Effects of Waste Glass Addition on the Properties of Fired Clay Brick

Abstract

The optimization of the production of fired clay brick is essential in order to maintain a sustainable industry in Ontario. While there exists areas for improvement of the properties of bricks used in severe climates, concerns including non-renewable resource depletion, increasing energy costs, and waste management have become increasingly important in Canadian and global industries. One method to address these concerns is the use of waste additives as fluxing agents in bricks. While a fluxing agent reduces the firing temperature required for sintering of the brick and improves properties, the use of a waste additive can decrease the dependency of the industry or non-renewable resources such as mined clay or crushed shale. Waste additives can improve strength durability, and absorptive properties, while decreasing firing temperature, and diverting waste from landfills. A testing program was developed to determine the effects of several variables in brick production, including extrusion and firing, and to investigate the effect of the addition of non-recycled waste glass in the properties of fired clay brick. The addition was varied in the particle size of the waste glass and the percentage by mass of additive. The effects of waste glass addition were determined in terms of absorption, strength, and freeze-thaw durability of the individual specimens. Microstructure was also investigated using SEM images and mercury intrusion porosimetry to determine the effect on pore structure and vitrified matrix of the bricks. The results of the testing program determined an optimal addition of waste glass, and the expected effects of the implementation of this addition to the production of fired clay brick in an industrial setting.