Effects of Incorporating Plant and Industrial Waste on the Thermo Physical Characteristics of Fired Earth Bricks

Abstract

This research aims to contribute to the utilization of local building materials and waste recycling. It focuses on enhancing the thermal properties of fired earth bricks while maintaining their physical characteristics within the recommended range. The study involves incorporating various types of waste powders and granules at a consistent ratio of 10% by weight of the soil matrix, composed primarily of clay and dune sand. The objective is to assess the effectiveness of these additions and compare the results obtained. Additionally, the study explores the potential utilization of the voids created by these additions after the burning process of the samples. The waste materials utilized include synthetic rubber granules, synthetic rubber powder, date palm wood powder, alfa plant powder, glass powder, and polystyrene granules. The research findings indicate that the voids created by burning the different waste additions within the soil matrix significantly contribute to improving the thermal insulation properties of the tested samples. Among the various waste materials, the powders derived from plant wastes exhibited the best performance. The addition of 10% palm wood powder and alfa plant powder resulted in a reduction in thermal conductivity by 19.68% and 28.24% respectively, with corresponding thermal conductivity values of 0.31 W/m.K and 0.277 W/m.K. However, these waste materials had varying negative effects on the physical properties of the bricks. Overall, this study suggests that incorporating different types of waste materials into earth bricks, specifically fired bricks, could lead to the production of environmentally friendly building materials. These materials hold promise for the field of construction engineering.