FEASIBILITY STUDY ON THE USE OF MAISE HUSKS MIXED WITH CLAY IN THE PRODUCTION OF BRICKS

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.