THE USE OF SAWDUST WASTE ON PHYSICAL PROPERTIES AND THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF FIRED CLAY BRICK PRODUCTION

Abstract

In this paper, the effects of incorporation of sawdust waste on the properties of fired clay
bricks were investigated. Clay bricks fabricated with 0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10% by weight of sawdust
waste were tested. The clay brick specimens were firing at 900 °C, 1000 °C, and 1100 °C for study the water
absorption, bulk density, apparent porosity, compressive strength, and thermal conductivity of the fired clay
bricks. The experimental results found that the using of sawdust waste reduced the bulk density and
compressive strength of the specimens. It was observed their apparent porosity ratios up to 30% improved
with increasing of sawdust waste up to 10% by weight after firing at 900 °C. The compressive strength of
bricks specimen with 2.5% by weight of sawdust waste addition and fired at 1100 °C showed a higher than of
value strength as required by ASTM C62-13a. In addition, the thermal conductivity of the porous fired clay
bricks specimens with 2.5-10% by weight sawdust waste addition produced at 1000 °C compared to the fired
clay brick specimens without additive, decreased from 0.47 to 0.22 W/mK. The results thus showed that
sawdust waste was a potential material for use as a pore former additive to raw clay-brick production.