Improved fired clay brick compressive strength by recycling wastes of blacksmiths’ workshops

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of using steel filings from the waste of blacksmiths workshops on the clay bricks mixture to improve the bricks’ compressive strength. On the other hand, this process can reduce workshops’ waste by recycling it to preserve the resources and achieve sustainability. Adding steel filings to the mixture of red clay bricks was in different proportions by weight (1%, 2%, 3%, and 4%) on prototype bricks produced in a lab. Moreover, it aims to increase the effectiveness of clay bricks used in load-bearing walls, which can be used extensively in economical housing to reduce the cost if its strength increases by utilizing it in the load-bearing walls system instead of skeleton. The experimental approach was adopted to reach conclusions, as it is the appropriate approach suitable for this research. Before and after adding steel filings, many properties were tested, such as dimensions, weight, density, water absorption, and compressive strength. It is observed that on increasing the steel filings ratios by the mixture’s weight, the prototypes’ compressive strength also increases. The highest percentage of increased compressive strength occurred for the specimen with 3% steel filings by the mixture’s weight is (84%).