Technical quality of solid bricks made using clayey earth with added coffee grounds and fly ash

Abstract

This paper analyses the effects of the addition of organic (coffee grounds) and inorganic (fly ash) residues to a clayey soil rich in quartz and other silicates used as a raw material in brick production. To this end the mineralogy, texture, durability and physical and mechanical properties of solid bricks fired between 800 and 1100 ºC were studied. The results show that as the firing temperature increased, the phyllosilicate content decreased and mullite appeared. The matrix became less birefringent due to gradual vitrification of the samples, especially after 950 ºC. Vitrification resulted in more compact, less porous samples. The addition of residues did not affect the mineralogy, but it did alter certain physical parameters such as colour and porosity. The largest colour differences were detected after the addition of fly ash, which usually caused a whitish patina to develop on the surface of the fired bricks, while the highest porosity values were detected in bricks with coffee grounds, significantly reducing the bulk density. The increase in firing temperature improved the mechanical resistance and durability of all the bricks regardless of their composition.