World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology

International Journal of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering

Vol:7, No:4, 2013

Thermo-Elastic Properties of Artificial Limestone

Bricks with Wood Sawdust
Paki Turgut, Mehmet Gumuscu

building and construction materials [2].

Abstract—In this study, artificial limestone brick samples are When Many previous researches [2]-[14] undertaken are
produced by using wood sawdust wastes (WSW) having different obtained valuable results to use the industrial wastes in
grades of sizes and limestone powder waste (LPW). The thermo- various forms of concrete production. For instance, the use of
elastic properties of produced brick samples in various WSW waste rubber, glass powder and paper waste sludge in
amounts are investigated. At 30% WSW replacement with LPW in concrete mix has received conscribe attention over the past
the brick sample the thermal conductivity value is effectively
years. Although these researches provided the encouraging
International Science Index, Materials and Metallurgical Engineering Vol:7, No:4, 2013 waset.org/Publication/16951

reduced and the reduction in the thermal conductivity value of brick

sample at 30% WSW replacement with LPW is about 38.9% as results, the brick mixes having both WSW and LPW
compared with control sample. The energy conservation in buildings combination hitherto was not investigated so much. These
by using LPW and WSW in masonry brick material production utilizable wastes presented in this research are widely
having low thermal conductivity reduces energy requirements. A available in large amount from the forest and limestone
strong relationship is also found among the thermal conductivity, unit industries. Wood product and furniture manufactures generate
weight and ultrasonic pulse velocity values of brick samples sawdust, offcuts and dust. Sawdust is generated from cutting,
produced. It shows a potential to be used for walls, wooden board drilling and milling operations where wood is removed from a
substitute, alternative to the concrete blocks, ceiling panels, sound finished product. Wood dust is very fine particles and
barrier panels, absorption materials etc.
generated during sanding or other machining operations. It is
often collected in filter bags or dust collectors. On average, 48
Keywords—Limestone dust, masonry brick, thermo-elastic
million m3 of timber is consumed annually in the UK and the
properties, wood sawdust.
wood processing results in 5 to 10% sawdust and dust wastes
[15]. The processing limestone which includes crashed
I.INTRODUCTION
limestone production is resulting approximately 20% LPW.

E NERGY conservation is an important part of any national

energy strategy and energy conservation in
underdeveloped countries with inadequate resources is even
The estimated LPW of 21.2 million tons in the UK [16], 18
million tons in Greece is reported [13]. Disposal of LPW
causes dust, environmental problem and pollution because of
more important [1]. To an increasing extent, energy usage, its fine nature.
and more particularly, energy wastage is receiving close In the previous work [2], the physico-mechanical properties
examination at present. Using natural waste materials with a of WSW-LPW satisfied the standard specifications according
low thermal conductivity in building masonry units improves to TS 705 [17], ASTM C 140 [18], BS 6073 [19] and ASTM
insulation of buildings by providing an energy efficient C 129 [20] for load and non-load-bearing concrete masonry
solution. units to be used in buildings. The WSW-LPW combinations
Accumulating of unmanaged wastes especially in as an aggregate in its natural form have allowed producing
developing countries has resulted in an increasing economical, lighter and environmental-friendly new
environmental concern. The increase in the popularity of composite brick material. In this study, thermo-elastic
using environmentally friendly, lightweight construction properties of WSW-LPW combinations as a brick material are
materials in building industry has brought about the need to investigated.
investigate how this can be achieved by benefiting to the
environment as well as maintaining the material requirements II.EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
affirmed in the standards. Since the large demand has been
placed on building material industry especially in the last A.Materials and Fabrication of Samples
decade owing to the increasing population which causes a WSW used in this research is generated from the
chronic shortage of building materials the civil engineers have mechanical processing of raw wood in the sawing process.
been challenged to convert the industrial wastes to useful WSW is used in its original form and taken from its disposed
area nearby the timber manufactures in the local region. LPW
Paki Turgut is with the Harran University, Engineering Faculty, Civil used in the brick samples is produced during quarrying
Engineering Department, Sanliurfa, PK 6300, Turkey (phone: +90414-
3183781; fax: +904143440021; e-mail: turgutpaki@ yahoo.com). operations in the region. The results of chemical and physical
Mehmet Gumuscu is with the Harran University, Engineering Faculty, analysis of LPW, WSW and cement used in this study are
Civil Engineering Department, Sanliurfa, PK 6300, Turkey (phone: +90414- given in [2].
3183779; fax: +904143440021; e-mail: [email protected]).

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 World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
Vol:7, No:4, 2013

WSW used in this study is categorized as LWF (fine), method is used in the present study. Measurement range is
LWC (coarse) and LWM (mixed) in terms of their particle 0.02-10 Wm-1K-1. Measurement precision is ±5% of reading
sizes. The particle sizes of LWF, LWC and LWM are 0- value per reference plate. Measurement temperature is -100 to
0.6mm, 0.6-1.18mm, and 0-1.18mm, respectively. The 1000oC. Three samples of 20×60×100mm3 for per mix are
grading properties of the LPW and WSW are given in [2]. Ten used for testing thermal conductivities. Measuring time is
different types of mixtures are prepared in the laboratory standard, 100–120s. This method has wide applications in
trials. The details of mixes are given in Table I. The cement determining thermal conductivity of refractory materials [22]-
and water proportions in the mixes are taken as constant to [24].
determine the effect of various WSW-LPW combinations. The UPV measurements are performed on the brick samples
The replacement ratios between WSW and LPW are taken with dimensions of 105×75×225mm3 by using TIKO make
as volumetric in the mix design. For instance, the 20% Pundit Plus equipment according to BS 1881 [25]. Three
replacement of WSW means that the 20% of corresponding samples for per mix are used to test the UPV. The UPV
LPW volume is replaced by WSW in the LWF-20 samples through a material is a function of the elastic modulus and
(see Table I). The percentage weight replacements between density of the material. The UPV value of brick sample is
WSW and LPW in the mixes are also provided in Table I. The determined by placing a pulse transmitter on one face of brick
International Science Index, Materials and Metallurgical Engineering Vol:7, No:4, 2013 waset.org/Publication/16951

details of mixing, production and curing procedures of sample, and a receiver on the opposite face. A timing device
samples are given in [2]. All of the samples are tested after 28 measures the transit time of the ultrasonic pulse through the
days of curing period. A total of 30 brick samples with brick sample. Then the UPV can be calculated from the path
dimensions of 105×75×225mm3 are prepared for thermo- length divided by the transit time. The path length is measured
elastic properties. After ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) test is through the brick sample length of 225mm.
performed on these brick samples, the samples with of The samples with diameter of 50mm and height of 80mm
dimensions 20×60×100mm3 are prepared for thermal are used for the modulus of elasticity and Poisson ratio tests
conductivity test by cutting with diamond saw of these brick for only LWM samples because mechanical properties of
samples. The cylindrical samples with dimensions of φ50×80 LWF, LWC and LWM are almost similar to each other [2].
mm for testing elastic properties are also obtained by coring The modulus of elasticity and Poisson ratio values are
diamond saw of these brick samples. calculated according to ASTM C 469 [26]. The modulus of
elasticity and Poisson ratio are calculated as the average of
TABLE I three samples. The end faces of the samples are ground by
MIXTURE PROPORTIONS
using an end-face grinder, and then checked for evenness and
Cement Water LPW WSW Total
Mix no.
(g) (g) (g) (g) (g) perpendicularity with respect to the vertical axis. At the mid-
Control 376 188 2936 - 3500 height of each sample, two small strain gauges are attached:
LWF-10 376 188 2706 54 3324 one along the length (vertical) and one along the
LWF-20 376 188 2405 108 3077 circumference (horizontal). The strain gauges are the GFLA-
LWF-30 376 188 2117 162 2843 6-50 type (Tokyo Sokki Kenkyujo, Japan).
LWC-10 376 188 2706 54 3324
LWC-20 376 188 2405 108 3077 III.TEST RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
LWC-30 376 188 2117 162 2843 Table II shows the averaged tests results obtained from the
LWM-10 376 188 2706 54 3324 tests. The test results confirm that the thermal conductivity
LWM-20 376 188 2405 108 3077
values are inversely proportionate with the percentage WSW
LWM-30 376 188 2117 162 2843
replacement with LPW content (see Fig 1). It ranges from
B.Thermo-Elastic Properties and Test Methods 0.601-0.9803Wm-1K-1 depending on the WSW level. It is seen
that thermal conductivity values of the samples are as small as
Thermal conductivity (k) is the most important thermal
that of common brick materials used in buildings.
property in heat transfer problems. It is necessary to know this
About 19.9% reduction in the thermal conductivity of
property for energy analysis in buildings. Thermal
LWF-10 sample compared to control sample is obtained from
conductivity (k) is a measure of the ability of a material to
the 10% fine WSW replacement. This is an expected result
conduct heat. In other words, it is the measurement of the
owing to the low thermal conductivity nature of wood. The
speed at which heat travels through a material through
thermal conductivity value of pine is about 0.11Wm-1K-1. But
conduction. It depends on the physical structure of matter,
in the replacement of 10% coarse WSW, there is not a
atomic and molecular, which is related to the state of the
significant reduction of thermal conductivities of LWC-10 and
matter. Materials such as copper, aluminum and silver are
LWM-10 samples as compared with control and LWF-10
good heat conductors and therefore have high k values.
samples. The reductions of thermal conductivity values of
Materials such as rubber, wood and Styrofoam are poor
LWC-10 and LWM-10 are about 4.1 and 0.1% as compared
conductors of heat, and therefore have low k values.
with control sample, respectively (see Fig. 1).
A shotherm-QTM unit (Showa Denko) quick thermal
conductivity meter based on ASTM C 1113 [21] hot wire

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 World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
Vol:7, No:4, 2013

The values of thermal conductivity in the all of samples relation of thermal conductivity against the UPV has the best
with WSW are effectively decreased with an increase in the correlation R2= 0.95. This value is nearest to unity. This
20% replacement level of WSW as compared with control means that the thermal conductivity of any samples studied in
sample. this work can readily be calculated from laboratory
determined UPV value. The relationship between the thermal
TABLE II
conductivity and UPV is found as,
TEST RESULTS
Unit Thermal
Mix no. weight conduct
Porosity UPV E
γ k = 0.5484UPV − 0.4829 (1)
(%) (km/s) (GPa)
(g/cm3) (Wm-1 K-1)
Control 1.88 0.984 23.3 2.72 15 0.20 where, k and UPV are the thermal conductivity (W m-1 K-1)
LWF-10 1.80 0.788 24.8 2.32 - - and ultrasonic pulse velocity (km/h), respectively.
LWF-20 1.63 0.728 27.4 2.27 - -
It is also established a correlation among the thermal
LWF-30 1.47 0.626 27.8 1.98 - -
conductivity, UPV and unit weight values of samples
LWC-10 1.74 0.944 23.0 2.67 - -
produced. In the 95% confidence level, there is also strong
LWC-20 1.65 0.780 26.4 2.38 - -
LWC-30 1.50 0.621 30.3 2.03 - -
relationship among the thermal conductivity, UPV and unit
International Science Index, Materials and Metallurgical Engineering Vol:7, No:4, 2013 waset.org/Publication/16951

LWM-10 1.70 0.983 23.5 2.63 14 0.17 weight of samples. The regression equation of thermal
LWM-20 1.66 0.746 25.0 2.38 11 0.19 conductivity as a function of unit weight and UPV is found as,
LWM-30 1.51 0.601 29.0 2.08 8 0.23
k = −0.459 + 0.530UPV + 0.020 ρ (2)
The reductions in the thermal conductivity values of LWF-
20, LWC-20 and LWM-20 samples at the 20% fine, coarse where, ρ is unit weight of sample (g/cm3)
and mixed WSW replacements are 26, 20.7 and 24.2% as The R2 value for (2) is 0.95. This means that using the UPV
compared with control sample, respectively (see Fig. 1). and unit weight of samples the thermal conductivity is also
calculated more accurately.

Fig. 1 Relationship between thermal conductivity and WSW amount Fig. 2 Relationship between the thermal conductivity and UPV

The thermal conductivity values of samples with WSW are Figs. 3 and 4 show the relationships between thermal
effectively decreased at 30% WSW replacement. The conductivity and porosity (P), UPV and P, respectively. It is
reductions in the thermal conductivity values at 30% WSW an interesting result that the correlation coefficients of the
replacement in the LWF-30, LWC-30 and LWM-30 samples thermal conductivity-porosity and UPV-porosity are the same
are about 36.4, 36.9 and 38.9% as compared with control as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. In fact, this is expected result for
sample, respectively (see Fig. 1). The effect of fine, coarse porous materials. This situation can be put following way. The
and medium particle sizes of WSW at 30% WSW replacement voids of porous materials are filled with air. The thermal
on the thermal conductivity values of all samples with WSW conductivity value of air is low because of air is not a good
is roughly the similar as seen in test results. conductor. Thus, the thermal conductivity value of porous
In this study, a correlation between the thermal conductivity materials is lower than that of solid materials. The movement
and UPV values of samples is established. The relationship of sound in the porous materials is slower than that of solid
between the thermal conductivity and UPV values of samples materials because of air. The UPV values of porous materials
is given in Fig. 2. It can be seen from Fig. 2 that there is a are usually low. The test results confirm that the thermal
strong relationship between the thermal conductivity and UPV conductivity and UPV values are inversely proportionate with
values of all samples and the UPV values are directly porosity. The prediction from UPV is cheaper, easier and
proportional to thermal conductivity values of samples. The faster than measuring thermal conductivity on

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 World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
Vol:7, No:4, 2013

20×60×100mm3 plates, which takes longer time. In LPW in the medium size of WSW as compared with
conductivity tests to reach steady-state conditions takes a control sample.
longer time. However, the effectiveness in the other porous 3. There was a strong relationship among the thermal
materials of this relationship should be investigated. conductivity, ultrasonic pulse velocity and unit weight
values of brick samples produced in this study. The
effectiveness in the other porous materials of this
relationship will stay as a future research.
4. The effect of 10 to 30% WSW replacements in WSW-
LPW matrix did not exhibit a sudden brittle fracture even
beyond the failure loads and indicated high energy
absorption capacity because of low modulus of elasticity
of WSW samples.
The test results showed that the WSW-LPW combinations
had a potential to be used in the production of a new lighter
brick.
International Science Index, Materials and Metallurgical Engineering Vol:7, No:4, 2013 waset.org/Publication/16951

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Fig. 3 Relationship between the thermal conductivity and porosity
The authors would like to thank Miss Tanay Atasoy for her
helpful comments on the preparation.

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Vol:7, No:4, 2013

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