Production of lightweight clay bricks using polymer wastes

Abstract EN

In this study, different percentages (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10% by weight of the soil) of chopped polymeric (plastic bottles with maximum particle size 2.36 mm and 1.18 mm in addition to rubber tires of 0.6 mm max particle size) wastes are incorporated with soil to produce lightweight clay bricks, to find the optimum percentage satisfying the requirements of bricks grade C using for non-structural walls (partitions).The effects of different types and percentages of the polymeric wastes on firing shrinkage, density, water absorption, compressive strength and thermal conductivity of the fired bricks were studied.

Results indicate that it is possible to incorporate not more than 8% of chopped rubber tires or not more than 6% of chopped bottles to the clay soil to produce lightweight fired clay bricks satisfying the compressive strength and water absorption requirements for grade C of bricks (used for partitions) according to the Iraqi specification IQS 25/1988, in addition to reducing the thermal conductivity by 13-17% which is desirable as it will reduce the energy required for heating and cooling.

Also, found that the size of the incorporated particles of plastic wastes in clay, used for bricks manufacturing, did not have a significant effect on the different studied properties of bricks.

In addition to, the incorporation of chopped rubber tires, having smaller particles size and more sphere particles shape, produce fired clay bricks with more homogeneous pores distribution and smaller size compared with clay brick incorporating chopped plastic wastes having flaky shape and larger particles size, leading to produce clay brick with higher density and strength, with lower water absorption.

As a total results, the incorporation different types of polymeric wastes (chopped plastic bottles with 2.36 and 1.18 max size and chopped rubber tires) with percentages (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10% by weight of soil) , cause the firing shrinkage and water absorption to increase by (0.6-20.2%) and (3-43.5%) respectively, while the density, compressive strength, and thermal conductivity decrease by (3.5-25.1%), (0.4-2.3%), and (2.1-31.9%) respectively with respect to the reference fired clay bricks, depending on the percentage, particles size, and type of the polymeric wastes addition.