Effect of Age on Strength of Unfired Soil Lime Bricks Containing Non Uniform Coconut Fibers

Abstract:

In some provinces in Indonesia, like West Java, fired clay and unfired soil lime bricks co-exist as non standard bricks. Low rise buildings and rural houses in Indonesia are often constructed with non-standard bricks. The paper discusses strength-time relation of unfired bricks reinforced with and without natural fibers. Untreated and treated coconut fibers with three different lengths (1 cm, 2.5 cm and 4 cm) were prepared for bricks reinforcements. The effects of 4% non-uniform fiber addition, which constitutes 1/3 part each of 1 cm, 2.5 cm and 4 cm average fiber length, was investigated. Absorption of the bricks was evaluated. For all type of bricks, up to 90 days compressive strengths are almost stable but bending strengths rapidly decrease with time. The results show that unfired bricks added with treated fiber resulted in better performances compared to those added with untreated fibers and without fibers.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volumes 423-426)
• Pages: 1096-1100
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.423-426.1096
• Online since: September 2013
• Authors: Heru Purnomo*, R.G. Raka Basmara Putra, R. Mochammad Syaifulloh, Iwan Sulistyawan
• Keywords: Coconut Fibers, Compressive Strength, Fiber Treatment, Lime, Modulus of Rupture, Soil, Unfired Bricks

References

[1] A.S. Muntohar, Engineering characteristic of the compressed-stabilized earth brick, Construction and Building Materials, 25-11 (2011) 4215-4220.

DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2011.04.061

[2] J.E. Oti, J.M. Kinuthia and J. Bai, Engineering properties of unfired clay masonry bricks, Engineering Geology, 107 (2009) 130-139.

DOI: 10.1016/j.enggeo.2009.05.002

[3] P. Chindaprasirt, K. Pimraksa, A study of fly ash-lime granule unfired brick, Powder Technology, 182-1 (2008) 33-41.

DOI: 10.1016/j.powtec.2007.05.001

[4] N.M. S. Hasan, H.R. Sobuz, M.S. Sayed and M.S. Islam, The use of coconut fibre in the production of structural lightweight concrete, Journal of Applied Sciences, 12 (2012) 831-839.

[5] H. Purnomo, D. Priadi and R.H. Lumingkewas, Strength improvement of early age unfired soil lime bricks, Advanced Materials Research, 689 (2013) 299-303.

DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.689.299

[6] H. Purnomo, D. Priadi, G. Ausias, T. Lecompte, R.H. Lumingkewas and A. Perrot: submitted to ICAMET (2013).

[7] SK SNI S-04-1989-F, Building Materials Specification, Ministry of Public Works-Republic of Indonesia, Bandung, (1989).

[8] ASTM C67-03a, Standards Test Methods for Sampling and Testing Brick and Structural Clay Tile.