Abstract:
Clay has been used as the main material in the fabrication of bricks however the use of waste
Materials in brick manufacturing has been introduced for the conservation of dwindling clay
resources, as well as preventing environmental and ecological damages caused by quarrying
and depletion of Raw materials. Bricks that are available in some regions have poor quality,
low compressive strength, higher water absorption and uneven surfaces therefore in this study,
maize husks have been utilized for the preparation of bricks in partial replacement of clay. The
specimens were cast with different replacement levels of clay varying as 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%,
and 20% with maize husk, The Specimens were tested for water absorption and compressive
strength according to the British standard specifications. Experimental shows that excessive
addition of maize husk has higher water absorption and low compressive strength as maize
husk percentage increases maize husk characteristics predominate. The bonding between the
clay particles and the maize husk particles is weak. I did this process by hand moulding, used
to produce our sample which has size (195x95x65) mm with a portion ratio of 1:4, the moulds
are rectangular and made of wood which are opened at the top and bottom. The longer the of
Moulds are projected out of the box to serve it as handles. As the results of the water absorption
test it was found that according to the number of specimens, a 13.4% water absorption test
result of 13.4% for a brick indicates that the brick absorbs 13.4% of its dry weight in water
within a specified time frame. This level of absorption suggests moderate porosity, which can
affect durability and thermal properties. Generally, lower absorption rates are preferred for
better performance in construction. On the other hand, the results of the compressive strength
test (0.00068 N/mm²) indicate a brick that is unsuitable for construction purposes.
