Soil-cement Bricks Research Articles

Characterization of soil-cement bricks with incorporation of used foundry sand

Abstract In order to contribute to the sustainability of the foundry and construction industrial sectors, this work investigated the possibility of employing used foundry sand (UFS) in soil-cement bricks. Modular bricks were prepared with percentages of 10 wt% cement, 0-25 wt% commercial sand, 0-65 wt% used foundry sand, 25-65 wt% clay, and 15-30 wt% gravel dust. A content of 10 wt% Portland cement was adopted to ensure economic feasibility, and gravel was used to improve mechanical strength. The modular bricks were tested to determine their technical properties. The interfaces between the constituent materials were observed by scanning electron microscopy. In durability tests, the bricks showed water absorption and weight loss in accordance with current technical standards. The addition of UFS together with gravel dust reduced water absorption and provided an acceptable level of mechanical resistance, in accordance with established soil-cement standards.

Influence of industrial solid waste addition on properties of soil-cement bricks

Abstract The reuse of pollutant solid wastes produced in distinct industrial activities (avian eggshell waste and welding flux slag waste) as a source of alternative raw material for producing soil-cement bricks for civil construction was investigated. Soil-cement bricks containing up to 30 wt% of industrial solid waste were uniaxially pressed and cured for 28 days. Special emphasis is given on the influence of solid waste addition on the technical properties (as such volumetric shrinkage, water absorption, bulk density, durability, and compressive strength), microstructure and mineral phases of soil-cement bricks. Microstructural evolution was evaluated via confocal microscopy. The experimental results showed that the solid wastes behave as charge material and influenced both technical properties and microstructure of the soil-cement bricks. It was found that up to 15 wt% of welding flux slag waste and up to 30 wt% of avian eggshell waste could be added into the soil-cement bricks for use as building material.

A Study of the Chemical and Physical Characteristics of the Soils from the South of Piauí for Soil-Cement Brick Production

Soil-cement bricks are good examples of environmentally friendly products. This brick is the combination of soil with compacted cement with no combustion in its production. In this work the physical chemical characteristics of the soil from Piaui for producing this material were investigated. Samples of the soil were collected in three potteries from the county of Bom Jesus and pH analysis were carried out, as well as the rate of organic matter, texture, particle density, limits of liquidity and plasticity rates. The results have shown that the soils have acid tones (pH 5,49 a 6,11), which can be neutralized by adding cement, and organic matter percentages up to 1%. The samples have shown predominantly clay-rich textures with adequate plasticity limits, however, values of liquidity limits and particle density above recommended. Altogether, these soils tend to present viability concerning soil-cement brick production, provided that corrections with additives are made in order to minimize this effect.

<b>Evaluation of compressive strength and water absorption of soil-cement bricks manufactured with addition of pet (polyethylene terephthalate) wastes

This paper presents the evaluation of compressive strength of soil-cement bricks obtained by the inclusion in their mixture of PET flakes through mineral water bottles grinding. The Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) has been characterized by its difficulty of disaggregation in nature, requiring a long period for this. On the other hand, with the increase in civil construction activities the demand for raw material also increases, causing considerable environmental impacts. In this context, the objective of this research is to propose a simple methodology, preventing its dumping and accumulation in irregular areas, and reducing the demand of raw materials by the civil construction industry. The results showed that compressive strengths obtained were lower than recommended by NBR 8491 (Associacao Brasileira de Normas Tecnicas [ABNT], 2012b) at seven days of curing time. However, they may be used as an alternative solution in masonry works in order to not submit themselves to great loads or structural functions. The studied bricks also presented water absorption near to recommended values by NBR 8491 (ABNT, 2012b). Manufacturing costs were also determined for this brick, comparing it with the costs of other brick types. Each brick withdrew from circulation approximately 300 g of PET waste. Thus, for an area of 1 m 2 the studied bricks can promote the withdrawal of approximately 180 beverage bottles of 2 L capacity.

Effect of incorporation of grits waste on the densification behavior of soil-cement bricks

Abstract In the cellulose industry the Kraft process is widely used to produce cellulose. This process generates huge volumes of inorganic solid wastes, including the grits waste. In Brazil, the final disposal of this solid waste is of high economical and environmental interest. The present work assesses the influence of the addition of grits waste on the densification behavior of soil-cement bricks. The raw materials used were soil, Portland cement, and grits waste. Soil-cement bricks containing up to 30 wt.% grits waste in partial replacement of Portland cement were prepared by uniaxial pressing and cured for 28 days. The following technological properties were determined: water absorption, compressive strength, and durability. The microstructure was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The experimental results indicated that the addition of grits waste influenced positively the densification behavior of the soil-cement bricks. Moreover, the grits waste could be incorporated into the soil-cement brick composition up to 20 wt.% as a partial replacement of Portland cement.

Study of a Typical Soil Used for Concrete Bricks in Miracema, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The use of natural resources for sustainable development is becoming a relevant issue in modern societies. In particular, building materials composed of local soil or available residues are considered sustainable solutions for housing construction in relatively small urban areas. In the present work a preliminary study was conducted on a typical soil in the municipal area of Miracema, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The study comprised the characterization of the particle size distribution and particle density of the soil. In addition, the application of the soil by combining with Portland cement was investigated to produce concrete blocks specified as soil-cement bricks by the Brazilian norm. The results indicated that a trace of 14 parts of soil, 6 parts of local gravel and 4 parts of cement/water produced concrete blocks that comply with the compression strength specified by the norm.

Use of Leather Residue in the Manufacturing of Soil-Cement Bricks

This work is an analysis of incorporation of leather powder residue to soil in order to apply it in soil-cement bricks. The leather powder is a byproduct of the finishing step of leather manufacturing that contains chromium in its composition. This element, when in its hexavalent form, is carcinogenic. Experiments were performed regarding brick pressing, water absorption, simple pressing, leaching and solubilization so that the mixtures have the minimum requisites for using the brick. The doses were 0%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 30% in volume of leather powder in soil. Only the 10% dose met the requisites of ABNT: NBR 8491:1984 that prescribes a minimum resistance of 2 MPa and absorption content lower than 20%. For this dosage, according to the limits stated in ABNT regulation NBR 10004:2004 , the leaching extract was classified as a Class II non-inert, which makes it possible to use it for civil construction purposes.

Synthesis and Low Thermal Characterization of Local Soil Based-Building Adobe

This work studies the mechanical properties of the soil cement brick and soil cement brick mixed with fly ash from the east of Thailand, Rayong province. The purpose is to develop the new low cost materials used in the local area of Thailand. Results show that the average of the compressive strength and the modulus of rupture (MOR) of soil cement brick mixed with Eastern Rayong fly ash are lower than those of non-fly ash soil cement brick. Also both properties values increase with increasing cured time. However, the thermal conductivity shows the decreasing trend with increasing fly ash content. By conclusion, considered by mechanical properties show that soil cement brick mixed with an Eastern Rayong fly ash can efficiently produce as the structural clay load- bearing tile.

Recycling of Water Treatment Plant Waste for Production of Soil-Cement Bricks

The water treatment plants generate large amounts of municipal sludge that must be discarded. A crucial issue is to find an ecological destination for its final disposal. This work studies the possibility of incorporating water treatment plant waste into soil-cement bricks for civil construction. A sample of this waste material was analyzed for chemical composition, X-ray diffraction, particle size, plasticity, and organic matter. Mixtures of soil-cement containing up to 5wt.% of waste as a partial substitute of soil were pressed and cured for 28 days. The effects of the incorporation of the water treatment plant waste were determined by evaluating different physical properties such as compressive strength, apparent density, and water absorption. The results indicated that the water treatment plant waste is a plastic material composed mainly of kaolinite particles. The results also showed that the water treatment plant waste could be used for production of soil-cement bricks, helping to reduce the environmental impacts of the water treatment plants.

Utilization of Water Treatment Plant Sludge and Coal Fly Ash in Brick Manufacturing

Sludge from a treatment water Brazilian plant station is, frequently, disposed and launched directly in the water bodies, causing a negative impact in the environment. Also, fly ash is produced by burning of coal in coal-fired power stations and is the industrial solid waste most generated in southern Brazil: approximately 4 million tons/y. An efficient disposal of coal fly ash is an issue due to its massive volume and harmful risks to the environment. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the technical possibilities of incorporating cyclone fly ash (CFA) and sludge from a waste water treatment plant (SWTP) in the production of ecological bricks. The wastes were analyzed for physico-chemical, mineralogical and morphological properties. Various mixtures were prepared by incorporating these industrial wastes in brick production. The effects of wastes incorporation on physical properties such as compressive strength and water absorption have been determined. The best result, in terms of compression strength and water absorption, was reached by the series of bricks produced with 60 % soil, 12 % cement, 8 % coal fly ash and 20 % SWTP by weight. The results showed that SWTP and CFA presented a potential to be used as waste additives in the production of soil-cement bricks.

Reuse of Waste Water-Based Paint

Brazil is among the five largest world paint producers. According to the Brazilian Association of paint manufacturers, this sector has achieved in 2011 revenues of US$ 3.90 billion and produced 1.359 billion liters of paint. Today, construction sector absorbs about 65% of solid paint in that country. However, all that industrial process increases levels of paint waste, which are so many times disposed without proper treatment producing environmental contamination. Such waste when improperly managed can seriously harm human health as well as the environment. So, currently industries are seeking to minimize the waste at source and reuse them. In the state of Rio Grande do Norte, faced with need to implement environmental guidelines and to reduce environmental impacts caused by waste originating from manufacturing process,. Water-based paint manufacturers use an effluent treatment system through settling tanks and filtration of waste. Such residues can be used utilized in soil-cement bricks making. In this work manufactured soil-cement bricks using water-based paint waste as a fine aggregator. Recycled bricks were characterized by a fine water absorption and compressive strength according ABNT requirements. Results have also shown that these bricks can be used in building industry as a brick sealer.

Potential Use of Cameron Highlands Reservoir Sediment in Compressed Bricks

The objective of this research is to investigate the potential use of Cameron Highland reservoir sediment in compressed brick production. The sediments can be classified as well-graded clayey sandy SILT and well-graded gravely SAND whereby the grain size is comparable to the grain size of sand and silt. The sediment was used as a 100 % replacement for the soils content in conventional soil cement bricks. Besides that, sodium bentonite, mica, fly ash and bottom ash are used as pozzolan to partially replace the cement in the sediment cement bricks. This paper presents the compressive strength of sediment cement brick incorporating sodium bentonite, mica, bottom ash and fly ash as partial replacement of cement. The total replacement of soils by Cameron Highland reservoir sediment (Mix 2) shows significant increase in compressive strength of the bricks compare to the conventional soil cement bricks (Mix 1), while partial replacement of 10 % pozzolan results in optimum strength. On the other hand, 10 % of bottom ash and 10 % of fly ash (Mix 13) as partial replacement of cement achieved the highest compressive strength. This implies that sodium bentonite, mica, fly ash and bottom ash can be used as pozzolan to partial replace the cement.

Reuse of grits waste for the production of soil–cement bricks

This investigation focuses on the reuse of grits waste as a raw material for replacing Portland cement by up to 30 wt.% in soil–cement bricks. The grits waste was obtained from a cellulose factory located in south-eastern Brazil. We initially characterized the waste sample with respect to its chemical composition, X-ray diffraction, fineness index, morphology, pozzolanic activity, and pollution potential. Soil–cement bricks were then prepared using the waste material and were tested to determine their technological properties (e.g., water absorption, apparent density, volumetric shrinkage, and compressive strength). Microstructural evolution was accompanied by confocal microscopy. It was found that the grits waste is mainly composed of calcite (CaCO3) particles. Our results indicate that grits waste can be used economically, safely, and sustainably at weight percentages of up to 20% to partially replace Portland cement in soil–cement bricks.

Properties of Crumb Rubber Mixed in Local Thailand Soil Cement Brick Composites

This work presents a study on the investigation of recycled waste tyre (crumb rubber) as aggregate in the combination of local soil-cement brick. The purpose is to develop a lightweight brick with low thermal conductivity that can produce as low cost materials in local area of Thailand. The different amount of crumb rubber particles at 0, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 40% were replaced to local Ratchaburi soil by weight and then mixed with a constant of Portland cement content at 10%. The mechanical properties were studied and indicated that a significant reduction in sample unit weight, there by resulting in a reduction of compressive strength and flexural strength. The results show that the presence of air voids and crumb rubber particles in the matrix can increase the water absorption but decrease the thermal conductivity. However, according to ASTM indicates that this hybrid material can be used as non-load bearing concrete masonry units (2.45 MPa) and is also suitable for construction as low cost and low energy consumption house in Thailand.

Prediction of the Heat-Insulating Crumb Rubber Brick Walls Design by the Finite Element Method

Nowadays, materials used to construct house or building wall areconsidered not only in the physical material behaviour but also energy conscious and economic factor. Adding crumb rubber to the brick composite is one of many methods to develop the properties of bricks. As widely known,the finite element method (FEM) is a tool used for finding accurate solutions of the heat transfer equation of materials including the composite bricks. In this paper an investigation of the heat transfer of a soil cement brick containing crumb rubber particles, is presented and compared to results of finite element analysis (FEA) simulation. To determine the effect of crumb rubber to the heat transfer behaviour of soil cement brick, different volume fractions are varied by 10, 20, 30 and 40%. It was reported that a modelling application reveals good correspondence with the experimental results.

Soil–cement bricks incorporated with eggshell waste

The food processing industry generates large amounts of eggshell waste worldwide. The eggshell waste is rich in calcium carbonate (CaCO3), and is considered to be a solid waste material of very complex and difficult final disposal. This work investigates the reuse of eggshell waste as an alternative raw material into a soil–cement brick body, replacing cement by up to 30 wt%. Soil–cement bricks are uniaxially pressed and cured for 28 days. The technological properties of the cured bricks (e.g. apparent density, water absorption and compressive strength) are then determined. The results show that eggshell waste can be used in soil–cement bricks with excellent technical properties, in the range up to 30 wt%, as a partial replacement for Portland cement. Hence, application in civil engineering could be one of the best management practices for eggshell waste as a low-cost, alternative raw material.

Assessment of Mechanical Properties and the Influence of the Addition of Sawdust in Soil–Cement Bricks Using the Technique of Ultrasonic Anisotropic Inspection

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to determine the influence of sawdust addition in soil–cement bricks and evaluate their mechanical properties using ultrasonic techniques and concepts of structural anisotropy. The influence of sawdust inclusion on soil–cement (specimens, bricks, and prisms) was analyzed by measuring tensile strength, compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, and ultrasonic pulses. To determine the relation between mechanical characteristics of soil–cement–sawdust and ultrasonic pulses, the concepts of structural anisotropy and ANOVA were used. Results indicate that the influence of sawdust inclusion on mechanical characteristics of soil–cement depends not only on soil type, but also on the shape and configuration of bricks and prisms. The addition of sawdust to sandy soil increased its compressive strength, elasticity modulus, and ductility. When added to clayey soils, there was a decrease in compressive strength of the soils but an increase in elasticity modulus and ductility. A ...

Thermal Conductivity and Strength Properties of Soil-Based Lime Adobe Stabilized with Pottery Burnt Hull Ash

This work studies the possibility to produce the new novel brick by mixing between the local soil, local lime and burnt hull ash which is the waste in the earthenware industry. All materials conducted in this work are found in Ratchaburi province located in the western of Thailand. The chemical and mechanical properties are studied including the thermal conductivity will be determined. Varying burnt hull ash (BHA) contents are added into the combination and compared properties with the soil cement brick (RCB) at the same percentage weight. Results show that the compressive strength and flexural strength of soil brick mixed with 10% constant lime and varying burnt hull ash contents (CLBA) shows the maximum values at BHA of 25% by weight at water to powder ratio of 0.4225 and the thermal conductivity of CLBA is lower than that of SCB given as 43.98%.

1 Year Long Term on Strength Properties of Pozzolanics Local Soil Bricks

This work emphasizes on the study of Pozzolanics Local Soil Brick properties. The compressive strength and flexural strength on modulus of rupture properties are investigated. At the ratio of 5% Portland cement type 1 and 30% fly ashes by weight at water powder ratio (w/p) 0.3525. This brick is called as Pozzolanics soil bricks. Their properties are compared to soil cement bricks (RCM35) at the age of 3, 7, 14, 28, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, 240, 270, 300, 330 and 360. Results show that the compressive strength and flexural strength increase with increasing curing time. The compressive strength and the flexural strength at 360 day curing times increases as 41.83% and 43.77%, respectively compared at 28 day curing times. Similar to soil cement bricks, the compressive strength and flexural strength of Pozzolanics soil bricks increase as 20.80% and 11.94% respectively compared between 360 day and 28 day curing times. However, comparing to RCM35 at 360 days the compressive strength and the flexural strength are lower as 60.43% and 4.90 times respectively.

Strength Properties of Low Thermal Conductivity Fly Ash Bricks: Compressive and Flexural Strength Aspects

The development of new alternative type of fly ash bricks using the locally available local soil from Ratchaburi province were mixed with fly ash from Kanchanaburi province, where both sources in western of Thailand, is the main purpose of this study. These are compared to the ratchaburi local soil cement bricks without the mixing of western fly ash in different proportions. It is concluded that the addition of western fly ash reduces the thermal conductivity. The compressive and flexural strength decrease when the ratio of western fly ash is more than 30 percentages. However, considering the various factors it can be concluded that appropriate ingredient toward producing the good commercial western fly ash bricks is 5 percentages of portland cement and 30 percentages of western fly ash by weight basis of ratchaburi local soil. The compositions of western fly ash at more than 25 percentages by weight basis of ratchaburi local soil and since up to 14 days of curing time are proved to be economical mixtures for load bearing panels or brick type structural elements according to the Thai Industrial Standard for structural clay load-bearing tile.