Innovative building materials: manufactured bricks using by-products of an industrial process

Abstract

This paper reports on innovative research efforts to develop building bricks using industrial by-products and the possible benefits in terms of technology, economy and care for the environment. A process of brick making by utilising a by-product of an industrial process is viewed as a step towards a more sustainable building construction. Laboratory tests were carried out on cylindrical test specimens made with all in one 3.35mm- 63μm crushed carboniferous and oolitic limestone aggregate bound with a blended binder comprising of Portland cement (PC) and Ground Granulated Blast-furnace Slag (GGBS; a by-product of steel manufacture). In the current investigation, the cylindrical specimens were moist cured at room temperature of about 20 ± 2ºC for 3, 7, 14 and 28 days before testing for unconfined compressive strength. Preliminary results show that the strength values for all stabilised material investigated was within the strength range of 4.2 to 10.9N/mm². These results suggest that there is potential in using GGBS as both blended and unblended binder for the manufacturing of building bricks.