COMPRESSED BRICKS FROM INDUSTRIAL BY-PRODUCTS: A GREENER ALTERNATIVE TO CONVENTIONAL MASONRY

Abstract

Burnt bricks, widely used for centuries, have high energy consumption and contribute significantly to CO₂ emissions. To address this, compressed stabilised earth blocks (CSEB) have gained attention as a sustainable alternative. With the growth of the M-Sand industry in India, large amounts of slurry waste are produced, leading to environmental challenges. This research focuses on repurposing this waste (size smaller than 150µ) in dry powdered form, named as M-Silt, into eco-friendly building materials. Two brick types, Compressed M-Silt Bricks (CMB) and Compressed M-Silt Earth Bricks (CMEB), were developed and analysed. The study evaluates their properties, including compressive strength, water absorption, Initial rate of water absorption (IRA) and dimensional stability, highlighting the potential of M-Silt in sustainable brick production. Fig 1 represent the schematic representation of production of CMB bricks.

Fig 1 Production of CMB bricks.