TITLE:
Assessment of Cement-Lime as Stabilizer on Mud Bricks
AUTHORS:
Chrisdel Chancelice Ndjeumi, Djonga Paul Nestor Djomou, George Elambo Nkeng, Fatoumata Adda Souaibou, Soulemane Anong
KEYWORDS:
Cement-Stabilized Earth, Lime-Stabilized Earth, Compressed Earth Brick, Compressive Strength, Water Absorption Test
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering,
Vol.12 No.7,
July
11,
2024
ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to evaluate the compressive strength of clay bricks and their stability to water absorption by inserting stabilizers such as lime and cement of 0%, 4%, 6%, 8%, 10%, 12% to 14%. Spectrometric analysis was used to characterize the various stabilizers and the clay used, and tests of resistance and water absorption were also carried out. The clay was found to be an aluminosilicate (15.55% to 17.17% Al2O3 and 42.12% to 44.15% SiO2). The lime contains 90.84% CaO and the cement has 17.80% SiO2, 3.46% Al2O3, 2.43% Fe2O3 and 58.47% CaO in the combined form of tricalcium silicate, dicalcium silicate, tricalcium aluminate and ferro-tetra calcium aluminate. The results showed that the insertion of locally available stabilizers (lime and cement) improved the strength of the material by almost 80% when the lime was increased from 0% to 14% for 14 days. For compressed cement, a 65% increase in strength was observed under the same conditions. Strength increases with drying time, with a 52% increase in strength at 28 days compared to 14 days. Furthermore, compressed cement bricks have a more compact structure, absorbing very little water (32%). In view of all these results, cement appears to be the best stabilizer, and compression improves compressive strength and reduces water absorption.