Properties Of Bricks Research Articles

Properties of cement bricks containing sago fine waste (SFW) with different water-cement ratio

Cement is a key material in the construction industry. However, this widespread use adversely affects the environment. The replacement of cement with waste materials, mainly agricultural wastes, can reduce the impact of environmental pollution and result in sustainable construction. Sago fine waste (SFW) is a fibrous residue from waste from sago milling operations where physical treatment has been made. This study used SFW as a partial cement replacement material in cement brick and the effect of adding SFW to cement brick properties. Brick samples are designed with five different percentages of 2,4,6,8, and 10% of cement replacement, including control cement brick. The mortar mix is based on a ratio of 1:3, which follows Malaysian brick production standards. For compressive strength, density, and water absorption tests, all the specimens were cured for 7 and 28 days. The strength of cement bricks was investigated based on the difference of two water-cement ratios: 0.5 and 0.6. The brick properties investigated in this study are density, water absorption and compressive strength. The experimental results show that the brick’s density, compressive strength, and water absorption decreased as the replacement percentage increased. However, it still meets the requirements of the standard for load-bearing structures. Analysis of this study is according to extensive data collection, the ideal composition for SFW in cement brick was 2% and 0.6 water-cement ratios. This demonstrates SFW’s promise as a novel pozzolanic material for producing more sustainable bricks. As a result, SFW as a cement replacement material could improve bricks’ physical and mechanical properties as curing time increases.

Effect of Juncus Acutus fibers waste on the technological properties of unfired clay bricks as a construction material

The aim of this study is to explore the possibility of using recycled Juncus Acutus-fibers waste as an additive to unfired clay bricks for construction purposes. This novel approach aims to provide an alternative to disposing of Juncus Acutus plants in landfills and waterways by recycling the waste and incorporating it into the construction industry. The study evaluates the physical and mechanical characteristics of prepared brick samples with varying proportions of recycled Juncus Acutus-fiber waste additives (from 0%, 1%, 3%, 5%, 7% and 10% by weight), in accordance with Moroccan building sector testing standards. A uniform mixture was produced using a consistent mixing technique with an electric stirrer. The clay utilized was classified as Illite and exhibited non-swelling characteristics with a significant SiO2 content. The produced brick samples were discovered to be lightweight, with bulk densities beneath 1.75 g/cm3. By adding a significant amount of additive, it was possible to significantly reduce the shrinkage rate of the produced samples. In fact, while the reference sample had a shrinkage rate of 8%, adding 10% of Juncus fibers resulted in a sample with a shrinkage rate of only 0.7%, a reduction of 90%. However, the compressive strength decreased significantly as the amount of Juncus fibers increased. Nevertheless, the produced samples are suitable for use in the construction industry in accordance with the German standard DIN 18945(2013–08).

Residential Brick Buildings in Flanders: materials and techniques in the 19th century

This paper aims at gaining insight in the various elements and compositions of walls with facing bricks built in the 19th century in Belgium to understand the renovation potential and challenges, with the goal of safeguarding brick architecture. The first step outlines the evolution of building facing brick walls by tracing the technical, territorial, and cultural changes. Timeframes are identified and presented alongside pictures of facades and facade details of reference buildings, using the housing stock in the city centre of Antwerp as an example. In a second step, technical changes and material properties of bricks and mortars will be investigated using literature sources. These insights will offer practical knowledge to recognize and preserve historic characteristics and a starting pointing to predict potential risks of internal insulation.

Use of waste husk from millet grain cultivation in the production of fired clay bricks

AbstractThe consumption of colossal quantities of materials in the building industry has advanced the swift depletion of clean clay reserves. The use of organic additives in brick production is conserving clay resources. In addition, in some cases, it can lead to improvements in some material properties, such as decreasing thermal conductivity and increasing the capacity of the ceramic material in terms of thermal insulation. In the present investigation, waste millet husk (WMH) was incorporated in different proportions to clays to ascertain its influence on the fired brick properties. The raw materials were characterized for their physical, chemical, and thermal properties and found suitable for use in fired brick production. Additionally, the prepared modeled brick samples were tested for their physico‐mechanical properties. The results indicated that linear shrinkage and weight loss increased, whereas bulk density decreased from 2.06 to 1.58 g/cm3 depending on WMH incorporation amount in the clays and firing temperature. Similarly, compressive strength reduced by up to 68%. Thermal conductivity beneficially reduced by 42% with the addition of 16 wt.% of WMH. The best results in terms of mechanical properties were obtained with 4 wt.% of the WMH. In terms of thermal insulation, the best results were exhibited in the samples admixed with 16 wt.% of WMH. The results showed that porosity and bulk density were critical determining factors that directly influence the bricks physico‐mechanical properties.

Conventional Burnt Clay Bricks Vs AAC Blocks in Construction Projects: A Comparative Study

Abstract: AAC blocks and red clay bricks are two of the more majorly used blocks used in buildings all over the world. Both the block categories have a definite set of pros and cons. A comparative analysis of them is essential to understand and determine which of the two is a superior product, both technically and economically. Experimentation was done on samples of both blocks. Although, some defective set of samples didn’t provide the expected results, it did provide an insight in the technicalities associated with the blocks. It further allowed a comparison between the observed data and the expected data, highlighting how defects within the blocks could affect the properties. Further, some tests were analysed by studying available reports, thesis, articles prepared by various research workers working on the behaviour and properties of AAC blocks and red clay bricks. The overall study proved that AAC blocks, though weaker in compressive strength are much superior in most other properties than the red clay bricks

Effect of agricultural biomass wastes on thermal insulation and self-cleaning of fired bricks

This research investigates the feasibility of using dry crushed pomegranate peel waste as thermal insulator to produce light clay bricks. Pomegranate peel waste (PW) is used with different substitution levels of 0%, 5%, 7.5%, 10% and 15% of clay weight. The clay bricks were heated at temperatures of 700, 800, and 900 °C, that resulted in the formation of internal pores due to the combustion of PW. The bulk density, water absorption, porosity, shrinkage, and compressive strength are examined to evaluate the effect of using PW on the physical and mechanical properties of thermal insulation bricks. Also, the investigation of the effect of photocatalytic activity of bricks under sunlight irradiation is carried out. The use of PW increased the thermal conductivity up to 21% at 900 °C, water absorption from 22.6% in cold water to 29.1% in boiling water, density from 2.5% at 800 °C to 7.6% at 900 °C, and shrinkage from 4.3% in linear drying shrinkage to 5.4% in linear firing shrinkage. The heated brick samples at 700 °C showed greater photodegradation efficiency than firing clay at 800 °C and 900 °C. Moreover, the compressive strength decreased with the increase in replacement rate, reaching up to 74% for 15 wt% PW. This study confirms that lightweight heated bricks with low thermal conductivity and a reasonable compressive strength can be made using PW as a pore-forming agent.

Variation of Mechanical and Chemical Properties of Old and New Clay Bricks

Clay bricks are a popular building material, especially in historical structures. Understanding the chemical and mechanical properties of bricks is vital in historical structure rehabilitation attempts, because discrepancies in the material could lead to accelerated degradation and structural failure. This research focuses on understanding the mechanical and chemical properties of clay bricks used in the world heritage city of Kandy, Sri Lanka, over the chronological period of the 18th to the 21st centuries. Chronological analysis of brick properties reveals that optimal mechanical properties in bricks are closely related to the water absorption rate and are found to be between 10% and 18% in the analyzed specimens. Further, regional mineralogical properties, such as high concentration of calcium and inclusion of barium (Ba), potassium (K), strontium (Sr), and titanium (Ti) as trace elements, were visible in most samples regardless of the year the brick was produced. The analysis also identified revealed that the inclusion of ferrous (Fe) increases performance. Assuring similar chemical characteristics in restoration material is important to avoid chemical imbalances leading to accelerated deterioration due to the presence of reactive metals in the brick composition.

Fabrication and Experimental Analysis of Bricks Using Recycled Plastics and Bitumen

Plastic is being used increasingly in daily life. Most of it is not recyclable, and the remaining plastic cannot be used or decomposed. This causes increased plastic waste, contributing to global warming due to thermal recycling. The major objective of this research was to utilise the maximum plastic waste possible to manufacture bricks that compete with the properties of conventional bricks without affecting the environment and the ecological balance. A balanced mixture of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), quartz sand, and some additive materials, such as bitumen, was used to produce these bricks. Various tests were performed to assess the bricks’ quality, such as compression, water absorption, and efflorescence tests. These bricks had a compression strength of 37.5 MPa, which is exceptionally strong compared to conventional bricks. The efflorescence and water absorption tests showed that the bricks were nearly devoid of alkalis and absorbed almost no water. The obtained bricks were light in weight and cost-effective compared to conventional bricks.

Recycling of granite waste and burnt coal cinder for the preparation of sintered permeable bricks

AbstractThe sintered permeable brick was prepared using granite waste and burnt coal cinder (BCC) as raw materials to ensure the utmost utilization of both solid wastes. The effect of various parameters, such as the proportion of raw materials, granite particle size and sintering temperatures on the properties of the permeable brick were studied, and the relevant sintering mechanism was clarified. The differential scanning calorimetry curves indicate that the mixture of granite waste and BCC begins to melt at a lower temperature, which is lower than the temperature for melting them alone, so the use of them to prepare sintered bricks will reduce energy consumption. The optimal conditions for the preparation of the permeable bricks were determined as the mass ratio of granite waste to BCC of 80: 20, sintering temperature of 1150–1175°C, and granite particle size of .9–1.25 mm. It was found that the permeability and the flexural strength of the samples can reach 3.41 × 10 −2 cm/s and 4.2 MPa, respectively, which both exceed the requirements specified in the national standard of China.

Multivariate regression approaches to predict the flexural performance of cellulose fibre reinforced extruded earth bricks for sustainable buildings

Regression analysis is commonly used to predict the compressive strength of soil-based materials to reduce the time and cost of construction projects. This study presents the results of multivariate regression analysis on the prediction of modulus of rupture and specific energy of cement-stabilised earth bricks reinforced with bamboo cellulose fibres as a function of cellulose fibre percentage, curing temperature and curing time. Statistical modelling is carried out on the experimental data of the four-point bending test of clay brick stabilised with 10 wt% Ordinary Portland Cement reinforced with 0, 5, 7.5 and 10 wt% organosolv bamboo pulp fibres. The water content of the unreinforced specimen was adopted at 25 wt% of the solid materials based on the plastic limit value of the soil, while the value of the water content of the samples with cellulose fibres was 35 wt% due to the affinity of the cellulose with water as well as to allow good extrudability of the pulp. The bricks were cured under different conditions (23 °C, 60% RH and 60 °C, 100% RH) and at different ages (14 and 28 days). Regression analysis and two-way ANOVA were studied to assess the accuracy, correlation and effect of each variable on the prediction of the random response variable. The results showed that non-linear regression analysis provides the best-fitting statistical model with an accuracy of 96%. In addition, the curing temperature and the percentage of cellulose fibres significantly affect the bricks bending performance, while the effect of curing time is the least visible. This non-linear model can be adopted as a suitable model to predict the flexural properties of cellulose pulp fibre-reinforced earth bricks for a sustainable building solution in developing countries. For better generalization and practical application of this method to predict the flexural performance of cellulose pulp fibre-reinforced earth bricks, a large data set of a broader range should be explored.

Effect of reinforced recycled sawdust-fibers additive on the performance of ecological compressed earth bricks

This study assesses the potential of waste wood sawdust, as a construction material additive, on the mechanical, thermal and physicochemical properties of compressed earth bricks. Following X-Ray Diffraction and Fluorescence analysis, the used raw clay material, retrieved from Ifrane, Morocco, was found to be of type Illite, with a prominent SiO2 content, 59.60%, making it a suitable construction material. Multiple waste additive proportions were analyzed (0%, 1%, 3%, 7%, 15% and 20%), by weight, at different sizes: small size: (δ ≤ 0.5 mm), medium size: (0.5 mm < δ ≤ 1 mm), and large size: (1 mm < δ ≤ 3 mm). The incorporation of higher recycled sawdust waste additive content at larger sizes produced bricks with higher porosity levels. This resulted in manufacturing lightweight brick structures, below the 1.70 g/cm3 permissible limit, with higher water absorption rates. Improvements in compressive strength in prepared samples were observed with the incorporation of smaller additive sizes. In fact, 3% additive specimens recorded a 6.05 MPa at larger sizes, compared to 7.69 MPa with smaller additive sizes, reflecting a 22% mechanical compressive strength gain. Produced samples manifested enhanced thermal performances with the use of the sawdust waste additive in the 60% and 36% range for thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity, respectively; in addition to recording prominent energy savings in terms of thermal heating and cooling loads, with energy gains in the 50% interval. Theoretical models were developed to test the accuracy of the experimental findings. An obtained good correlation coefficient, very close to 1, corroborated the accuracy of the collected findings.

Laboratory-testing and industrial scale performance of different clays from eastern Morocco for brick manufacturing

This study aims to the valorization of soil materials (unfired and fired) for sustainable buildings in eastern Morocco. To make this study more representative, four clay soils from different areas were considered in this investigation (i.e., Zaio, Oujda, Lota, and Midar). Geotechnical tests revealed that all samples exhibit a high clay content and medium plasticity. X-ray diffraction, thermal gravimetric analysis and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy of the soils showed the presence of quartz, calcite and several clay minerals. The significant clay content and the high density of the bricks (1589–1713 kg.m−3) have an effect on the properties of the unfired solid clay brick. Experimental results have shown that the thermal conductivity and compressive strength of the unfired solid clay brick vary between (0.77–1.07 W.m−1K−1) and (1.7–2.4 MPa) respectively. The cavities and firing process for fired hollow clay bricks contributed to the increase in thermal and mechanical resistance of the bricks by (0.19–0.4 W.m−1K−1) and (2.9–5 MPa) respectively. After identification of all the samples, the authors' justified choice was to use the soil collected from the Lota site for the ANSYS-Fluent hybrid wall case studies. In comparison to the other cases, the configuration (Mortar/Fired hollow clay brick and unfired solid clay brick/Mortar) demonstrated a 2 h improvement in time lag and a considerable decrease in the amplitude of the temperature fluctuation. Therefore, unfired solid clay bricks and fired hollow clay bricks may be used in combination to provide thermal comfort for a sustainable building.

Synergic effect of recycled paper sludge and expanded perlite on the engineering properties of porous clay bricks: A new mathematical modelling approach

Lightweight bricks produced with addition of different additive materials such as expanded perlite (EP) and recycling paper sludge (RPS) waste have been accomplished by a pug mill. Porous fired bricks were produced by using organic and inorganic additives such as paper waste and expanded perlite as pore-makers. In the experimental study, the seventeen mixture sets were prepared with Box-Behnken experimental design procedure of two additive ratios and firing temperatures. The brick samples were produced with shaping by extrusion method and firing at 850, 950 and 1050 °C for two hours after drying. Physical characteristics such as bulk density, apparent porosity and water absorption, and also, compressive strength, thermal conductivity and microstructural properties of brick samples were studied. Influences of process parameters on brick properties were investigated with a detailed neuro-regression analysis. In conclusion, the best brick composition (10 % EP + 10 %RPS by weight) in terms of thermal conductivity corresponding to acceptable mechanical properties was optimized. Accordingly, the compressive strength values of all samples are around 10 to 27 MPa. Also, the samples with high additive content (especially 10 %RPS + 5 %EP sample) exhibited the lowest thermal conductivity value (0.432 W/mK) due to the low firing temperature.

Development of Insulating Masonry Bricks from Wood Fiber and Varying Milled Glass Proportion

Thermal efficient sandcrete bricks are masonry units with good thermal insulating properties. Wood fiber (WF) possesses low thermal conductivity, hence, its incorporation in mortar mix results in thermal efficient masonry units. Milled glass (MG) could be added for strength enhancement. This study incorporated WF into mortar mix at a constant dosage of 5 wt.%, with varying MG proportions of 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 wt.% and cured for 7, 14 and 28 days. The results obtained showed minimization of porosity and water absorption at increasing MG content. Density and compressive strength were enhanced as MG content increased. Flexural and splitting tensile strengths appreciated and peaked at 15 wt.% MG. Thermal performance measured demonstrated progressive appreciation in thermal conductivity while specific heat capacity followed a downtrend as MG dosage increased. The study revealed that the collage of 5 wt. % wood fiber and 15 wt. % MG yielded optimum result. The study, therefore, concludes that the addition of milled glass and wood fiber positively and significantly affected the properties of sandcrete bricks. 15 wt.% of milled glass and 5% wood fiber inclusion in sandcrete bricks are recommended for use by construction practitioners.

Burnt-Bricks Production Using Extracted Finer Particles from Soil with Fly Ash Addition

Earthen building materials, including mud, adobe, rammed earth, and bricks, have a long history of use in civil engineering construction all throughout the world. Burnt bricks are one of these materials thatis important. However, the availabilityof raw materials for making bricks is limited. As a result, numerous alternatives have been investigated as raw materials for making bricks. These substitutes include fly ash, rice husk and ash, industrial, and agricultural waste. The current study suggests a novel method for producing burnt bricks using extracted finer and fly ash.Finer particle extraction was done through soil washing. Since the extracted finer is having high plasticity index and high linear shrinkage, extracted finer was mixed with 20%, 25%, 30%, 40% and 50% fly ash. Fly ash is an industrial waste; hence the use of fly ash for this kind of production would give a sustainable solution for waste management. Every finer-fly ash combination underwent an Atterburg test to evaluate its qualities, particularly its plasticity index and linear shrinkage. Standard-type mold (220 x 115 x 75 mm) was used to producethe handmade bricks. Compressive strength, flexural strength, water absorption, density, and dimension variations of burned bricks were all examined. Results were compared with SLS 39: Specification for burnt clay bricks. Further, these properties were compared with the same properties of bricks made with soil taken from the brick-making industry mixed with fly ash and industrial available burnt-bricks.Additionally, wire-cut bricks were produced using extractedfiner and 25% fly ash. The dimensional variationof finer-fly ash mixed burnt bricks is decreasing when the fly ash % is increased relative to the mold size. Compressive strength of the Grade 2 category was demonstrated using bricks manufactured with a 25% fly addition, according to SLS 39. According to the aforementioned findings, burnt bricks composed of extractedfiner and fly ash have higher desirable qualities when 25% more fly ash is added. Additionally, it shows that using fly ash results in lightweight bricks.The wire-cut bricks made with this selected mixture give 10.64 N/mm2 of compressive strength and it satisfies the SLS 39 requirements for wire-cut bricks. Also, its water absorption was nearly 16% which is below the SLS required value (18%).

Comparison of Different Weight Optimization Algorithm in Neural Network to Predict Mechanical Properties of AAC Lightweight Brick

This research aims to find the optimal weight optimization algorithm and number of hidden nodes that can be used in Artificial Neural Network to predict mechanical properties (density and compressive strength) of Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) lightweight brick. The dataset is obtained from secondary source, with a total of 51 data points. From this dataset, the relationship between constituent elements of AAC with its density and compressive strength is modeled using ANN. It was found that the best weight optimization algorithm that can be used for this dataset is the LBFGS (Limited-memory Broyden–Fletcher–Goldfarb–Shanno) algorithm. The optimum hidden layer node is found to be 90 nodes. With this parameters, the ANN can predict density and compressive strength of AAC lightweight brick with accuracy of 93.51% and margin of error around 6.49%. The accuracy of the prediction can be improved by appending the dataset with data points from secondary sources or by doing more experiments and tests.

Simplified micro-model for brick masonry walls under out-of-plane quasi-static and blast loadings

Attributed to the discontinuous configurations and nonhomogeneous mechanical properties of brick and mortar in masonry wall, the numerical reproduction of the structural responses and damage evolution of masonry walls under out-of-plane (OOP) loadings still remains a challenging work. Firstly, a 3D simplified micro-model of masonry wall was developed by utilizing the commercial finite element program ANSYS/LS-DYNA, the masonry wall was simplified as a combination of expanded brick units with a series of joints, in which the expanded brick units and joints are described by Riedel-Hiermaier-Thoma (RHT) model and cohesive contacts, respectively. Then, the corresponding parameters determination approaches for the cohesive contact and RHT model are proposed by comparing with the test on brick-mortar-brick assemblages and regulation, respectively. Furthermore, by comparing with four sets of OOP quasi-static and field explosive tests data, the prediction accuracy and efficiency of the simplified modeling strategy, material model and parameters are fully validated. Finally, based on the parametric study, it indicates that the blast resistance of walls is enhanced with increasing the compressive strength of brick and mortar, and arranging the tie bars, while significantly degraded with increasing the aspect and slenderness ratios of walls. This work could provide a helpful reference for the blast-resistant evaluation and design of brick masonry walls.

Influence of Waste Basalt Powder Addition on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Autoclave Brick.

In the production of building materials, there has been an increased interest in the use of by-products and industrial waste in recent years. Such modifications make it possible to solve not only technical and economic problems, but also environmental problems. This article describes the use of basalt powder waste in sand-lime products (silicates). The aim of the study was to manage basalt powder waste and to investigate the changes it causes in sand-lime products. The article describes the planning of the experiment, which directly determines the number of samples and their composition, which was necessary to conducting a full analysis and correctly illustrating the relationships occurring in the samples. Basic tests were carried out: compressive strength, density and water absorption, as well as optical tests and scanning microscopy. Based on the research conducted, it was concluded that the use of basalt powder as a component of sand-lime products has positive effects. Studies show that the best results are achieved with a proportion of powder in the raw material mass of about 10%-the compressive strength reaches almost 30 MPa, which is almost twice that of traditional silicate.

Use of bottom ash in the production of ceramic brick

The influence of the addition of ash residues from the processing of solid household waste from the Balakhani Industrial Zone in Baku on the properties of ceramic bricks in the Khirdalan and Karadag regions of Azerbaijan was studied. Ash residues were added in the amount of 10-50% of the mass. The physical properties of ash residues were studied - fractional, granulometric, radiological and toxicological compositions, as well as water absorption of ash bricks at different firing temperatures. The positive role of waste for obtaining wall ceramics with high performance properties was revealed, which corresponds to the regulatory requirements of GOST. It should be noted that the introduction of mineral additives has a positive effect on the characteristics of the ash brick. Among other ash-containing bricks at firing temperatures of 900 and 1100, the highest strength (22 MPa) is observed at 1100 °C with an ash content of up to 10%. As the ash content increases, the compressive strength at 900 °C and 1100 °C decreases.

Evaluation and comparison on performance evaluation of polymer brick utilizing plastic waste with local sourced burnt bricks

This research delves into a comprehensive analysis comparing the mechanical properties of plastic sand bricks against the conventional burnt bricks. The study focuses on conducting experiments to evaluate the mechanical characteristics of both brick types, which are formulated using a blend of sand and plastic materials. Diverse ratios of plastic sand bricks were subjected to rigorous testing, encompassing assessments of moisture content and compressive strength. These findings were juxtaposed with those obtained from locally procured traditional bricks. The primary objective of this research is to address the pivotal concept of sustainability, placing significant emphasis on exploring viable strategies to counter the burgeoning global issue of plastic pollution. The study's results offer critical insights into the potential of plastic sand bricks as an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional burnt bricks, highlighting their mechanical competence and their potential to mitigate plastic waste while contributing to sustainable construction practices. The outcomes of this investigation contribute to the ongoing discourse on sustainable materials, offering promising avenues for addressing environmental challenges and fostering more eco-conscious construction methodologies.