Synthesis and Characterization of Clay Brick Using Waste Groundnut Shell Ash

Abstract

Clay bricks have been made since ancient periods. The higher demand for this brick fails to support the needs. This is because clay is the non-renewable materials. Therefore, new artificial cement blocks have been introduced to satisfy the fast demand in the world. However, the clay bricks are the most eco-friendly and form green environment. Thus, the government, researchers and engineers trying to introduce the clay bricks with the value addition of natural agro waste materials. In one way, these materials improve the physical properties of the clay as well as reduce the environmental pollutions. Our aim at this research was to introduce a green environment clay bricks of value-added Groundnut Shell Ash (GSA) as a partial substitution. Therefore, seven different series of brick were manufactured by applying conventional method, which consists of GSA ratio 0, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10% of the total weight of the mixture. Each series hold seven brick of dimension (18.5 × 8.5 × 6.5) cm3. The clay-GSA was mixed well with the addition of sufficient water to form a good workability. These bricks were allowed to dry under sunlight for two days and then baked using the traditional method. The physical properties of the red brick were then determined and compared with Sri Lankan and British Standard Specifications. These physical properties were compared with the commercially available brick made entirely from clay, which is the control brick. From the results, clay-GSA bricks are obviously superior to the clay control-brick, those available in the Eastern region markets.