The use of Mount Etna volcanic ash in the production of bricks with good physical-mechanical performance: Converting a problematic waste product into a resource for the construction industry
Metadata
Show full item recordAuthor
Cultrone, Giuseppe V.Editorial
Elsevier
Materia
Volcanic ash Brick production Petrophysical behaviour Technical quality
Date
2021-11-17Referencia bibliográfica
Giuseppe Cultrone, The use of Mount Etna volcanic ash in the production of bricks with good physical-mechanical performance: Converting a problematic waste product into a resource for the construction industry, Ceramics International, 2021, , ISSN 0272-8842, [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2021.11.119]
Sponsorship
Junta de Andalucía Research Group RNM179; Research Project MAT2016-75889-R; Universidad de Granada/CBUAAbstract
Volcanic ash emissions are responsible for serious damage to buildings. They can also affect vehicle traffic, cause
airport closures and may be hazardous for human health. To verify the effects of the potential addition of this
residue to the mixture used in the production of bricks, a detailed study of the clayey material, the volcanic ash
and the bricks fired at 800, 950 and 1100 ◦C was conducted, assessing chemical, mineralogical, physical, mechanical
and durability aspects. The addition of 10–20 wt% of volcanic ash delayed the appearance of new
phases during brick firing and made them less porous. The bricks maintained their orange colour and became
more compact as the firing temperature increased due to sintering and vitrification processes. The addition of
volcanic ash reduced the strength of the bricks although the values were always above the limits recommended
for construction work with ceramic materials. Bricks with added volcanic ash increased their resistance to decay
due to salt crystallization and the general behaviour of the bricks improved when they were fired at high
temperatures.