Properties of cement bricks containing sago fine waste (SFW) with different water-cement ratio

Abstract

Cement is a key material in the construction industry. However, this widespread use adversely affects the environment. The replacement of cement with waste materials, mainly agricultural wastes, can reduce the impact of environmental pollution and result in sustainable construction. Sago fine waste (SFW) is a fibrous residue from waste from sago milling operations where physical treatment has been made. This study used SFW as a partial cement replacement material in cement brick and the effect of adding SFW to cement brick properties. Brick samples are designed with five different percentages of 2,4,6,8, and 10% of cement replacement, including control cement brick. The mortar mix is based on a ratio of 1:3, which follows Malaysian brick production standards. For compressive strength, density, and water absorption tests, all the specimens were cured for 7 and 28 days. The strength of cement bricks was investigated based on the difference of two water-cement ratios: 0.5 and 0.6. The brick properties investigated in this study are density, water absorption and compressive strength. The experimental results show that the brick's density, compressive strength, and water absorption decreased as the replacement percentage increased. However, it still meets the requirements of the standard for load-bearing structures. Analysis of this study is according to extensive data collection, the ideal composition for SFW in cement brick was 2% and 0.6 water-cement ratios. This demonstrates SFW's promise as a novel pozzolanic material for producing more sustainable bricks. As a result, SFW as a cement replacement material could improve bricks' physical and mechanical properties as curing time increases.