Soil-cement brick used in Social Housing (HIS) in housing cooperative construction – A case study in a community brick making

Abstract

More sustainable practices that reduce the impacts caused on the environment are increasingly used, together with the growth of standards, programs and certifications that work in the industrial sectors in order to mitigate actions that harm the environment. The construction industry is one that most contribute to environmental damage due to its high rates of losses and waste. Consequently, the use of sustainable materials in construction is increasingly necessary. This aims study the soil-cement brick, better known as ecological brick, produced in community pottery and used in HSI (Housing of social interest) in the city of Limeira-SP. For this purpose, in the laboratory, the verification of the axial compression strength of the soil-cement brick was carried out, as well as its dimensions, according to the standard NBR 8492:2012. The data were analyzed statistically and compared with values required by the standard NBR 8491:2012. In addition, bricks manufactured in a controlled environment with four different soil and cement ratios were analyzed and the same procedure was performed to check the axial compression strength and dimensions. Another factor studied was the partial replacement of the natural raw material with residues from the brick itself. According to the previous steps, dimensions and resistance to axial compression were also analyzed. The results found were satisfactory: the bricks with additions of recycled aggregates showed higher compressive strength values than the conventional one.