Open Access
Magnesium oxide as alternative binder for unﬁred clay bricks manufacturing
(Elsevier, 2017) Espuelas Zuazu, Sandra; Omer, Joshua; Marcelino Sádaba, Sara; Echeverria Lazcano, Angel María; Seco Meneses, Andrés; Proyectos e Ingeniería Rural; Landa Ingeniaritza eta Proiektuak; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
Replacement of ﬁred bricks by unﬁred ones could be an eﬀective way to reduce the building industryenvironmental footprint: Their manufacture not only requires less energy and natural resources but alsogenerates less waste. Bricks are based on the use of an additive cementitious material in the form of a binder,usually lime or cement. Such additives have a great environmental impact owing to the high energy consumptionand CO2during in their manufacturing process. In this article experiments are carried out in order to investigatethe applicability of a MgO rich industry by-product as a binder for the production of unﬁred clay bricks. Fromthe experiments, the MgO was observed to show ability to enhance the mechanical properties of a clay brick inmuch the same way as lime does. Water absorption tests on bricks revealed the superiority of MgO over lime inenhancing the durability properties of unﬁred bricks. The laboratory results demonstrate the high potential ofMgO based additives as alternative binders to the calcium based ones. Consequently, this oﬀers opportunity forreducing the environmental impact associated with the use of ﬁred clay bricks. In addition, it could allow aneﬀective way for the valorization of MgO containing industry by-products that currently discarded to landﬁlls
Open Access
Sustainable unﬁred bricks manufacturing from construction and demolition wastes
(Elsevier, 2018) Seco Meneses, Andrés; Omer, Joshua; Marcelino Sádaba, Sara; Espuelas Zuazu, Sandra; Prieto Cobo, Eduardo; Proyectos e Ingeniería Rural; Landa Ingeniaritza eta Proiektuak
The management of construction and demolition wastes is a huge challenge for most Governments. Thegreatest component of such wastes is concrete and masonry fragments or remains. Among the most com-mon approaches to valorization of such w astes is to convert them to recycled aggregates, however thismay be hampered by low quality of some recycled aggregates compared to natural aggregates. This paperpresents the results of experimental investigation where concrete and ceramic remains were used to par-tially substitute clay soil in producing unﬁred bricks. The bricks were then tested for mechanical strength,water absorption freeze-thaw resistance. Additionally the environmental impact of the bricks wasassessed based on Life Cycle Analysis (LCA). It was established that concrete waste could be used to sub-stitute up to 50% of the clay whereas ceramic wastes could only substitute a maximum of 30% of the clay.Blended bricks made from clay and concrete waste mixes had a lower mechanical strength than thosemade from clay and ceramic waste. As regards water absorption, there was no marked differencebetween the two blends of brick however reduction in water resistance was slightly greater in bricks con-taining concrete waste that in those containing ceramic wastes. Also, tests showed that freeze-thawresistance was greater in bricks blended with concrete wastes than in those incorporating ceramicwastes. Life Cycle analyses demonstrated that it is the binder content in the mix that largely determinesthe environmental impact of the blended bricks. Lastly, it was demonstrated that the most desirable tech-nical and environmental credentials of brick material mixes resulted from using the binder combination:CL-90-S+GGBS 2/8.
Open Access
Estimated and real durability of unﬁred clay bricks: Determining factorsand representativeness of the laboratory tests
(Elsevier, 2016) Seco Meneses, Andrés; Urmeneta, Pablo; Prieto Cobo, Eduardo; García, Beñat; Miqueléiz Jiménez, Luis; Proyectos e Ingeniería Rural; Landa Ingeniaritza eta Proiektuak
This paper presents an analysis of the representativeness of the main laboratory tests and the real dura-bility of earth-based construction materials. For this study, a natural marl soil, mixed with different per-centages of silica sand, was treated with portland cement, hydraulic lime, a mix of lime and groundgranulated blastfurnace slag and other binder composed of a high magnesium oxide waste mixed withground granulated blastfurnace slag. All the combinations were characterized based on the usual dura-bility related laboratory tests as are: maximum density, unconﬁned compressive strength, wetting anddrying, Swinburne accelerated erosion resistance, capillarity water absorption, total water absorptionand freeze/thawing cycles. The results of these tests have been related to the real durability of the sam-ples for eighteen months of outdoor exposure. They revealed the positive effect of sand adding in thematerials durability and the great result of the binder based on magnesium oxide with ground granulatedblastfurnace slag. It was also demonstrated the representativeness of the water absorption test as a dura-bility indicator of earth based construction materials durability.

Seco Meneses, Andrés

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