Characteristic Properties of Concrete with Recycled Burnt Bricks as Coarse Aggregates Replacement

TLDR: In this article, the authors studied the properties of concrete made using crushed burnt bricks as an aggregate in comparison with concrete made with natural coarse aggregates and found that concretes made using cranked bricks as coarse aggregate absorbed more water with a value of 7.83% than conventional concrete with value of 2.36%.

Abstract: To counter the depletion of river sand and to reduce the menace caused by disposal of crushed brick wastes, the use of crushed bricks to produce a more environmentally sustainable and economical concrete is explored. This project studied the properties of concrete made using crushed burnt bricks as an aggregate in comparison with concrete made using natural coarse aggregates. Experimental investigation was carried on the concrete in its wet and dry state to determine the durability and mechanical properties of the concrete by testing the workability, water absorption, density and compressive strength test of the concrete. The result of the water absorption test shows that concretes made using crushed burnt bricks as coarse aggregates absorbed more water with value of 7.83% than conventional concrete with value of 2.83% at 28 days curing. The strength test result carried out indicates that conventional concrete at 28 days has strength of 22.96 N/mm2 higher than that of concretes made using crushed burnt bricks at 28 days of curing with value of 15.45 N/mm2, however, the strength of concretes from crushed burnt bricks still lies within the acceptable limit. Other test carried out on the crushed burnt aggregates to ascertain their suitability were, Aggregates Impact Value test (AIV) with value at 15.68% and Aggregates Crushing Value test (ACV) with value at 23.36%. The properties and quality of the crushed burnt bricks aggregates were also determined.