Author
R L DAY1, J F MARTIRENA2 and A HUIZER3
1 Dept. of Civil Engineering, University of Calgary, Canada
2 Universidad Central de Las Villas, Santa Clara, Cuba
3 deceased, formerly Dept. of Civil Engineering, University of Calgary
Abstract
The paper outlines research into and development of materials and processes that are suitable for the low-cost sustainable manufacture of fired bricks. Test results and the development of a lightweight 100% fly ash brick and issues related to the practical production of a fly-ash:glass-grog:clay bricks are given.
All of the technologies developed allow the firing of bricks at substantially lower temperatures (ca. 900ºC) than those employed for traditional clay-brick manufacture. Engineering properties (strength, sorptivity, and freeze-thaw durability) and chemical and micro-structural analysis of the various materials that have been developed are reported. The paper also summarizes developmental aspects that illustrate the feasibility of full-scale production of low-cost, severe-weathering, fly-ash bricks.