI(Tl) scintillation detector was setup the transmission method measurement for calculate the porosity. The Ba-131 was used for gamma-ray source. The construction bricks were collected from commercial construction store such as clay, AAC and concrete brick. The gamma-ray transmission method shows better result than Archimedes method

Comparative analysis of environmentally friendly materials

Woodworking industry currently generates a large amount of unused waste suitable for recycling. The solution to this urgent problem is the use of this raw material in construction industry, which would solve many economic and environmental problems. The article describes the main technologies for the construction of residential houses from wood concrete blocks and the features of the construction and operation of such buildings. Methods of comparative analysis of the structure of wood concrete and brick housing construction and the possibility of ecological materials’ effective use in the conditions of the Rostov region on the basis of thermal engineering calculation are also presented. Having analyzed the main characteristics and properties of ecological building material, the main advantages and disadvantages of wood concrete in the construction and further operation of residential buildings are considered.

Caste-based migration and exposure to abuse and exploitation: Dadan labour migration in India

ABSTRACT This article examines the relationship between an exploitative labour migration system and the social stratification system in India. Every year, thousands of people migrate from rural areas to work in brick kilns, construction sites and textile industries in Indian cities. This article analyses interview and questionnaire data from a sample of Scheduled Caste Dadan migrants. High levels of abuse, injury and disability are reported. The researchers conclude that efforts to regulate employment conditions and implement caste reforms have failed to protect many workers. The findings underscore the need for much more attention from public authorities, employers, job brokers, NGOs, and international organisations.

Geotechnical evaluation of clayey materials for quality burnt bricks

Understanding of clayey materials properties continues to elude brick manufacturers, hence unsure of their application for brick making purposes. The raw materials were assessed geochemically, mineralogically, physically and technologically. The geochemical result showed that the fluxing oxides K2O, N2O, CaO, MgO and MnO are generally low in content with average abundance ranging from 0.06% to 1.78%. The Fe2O3 content varies (4.8–25.5%) thus reflects heterogenous stability in tonality. Most of the studied samples have relatively high Al2O3 content which suggest the bauxitic composition from which kaolinite minerals might have resulted from. The XRD analysis revealed the presence of kaolinite and chlorite as the major clay minerals while quartz, feldspar, talc and hornblende were present as non-clay minerals. For DTA, the threshold of new crystallization processes were attained at 1000 °C. The SEM analysis revealed the presence of some stroma in all samples although with sizes >50 nm. These pores were suggested to constitute a capillary system where molten mineral occupy as temperature increases. The Atterberg's limit indicated that the studied materials are inorganic silts with high compressibility and organic clays properties since it plotted below the A-line of plasticity chart. The compressive strength (CS) for brick specimens made from kaolinite-rich material are relatively higher than chlorite-rich specimens. This was attributed to the ineffective pore connection within the kaolinite interstitial particles compared to the chlorite-rich specimen, hence increasing the density. The water absorption (WA) test on twenty brick specimens showed that the pore volume and capillarity for bricks which are chlorite-dominated were comparatively higher, thus absorbing more water molecules. These results revealed that majority of the studied clayey material are not suitable for double storey construction bricks but meet the requirements for single-storey construction when compared with SANS standards.

Development of energy efficient organic bricks in construction using IOT and perlite

ABSTRACT The study focuses on improvement of bricks in mechanical properties, reduction of energy consumption, making more economical and environmentally friendly by saving the depleting resources. The bricks were mixed in different proportions, by replacing sand with Iron Ore Tailings from 30 to 60 percent at 10 percent interval, cement from 10 to 20 percent at 5 percent interval and perlite at 2 and 5 percent to make bricks of 230 mm×112.5 mm×75 mm dimensions. The bricks were tested for compressive strength, water absorption and thermal conductivity. From these tests among different combinations, IOTs:Sand:Cement:Perlite 50:25:20:5 combinations have yielded better results by satisfying Indian Standard (IS) codes and this is taken as optimum dosage of raw materials. Model rooms are constructed using these bricks to access the effectiveness of thermal conductivity to compare with the ordinary conventional brick (fired brick) room, both rooms are of the same dimension and exposed to same environmental conditions. Thermal conductivity is assessed by measuring the temperature on walls of all sides of the room at different timings of the day. The results revealed that heat transferred from the outside to inside of the walls of the model room constructed with IOT-perlite bricks was at least 2°C less compared with that of ordinary bricks. Lower thermal conductivity leads to energy savings and results established 8 percent of energy savings with IOT-perlite bricks. The study proved the eco-friendly bricks by using the mine waste, lower thermal conductivity, good strength and light weight in structure.

Robotic vault: a cooperative robotic assembly method for brick vault construction

Geometrically complex masonry structures built with traditional techniques typically require either temporary scaffolding or skilled masons. This paper presents a novel fabrication process for the assembly of full-scale masonry vaults without the use of falsework. The fabrication method is based on a cooperative assembly approach in which two robots alternate between placement and support to first build a stable central arch. Subsequently, the construction is continued individually by the robots - building out from the central arch based on an interlocking diagonal brick sequence. This proposed method is validated through its successful implementation in a full-scale vault structure consisting of 256 glass and concrete standardized bricks. The paper includes strategies for developing the design, sequencing, and robotic assembly methods used to build the vault.

IMPACTS OF VIETNAM REGION CLIMATE TO SOME PROPERTIES OF CONCRETE BRICKS INDIFFERENT MAINTENANCE REGIMES

Vietnam’s Government has been driving the development of unburned building materials with an output of about 12 billion bricks/ year in 2020 in which concrete bricks are accounted for 70%. Curing is considered an important step to ensure stable product quality, reduce shrinkage, and reduce cracking when using concrete bricks in construction. This paper presents the results of research on climate impacts of the North Central and South of Vietnam to some properties of concrete bricks such as loss of mass, compressive strength, and shrinkage in different maintenance regimes. The results showed that loss of mass due to evaporated water about 3-4.2% and shrinkage 0.35÷0.6 mm/m during the first 14 days of curing. The test results strongly recommend that concrete bricks should be properly cured and the age and degree of shrinkage of concrete brick need to be concerned when putting into construction. That is very necessary during winter in the North and Central regions, and in the dry season in the South.

Evaluation of developed alkali-activated bricks for energy-efficient building construction

Gradually, the temperature of the earth is increasing due to global warming, which has increased the operational energy demand in buildings. This energy usage can substantially be reduced using energy-efficient measures such as developing a thermally resistant building envelope. The building envelope mainly consists of walls, roof and floor, where walls play an important role in heat transfer that is a major contributor to operational energy demand. In this study, a walling material (alkali-activated bricks) was developed, where locally available industrial wastes (co-fired blended ash and stone dust (CBA-SD)) were activated by a sodium-based alkali activator and cured at an ambient temperature of around 37°C. The alkali-activated bricks were evaluated for mechanical-, physical-, thermal- and durability-related properties that are in accordance with Indian standards. The results showed that the developed alkali-activated bricks are lighter in weight and have lower thermal conductivity (0.35–0.4 W/(m K)) as compared to conventional fly-ash (FA) bricks (1.05 W/(m K)). A case of a residential building with varying building envelope and number of floors was simulated for analysing building performance using a computational approach. As compared to FA bricks, the CBA-SD brick model resulted in peak cooling load reduction by 49–51, 46–48 and 44–46% for single-, two- and three-storeyed buildings, respectively.

Geosynthetic as Sustainable Materials for Earthquake resistant of Masonry Structures

When exposed to simultaneous in-plane and out-of-plane behaviour generated by earthquakes or high wind pressure, unreinforced masonry (URM) walls are vulnerable to failure. The paper presents the performance of brick masonry panels using non-woven geotextile in-plane shear and out-of-plane bending experimentally tested. The panels were reinforced with a diagonal geometric pattern on both sides. From the laboratory assessment, it was determined that geosynthetic enhancement significantly improved the capacity of load carrying, displacement capacity, bending moment, stiffness, diagonal shear, in-plane shear, and flexural strength with higher performance for both cases in the case of the cross pattern. In contrast to the un-strengthened panel, experimental findings have demonstrated a less fragile behaviour. Geosynthetics can therefore be preferably suited for strengthening the brick masonry panel in order to defend brick constructions in seismic populated places.

Ceramic bricks containing Ni ions from contaminated biomass used as an adsorbent

This article shows how pine sawdust residues can be used to adsorb nickel ions from synthetic solutions and then to produce porous bricks for civil construction using a mixture of natural clay and biomass containing the adsorbed metals. The adsorption tests were performed by mixing NiCl2 solutions with pine sawdust during a fixed stirring period of 24 h. The set was filtered and the filtrate was analysed. Highest efficiency adsorbate/adsorbent ratio was 50 mL of 1 M NiCl2 solution and 20 g L− 1 of pine sawdust. This was the contaminated biomass sample used in the manufacture of the bricks. This paper analyses the properties of the bricks achieved and compares them with bricks without added biomass, porous bricks containing zinc and commercial bricks. The obtained values of bulk density, apparent specific weight, apparent porosity, water absorption, apparent volume, weight loss on ignition, compressive strength, flexural modulus of rupture and efficiency retention of metal in the brick, demonstrate that the ceramic pieces obtained are optimal for construction.

Possibility of Using Microwave Radiation for Rehabilitation of Historical Masonry Constructions

In the last years, there has been a growing demand for renovations and redevelopment of older buildings that do not meet today's building standards. A very common problem is the insufficient, damaged or completely missing waterproofing of buildings, which leads to water (or moisture) penetration into the structure of the building, but there are several possibilities to disseminate moisture into structures. Many rehabilitation methods require mechanical intervention into the structure of the building, but we mustn’t forget the structures where these procedures cannot be used, specifically objects with a rich historical value, that are protected by the National Heritage Institute.This article is focused on suitability, functionality and possibilities of using a non-destructive method of drying historic masonry with microwave radiation. First the method of microwave drying is described in general, then its use in construction practice is explained. Following is a description of the experimental work carried out at the Faculty of Civil Engineering. Outcome of this work is comparison of effects of microwave drying on samples of masonry containing three different types of building materials. One of these samples is made of brick construction, which has reached the age of 350 years. At the end, the results of the experiment and the consequent suggested recommendations are summarized.

Properties of unfired, illitic-clay bricks for sustainable construction

Illitic clays are used for brickmaking worldwide. This paper explores the feasibility of using these clays unfired, to lower the environmental impact of construction. The results suggest that illitic clay can be used unfired. The geotechnical parameters of the clay are within the limits considered suitable for earth construction, and the compressive and flexural strengths fall within recommended limits in earth standards. Masonry constructed with the unfired illitic brick, bound with a standard hydraulic-lime mortar would reach a 28-day strength of 2.45 N/mm2 which meets structural requirements in some European masonry standards.Stabilization improved durability but lowered strength and vapour permeability, and did not significantly change thermal properties. The results suggest that both the quantity and composition of the clay fraction in an earth material determine the success of stabilization. The strength reduction caused by lime stabilization is mainly attributed to the adsorption of the Ca2+ by the illite, which prevents free Ca2+ from taking part in the pozzolanic reaction that builds up strength. The extremely high specific surface area of the illitic clay particles (24 m2/g) enhanced lime adsorption consequently damaging pozzolanic reaction and strength development.If half of an annual production of 15 million brick was unfired, producers would economise over 4 million euros in kiln fuel and carbon tax in 10 years, and would approximately half their carbon emissions, lowering massively the global environmental impact of brick production.

The Technology Acceptance Model in the Collaborative Learning of Web 2.0, Web 3.0 and Web 4.0: Higher Education Case Study

Cigarette filters are one of the most littered objects in the world that damage the environment. Incorporation in construction bricks offers the prospect of limiting damage and solves the recyclability problem for a typical non-biodegradable waste. This paper aims to explore that prospect, by adding cigarette filters in the production of two samples of fired clay bricks with the cigarette filters comprising 5% and 10% of the volume. The mixing and molding processes were done manually which had an effect on the bricks when tested, The results of testing were corresponding with those of previous studies (outside Egypt), however, only one sample of 5% Cigarette butts volume bricks complied with the Egyptian standards for bricks used in non-load bearing uses. The industrial production of these bricks is highly recommended as it will surpass the required Egyptian standards, save a significant amount of natural resources and eliminate cigarette waste.

Analyzing the Structural Properties of Fire Clay Bricks After Adding Cigarette Filters

Cigarette filters are one of the most littered objects in the world that damage the environment. Incorporation in construction bricks offers the prospect of limiting damage and solves the recyclability problem for a typical non-biodegradable waste. This paper aims to explore that prospect, by adding cigarette filters in the production of two samples of fired clay bricks with the cigarette filters comprising 5% and 10% of the volume. The mixing and molding processes were done manually which had an effect on the bricks when tested, The results of testing were corresponding with those of previous studies (outside Egypt), however, only one sample of 5% Cigarette butts volume bricks complied with the Egyptian standards for bricks used in non-load bearing uses. The industrial production of these bricks is highly recommended as it will surpass the required Egyptian standards, save a significant amount of natural resources and eliminate cigarette waste.

Quality Evaluation of Fresh Fluted Pumpkin Leaves Stored in Evaporative Coolers

A study was conducted to evaluate the quality of fresh fluted pumpkin leaves stored in two different types of evaporative coolers- aluminum-cladded burnt-clay-brick evaporative cooler (ABBEC) and non-cladded burnt-clay-brick evaporative cooler (NBBEC) compared with ambient storage as control. The evaporative coolers consisted of double walled rectangular brick construction (1.29×2.55×2.56) m external and (1.13×1.27×2.08) m internal, (length × width × height) with the inter-space filled with riverbed sand saturated with water. Physiological weight loss, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, pH, ascorbic acid, beta carotene, microbial load and organoleptic qualities of the leaves were the parameters determined. Ascorbic acid, beta carotene and titratable acidity decreased while TSS, pH and microbial load increased with storage duration. The shelf life of fluted pumpkin leaves increased to four days in ABBEC from only two days in ambient storage. ABBEC stored leaves retained its freshness better than leaves in NBBEC and ambient storage.

A simple and safe brick masonry infill construction for high seismic-prone area

West Sumatera Province has been known as one of the high seismic-prone areas in Indonesia. In this area, peoples commonly use the brick masonry as infill in the Reinforced Concrete (RC) frame structures. Field investigation after the earthquake informed that there were many bricks masonry infill collapsed caused by the earthquake motion. In this study, a simple and safe brick masonry infill construction in the RC frame structure is proposed for applying in the high seismic-prone area such as West Sumatera. The proposed construction method was defined based on the experimental works of the three 1/4 reduced-scale singe-bay and single-story RC frame specimens. The specimens include one specimen of RC frame infilled with brick masonry, one specimen of RC frame infilled with strengthened brick masonry by using chicken wire mesh, and one specimen of RC frame infilled with brick masonry infill and anchored to the columns with plain steel rebars. The wire mesh was sewn on both sides of the diagonal area of the brick masonry infill. All the specimens have subjected to lateral static reversed loading. The structural test results have shown that the strengthening using the chicken wire mesh increase the lateral strength of the RC frame about 22.%, while the use of the plain rebars anchor decreases the lateral strength about 1.8% and both methods can delay the failure of the brick masonry infill.

Recycling of spent industrial soil in manufacturing process of clay brick

The present study aimed to investigate the feasibility of using Spent Industrial Soil (SIS) generated in the process of Aromatics production in manufacturing clay brick. The physicochemical properties of raw clay and SIS were analyzed using different lab tests such as X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Six different amounts of SIS (i.e. 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 % by weight) were mixed with clay soil and fired by electric furnaces at 950 °C for 8 h to make fired brick samples. Magnified images were taken using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) for all samples to indicate the significant changes in pores size due to adding SIS. The results showed that SIS increases the water absorption and water suction and reduces the density of brick samples due to increasing porosity in the structure of brick. Also the linear shrinkage is reduced in samples containing SIS and this finding is justified by the lower amounts of hydrophilic elements (i.e. Ca, Mn, and Mg) in SIS, compared with raw clay soil. On the other hand, the compressive strength of brick samples which is affected by both porosity and SiO2 amount has been increased by mixing SIS content of 20 %. Thus using SIS in clay brick construction is an effective way to make a porous and lighter brick which meets the required standards of structural and environmental issues.

Construction of Eco-Friendly Plastic Brick

Construction of Eco-Friendly Plastic Brick

Research on the use of calcium carbide residue from the acetylene gas manufacturing factory to produce non-calcined brick

In Vietnam, calcium carbide residue (CCR) from the acetylene gas factories are not properly treated, causing serious environmental pollution. Based on mineral composition determined by XRD, calcium carbide residue consisted mainly of portlandite (70-72%), calcite (14-16%), hydrocalumite (6-8%), and chemical composition determined by XRF method composed of CaO (53.02%), LOI (39.72%). This calcium carbide residue can be used as a source of hydrated lime, mixed with fly ash, sand, and cement to produce non-calcined bricks and test results show that brick specimens achieved compressive strength 3.0-7.5 MPa, water absorption 12.3-17.5%, density 1.28-1.80kg/cm3. The test bricks satisfied Vietnamese standards for construction bricks.

Research on the use of calcium carbide residue from the acetylene gas manufacturing factory to produce non-calcined brick

In Vietnam, calcium carbide residue (CCR) from the acetylene gas factories are not properly treated, causing serious environmental pollution. Based on mineral composition determined by XRD, calcium carbide residue consisted mainly of portlandite (70-72%), calcite (14-16%), hydrocalumite (6-8%), and chemical composition determined by XRF method composed of CaO (53.02%), LOI (39.72%). This calcium carbide residue can be used as a source of hydrated lime, mixed with fly ash, sand, and cement to produce non-calcined bricks and test results show that brick specimens achieved compressive strength 3.0-7.5 MPa, water absorption 12.3-17.5%, density 1.28-1.80kg/cm3. The test bricks satisfied Vietnamese standards for construction bricks.