EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON THE MECHANICAL BEHAVIOUR OF FIRED SAND-CLAY AND GLASS POWDER-CLAY BRICKS

Mechanical behaviour of fired bricks containing varied amount of fine sand (FS) and waste glass powder (GP) was investigated. FS and GP were added to bricks at varied amount of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 wt. %. Firing was done at 1200 degrees C and samples produced were evaluated for compressive and flexural strengths while microstructural analyses of 25 wt. % FS and GP-clay bricks were examined. Results showed that compressive strength was highest at 30 wt. % GP for GP-bricks while for FS-clay bricks, compressive strength rose to 11.4 and 12.8, at 35 and 40 wt. % FS addition. Flexural strength for GP-clay and FS-clay bricks peaked at 30 wt. % GP (3.63 MPa) and 40 wt. % FS (2.45) respectively. Flexural modulus increased progressively and exponentially as FS and GP proportion increased. Work done in resisting deformation and deflection during bending reduced with increased amount in both additives. Flexural strain was inversely related to load and stiffness. In conclusion, addition of GP and FS in increasing amount resulted in improved mechanical properties in the bricks. Also, increased proportion of GP and FS was found to improve response to loading in fired bricks.