Modeling the Drying Kinetics of Earth Bricks Stabilized with Cassava Flour Gel and Amylopectin
Open Access
- 1 January 2019
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Scientific Research Publishing, Inc. in Geomaterials
- Vol. 09 (01), 40-53
- https://doi.org/10.4236/gm.2019.91004
Abstract
Earth bricks could contribute to alleviate the housing shortage in the world, thanks to their low cost, easy production, and low environmental impact. However, to manufacture bricks with required properties, many raw soils must be ameliorated. In Central and Eastern Africa, the waste water of the cassava processing is used to improve earth brick mechanical properties. This technique is interesting, because it is sustainable, low-cost and easy to implement. But, studies on this stabilization method are scarce, in particular on the drying kinetics of these bricks. Now, it is important to know the drying duration, because the earth brick’s strength is strongly correlated to its moisture content. Thus, this study aims to quantify and to model the effect of adding cassava flour gel and amylopectin on the drying kinetics of earth bricks. Depending on the soil nature, the drying duration decreases from 7% to 25% for a stabilizer content of 20%. For the five models used, the coefficient of determination is superior to 0.997 and the chi square is inferior to 3 × 10−4. In average, the best model is Khazaei, followed in order by Avrami-Page, diffusion, Yong and Peleg. The effective coefficient of diffusion of water is about 4 × 10−5 m⋅s−2. The parameter T of the Khazaei’s model is strongly correlated to the drying duration and the stabilizer content, and their relationships have been deduced.Keywords
This publication has 17 references indexed in Scilit:
- Cassava starch–kaolinite composite film. Effect of clay content and clay modification on film propertiesCarbohydrate Polymers, 2011
- Characteristic drying curves for cellulosic fibresChemical Engineering Journal, 2008
- Attitudes towards earth building for Zambian housing provisionEngineering Sustainability, 2007
- Starch films reinforced with mineral clayCarbohydrate Polymers, 2003
- A first insight on composites of thermoplastic starch and kaolinCarbohydrate Polymers, 2001
- The adsorption of starch derivatives onto kaolinColloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 1998
- Lime stabilization of clay minerals and soilsEngineering Geology, 1996
- Criteria for the suitability of soil for cement stabilizationJournal of Affective Disorders, 1988
- An Empirical Model for the Description of Moisture Sorption CurvesJournal of Food Science, 1988
- On the characteristic drying curveInternational Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 1974