Compression resistance and color evaluation in artisanal red bricks: Experimental study and numerical simulation

Abstract

An experimental study is presented, simulating the firing process of artisanal red brick in a laboratory muffle. Under controlled heating conditions, the influence of both temperature and time on both the compressive strength and surface color of model bricks are evaluated. A production run and numerical simulations of laboratory brick heating are used to define the experimental conditions in the laboratory. A statistical model replicates the behavior of the compressive resistance at different temperatures, both in the muffle furnace and in production. Brick color has a more representative tone of a well-burned brick when created at the burning temperatures suggested in the literature.