Journal of the Balkan Tribological Association

Vol. 25, No 4, 941–950 (2019)

Waste materials for bricks production

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF BRICKS MADE WITH VARIOUS

WASTE MATERIALS TO CONVENTIONAL CLAY BRICK

S. GUNASEKAR*, N. RAMESH

Department of Civil Engineering, K. S. Rangasamy College of Technology,

637 215 Tiruchengode, Namakkal, Tamilnadu, India
E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

ABSTRACT

In this research work an attempt has been made to reduce the waste materials in
the environment and reuse it in our research effectively and efficiently, so we ad-
opted to make a comparative study of bricks made with various waste materials
to conventional clay brick. We have done a study on brick made with each and
every waste material available in the environment and selected waste materials to
be partially replaced to clay brick. From that analysis, we adopted steel slag, saw
dust and construction and demolition waste for the partial replacement to clay.
Before replacement of waste materials, we analyzed the chemical and physical
properties of clay as well as the waste materials. We replaced our waste materials
to clay by 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50% of steel slag, construction and demolition
waste and saw dust. The bricks have been casted in a chamber with reference to
IS 1077:1992. Casted bricks are dried up by using oven and then dispatched for
testing. The tests such as compression test, water absorption test and efflorescence
test are done with reference to IS 3495:1994 Part I to IV. These test results are
compared with conventional clay bricks to find out optimal replacement of partic-
ular waste material that produce the maximal strength.

Keywords: bricks, clay, waste materials.

AIMS AND BACKGROUND

The bricks could be sun-dried or burnt. Burnt bricks are usually stronger than
sun- dried bricks, especially if they are made of clay or clayish material. It is

* For correspondence.

941
also common that certain admixtures are added to burnt brick raw mixtures to
produce different effects in the finished product.
In this research work, the following waste materials are used to reduce the
clay usage and increase the strength of bricks by adding waste materials to clay.
The waste materials used for casting bricks are:
1. Steel slag.
2. Construction and demolition waste.
3. Saw dust.

INTRODUCTION TO BRICKS

Clay brick is the first man made artificial building material and one of the oldest
building materials known. Its widespread use is mainly due to the availability of
clay in most countries. The properties of clay units depend on the mineralogical
compositions of the clays used to manufacture brick units.

INTRODUCTION TO WASTEMATERIALS

Steel Slag. Steel slag is a by-product of steel making industry. There are several
different types of steel slag produced during the steel-making process. These dif-
ferent types are referred to as furnace or tap slag, ranker slag, synthetic or ladle
slags, and pit or cleanout slag. Normally slag is looking like an aggregate so in the
same plant, the slag is crushed into fine and coarse aggregate form. In our project,
we used steel slag in fine aggregate form.
Due to their high heat capacity, steel slag aggregates have been observed to
retain heat considerably longer than conventional natural aggregates.
The constituents and the composition of steel slag are shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Constituents and composition of steel slag

Constituent Composition (%)

CaO 40 – 52
SiO2 10 – 19
FeO 10 – 40 (70 – 80% FeO, 20 – 30% Fe2O3)
MnO 5–8
MgO 5 – 10
Al2O3 1–3
P2O5 0.5 – 1
S < 0.1
Metallic Fe 0.5 – 10

942
Construction and demolition waste. While it is estimated that the construction
industry in India generates about 10–12 million tons of construction and demo-
lition waste annually, efforts to manage and utilize this waste is very little. This
has lead to private contractors utilizing unscientific dumping methods thereby
putting severe pressure on scarce urban land as well as reducing life spans of
landfills. Construction and demolition materials consist of the debris generat-
ed during the construction, renovation, and demolition of buildings, roads and
bridges.
Reducing and recycling construction and demolition materials conserve
landfill space, reduces the environmental impact of producing new materials,
creates jobs, and can reduce overall building project expenses through avoided
purchase/disposal costs.
Changing how we think about these materials will create a more sustainable
future. In this research work, we used construction and demolition waste in a fine
aggregate format, which is all passing through the 2.54 mm sieve. Which is done
by crushing of waste and removing of coarse aggregate and reinforcements and
these removed waste are reused again in construction practices.

Saw dust. Saw dust or wood dust is composed of fine particles of wood. It is also
the by-product of certain animals, birds and insects who live in wood, such as the
wood pecker and carpenter ant. Sawdust is the main component of particle board.
Saw dust is waste material, which is recovered from wood drilling, wood
sawing and cutting, which is lesser in weight but high density so it can replace
the clay. Saw dust is a natural fibre material, which can make a high strength by
providing a good bonding in a brick. Saw dust can be used in a brick in a form of
ash and direct saw waste.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of the present investigation is to develop waste materials like con-
struction and demolition waste, saw dust, steel slag as a partial replacement to
clay brick and also for trial mixtures by replacing waste materials in 0, 10, 20, 30,
40, and 50 percentage of the weight of the bricks. This investigation is also aimed
to reuse waste materials and to increase strength characteristics of brick.

943
Scope of the present investigation. The scope of the present investigation can be
summarized as follows:
– To study the strength properties of bricks, when some waste materials are
partially added to the clay.
– To find the maximum of strength with minimal % of waste replacement
added to the clay.
– To achieve compressive strength of more than 3.5 N/mm2.
– To compare the variation of compressive strength of various waste materi-
als in various percentages.

LITERATURE SURVEY

Aeslina Abdul Kadir, et al (2011)1 have studied the brick waste generation in a
construction unit and the separation of waste from the construction unit and the
properties of brick waste, which is generated in construction unit. Most manu-
factured bricks with different types of waste have shown positive effects on the
properties of fired clay bricks. Brick is one of the most demanding masonry units.
In 1996, the industry produced 300 million bricks in Victoria, which were about
55% of the potential production of the facilities available.
Shanmugam Rajakumar, et al (2013)2 have studied about the slags available
in the market and their physical and chemical properties of each slag to utilize it to
the replacement of slag to clay. The objective of the study is to use these wastes in
low-cost construction with adequate compressive strength. Different fine aggre-
gate replacements have been studied by substituting 5%, 10%, and 15% of slag.
The waste material was substituted for replacement of fine aggregates and for the
preparation of concrete blocks. In this project, we have followed Indian standard
methods and arrived at the mixture design for M25 grade concrete. Experimental
studies were conducted only on plain cement concrete. The preliminary studies
were conducted by mixing the slag with the cement concrete cubes of standard
sizes. The building material specimens were analyzed for compressive strength
according to IS code.

944
METODOLOGY

Collection of Waste
Literature Study Material
• Study on brick • Steel slag
• Study on waste materials • Saw dust
• Construction and
demolition waste

Testing of Materials
• Lab test
• Liquid limit
Casting of Bricks by • Plastic limit
Partial Replacing of • Specific gravity
Waste Materials • Free lime
• Field test
• Wet Ball Test
• Dry Ball Test
• Smear Test

Testing of Bricks
(both Casted and
conventional bricks) Results and Discussion
• Compressive Strength Test • Comparision of Both
• Water Absorption Conventional &
• Hardnest Test Casted bricks Results
• Efflorescence Test
• Soundness Test

Conclusions

Fig. 1. Flow Chart for Methodology

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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Compressive strength test. This test is done to know the strength of brick with
reference to the IS: 3495 – Part (I)-1992.

Table 2. Compressive strength test results of construction and demolition waste bricks

% of waste material Length Breadth Area Failure load Crushing strength

added in brick (mm) (mm) (mm 2) (kN) (N/ mm 2)
10 220 102 224.4 55 2.45
20 220 102 224.4 60 2.67
30 220 102 224.4 65 2.90
40 220 102 224.4 75 3.34
50 220 102 224.4 80 3.56

Table 3. Compressive strength test result of steel slag bricks

% of waste material Length Breadth Area Failure load Crushing strength

added in brick (mm) (mm) (mm 2) (kN) (N/ mm 2)
10 220 102 224.4 100 4.46
20 220 102 224.4 115 5.13
30 220 102 224.4 50 2.23
40 220 102 224.4 53 2.36
50 220 102 224.4 55 2.45

Table 4. Compressive strength test result of saw dust bricks

% of waste material Length Breadth Area Failure load Crushing strength

added in brick (mm) (mm) (mm 2) (kN) (N / mm 2)
10 220 102 224.4 50 2.18
20 220 102 224.4 55 2.36
30 220 102 224.4 57 2.56
40 220 102 224.4 52 2.28
50 220 102 224.4 49 2.15

Comparative study of compressive test values of bricks. From compressive test

results, the conventional brick compressive strength is 2.18 N/mm 2. For waste
materials partially added to clay bricks strength it is shown in Fig. 2.

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 COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF BRICKS
6
5.13
compressive strength in N/mm 2

5 4.46
C&D Waste's
3.56 Compressive
4 3.34
2.9 Strength
2.67
3 2.45 2.45 Steel Slag's
2.18 2.23 2.36
compressive strenth
2 2.56
2.36 2.28
2.18 2.15 Conventional Clay
1.89
brick's compressive
1
strength
Saw Dust's
0
compressivr
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
strength
% of waste replaced
Fig. 2. Comparative statement of compressive test values of bricks

EFFLORESCENCE TEST

Table 5. Efflorescence values and its effects

Efflorescence Definitions
Zero No perceptible deposit of efflorescence
More than ten percent of the exposed area of the brick is covered with thin
Slight
deposit of salts
Heavier deposit than under “slight” and covering up to fifty percent of exposed
Moderate area of the brick surface but unaccompanied by powdering or flaking of the
surface
Heavy deposit of salt covering more than fifty percent or more of the exposed
Heavy area of the brick surface but unaccompanied by powdering or flaking of the
surface.
Heavy deposit of salt accompanied by powdering or flaking of the exposed
Serious
surface.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

1. Steel slag partially added to bricks shown zero efflorescence value.

2. Saw dust partially added to bricks shown zero efflorescence value.
3. Construction and demolition waste partially added to bricks shown slight efflo-
rescence value.

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 WATER ABSORPTION TEST

Table 6. Water absorption values of brick

S. Initial Weight Final Weight Water absorption

Replacement of Waste Material in %
No W1 (Kg) W2 (Kg) Value in %
1 Construction and demolition waste
10 3.17 3.55 11.9
20 3.05 3.44 12.8
30 3.09 3.42 10.67
40 3.19 3.62 13.47
50 3.12 3.53 13.14
2 Steel slag
10 2.98 3.36 12.75
20 3.35 3.57 11.91
30 2.92 3.50 14.72
40 3.17 3.61 13.88
50 3.16 3.6 13.92
3 Saw dust
10 2.76 3.12 13.04
20 2.65 3.22 21.5
30 2.53 3.35 32.41
40 2.49 3.39 38.73
50 2.37 3.42 44.3

50 44.3
water absorption value in %

45 38.93 water absorption

40 value of c&D
32.41 32.41 32.41
35 steel slag water
30 absoption value
25 21.5
saw dust water
20 12.75 11.91
14.72 13.88 13.92
11.23
13.04 absorption value
15
10 conventional brick
12.8 13.47 13.14
5 11.23 11.9 10.67
0
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
% of waste replaced

Fig. 3. Comparative statement of water absorption test values of bricks

948
HARDNESS TEST

All the bricks did not show any mark, while scratching the brick with finger nails.

SOUNDNESS TEST

Table 7. Soundness test results

S. No Brick type Sound

1. Construction and demolition bricks Metallic ring sound
2. Steel slag bricks Metallic ring sound
10% alone gave metallic ring sound remaining
3. Saw Dust
gave wooden sound

STRUCTURE OF A BRICK
All bricks showed the homogeneity and no defects were found.

CONCLUSIONS

The optimum of replacement percentage of waste material is identified from the

compression test, water absorption test and so on. In this research work we used
three types of waste materials such as construction and demolition, saw dust,
steel slag as replacement materials in clay. We casted bricks by replacing the
waste materials by 10% to 50%. From compressive strength test, construction
and demolition waste produced maximum of strength of 3.56 N/mm 2 at 50% of
replacement and the strength is increase with increase of waste replacement. Steel
slag produced a maximal strength of 5.13 N/mm2at 20% replacement and strength
decreases with increases in percentage of waste replacement. For saw dust, the
strength increase until 20% replacement value, then it decreases. In water absorp-
tion test, both steel slag and construction and demolition waste produced result
which is less than 20% of its weight. But saw dust failed in water absorption,
sound test. So selecting 20% of steel slag and using 50% of construction and
demolition will produce maximum of strength and reuse of waste production to
save the environment.

REFERENCES

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MA: Use of furnace slag and welding slag as replacement for sand in concrete. Int. J. Energy
Environ. Eng., 4 (3), 1 (2013).

949
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Engg, 3 (4), 122 (2013).
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(11), 2521 (2012).

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Received 26 April 2019
Revised 10 June 2019

950
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