VIVA-Tech International Journal for Research and Innovation Volume 1, Issue 4 (2022)

ISSN(Online): 2581-7280
VIVA Institute of Technology
9th National Conference on Role of Engineers in Nation Building – 2022 (NCRENB-2022)

GEOPOLYMER BRICKS
Priyanka Kamtekar1, Komal Bane2, Archana Kharpade3, Sujit Chothe4
1
(Department of Civil Engineering, Mumbai Univertisity, INDIA)

Abstract : Bricks square measure wide used as a construction and artefact because of its properties. Recent
years have seen a good development in new kinds of inorganic building material binders known as ‘‘geopolymeric
cement’’ round the world. This prompted its use in bricks, that improves the greenness of normal bricks. The event
of fly ash-based geopolymer light-weight bricks is comparatively new within the field of construction materials.
This report reviews the uses of ash as a raw materials and addition of foaming agent to the geopolymer mixture
to provide light-weight bricks. Most factory-made bricks with incorporation of foaming agent have shown positive
effects by manufacturing light-weight bricks, increased consistency and improved the thermal conductivities of
fly ash-based geopolymer bricks. This report presents an economic analysis of manufacturing geopolymer bricks
for use in the construction sector.

Keywords : Geopolymer, Fly ash, GGBS, Compression

I. INTRODUCTION

1.1 GENERAL
Brick is that the most typically used artifact in Republic of India for over one thousand years. Laid-off clay Bricks
square measure most typically utilized in Republic of India. However today ash bricks are enormously getting
used because of the reduction in price further as its light-weight weight. Geopolymer bricks square measure the
newest Innovation within the brick trade that carries with it supplementary building material materials like ash Or
GGBS activated by AN alkalic activator. The applying of geopolymer technology gained Importance because of
the reduction of the carbon dioxide emissions by utilizing the supplementary building material Materials in situ
of cement. It’s been noted that geopolymer bricks created with flyash needs Higher solidifying temperature to
attain higher compressive strength and lower absorption. The OPC concrete bricks that made from OPC and
aggregates conjointly use high energy and releases important quantity of greenhouse gases throughout production
of OPC. Production of one weight unit of OPC consumes or so one.5 kWh of energy and releases regarding one
weight unit of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Worldwide, production of OPC is to blame for regarding seven-
membered of all carbon dioxide generated. Thus, new ways and technology ought to be created to unravel this
drawback. In 1978, Prof. Joseph Davidovits has developed a brand new technique referred to as “geopolymer”.
The geopolymers depend upon thermally activated natural materials like Metakaolinite or industrial byproducts
like ash to supply a supply of semiconductor (Si) and Al (Al). These semiconductor And Al square measure
dissolved in an alkalic resolution (mixture of hydroxide and metallic element Silicate) and later on polymerizes
into 3 dimensional molecular chains and become as a binder. The chemical composition of geopolymer material
is analogous to natural zeolitic materials, however the microstructure is amorphous.The source of geopolymers
was depend upon the many factors like accessibility, cost, and sort of application. Foaming agent is such chemical
that square measure extremely utilized in the sphere of construction for creating bricks.

1.2 OBJECTIVES
● To develop and study salient properties of geopolymer brick.
● To compare properties with conventional brick.
● To determine strength and workability by adding waste materials
● To introduce substantial light weighted bricks in the field of construction.

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VIVA-Tech International Journal for Research and Innovation Volume 1, Issue 4 (2022)
ISSN(Online): 2581-7280
VIVA Institute of Technology
9th National Conference on Role of Engineers in Nation Building – 2022 (NCRENB-2022)

1.3 SCOPE OF THE PROJECT

● To study the effect of alkaline solution to binder ratio, concentration of the sodium hydroxide solution
and curing condition on fly ash and GGBS based geopolymer brick.
● To determine the compressive strength of fly ash and GGBS based geopolymer brick at various ages
such as 7 days, 14 days and 28 days.
● To reduce co2 emission.
● To utilize the waste product like ash and quarry dirt.
● To provide green environment which is one of the major need today.

II. LITERATURE REVIEW

1. Development OF Ambient Cured Geopolymer Bricks. (Year - Feb 2021)

R. Anu S.Thirugnanasambandam
Fly ash bricks underwent severe damage on chemical attack compared to other specimens. It is proposed
that geopolymer bricks using 75 % fly ash and 25% GGBS can be used as a replacement for conventional
bricks and fly ash bricks. A binder is a combination of sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate which is
used as an activator.

2. Properties of geopolymer bricks made with flyash and GGBS. (Year – 2020)
Lavanya B, Preet D Kuriya Suganesh S, Indrajith R
Acid resistance increased with respect to the increase in GGBS content in the mix proportion. The water
absorption of geopolymer bricks show water absorption up to 6% whereas the normal clay bricks it will
be around 20%. The strength increased with respect to the increase in the GGBS content.

3. Economic Analysis of geopolymer brick. (Year – March 2017)

Nicolas Youssef, Zoubeir Lafhaj, Christophe chapiseau
Geopolymer Brick gives a financial gain of 5% compared to traditional fired brick for the same
compressive strength of 20 MPa. The production cost of the Geopolymer Brick was based on annual
business model of the brick work.

4. Experimental Study On The Behaviour Of Geopolymer Bricks. ( Year-2018)

Pavitra N, Divya G, Suganthi M and Omprakash S.
Geopolymer bricks can be manufactured with low calcium fly ash with molarities of NaOH. These bricks
can be used for construction of low cost houses. Adequate curing temperature and adequate curing time
(minimum 24 hrs) can give better results.

III. METHODOLOGY
3.1 METHODOLOGY
Fly ash, alkaline liquid, GGBS and quarry dust area unit manually fed into a pan mixer wherever water is
additional within the required proportion for intimate combining. The proportion of the material is usually within
the magnitude relation 20% of flyash, 40% Sodium Hydroxide and Sodium Silicate ,40% Ground Granulated
Blast Furnace Slag and quarry mud depending upon the quality of raw materials. The materials area unit mixed
in pan mixture. Once combining, the mixture is sent through Belt conveyor to the hydraulic/mechanical presses.
The homogenized mortar taken out of Roller mixer is place into the mould boxes. Betting on the sort of machine,
the merchandise is compacted beneath vibration / hydraulic compression etc. The inexperienced bricks area unit
dried up beneath sun from twenty four to forty eight hours, relying whether or not lime route or cement route; the
dried up bricks area unit stacked and subjected for water spray hardening once or doubly each day, for 7-28 days,
betting on atmosphere. The work size of a standard brick is 190 mm x 90 mm x 90 mm

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VIVA-Tech International Journal for Research and Innovation Volume 1, Issue 4 (2022)
ISSN(Online): 2581-7280
VIVA Institute of Technology
9th National Conference on Role of Engineers in Nation Building – 2022 (NCRENB-2022)

FIG.2 MIXING FIG.3 POURING

FIG.4 DEMOULDING FIG.5 CURING

2.2 MATERIALS OF GEOPOLYMER BRICK

2.2.1 Fly Ash

Fly ash clay bricks are manufactured with clay and fly ash, at about 1,000 degrees C. Some have shown that these
bricks tend to fail poor produce pop-outs, when bricks come into contact with moisture and water, causing the
bricks to expand studies.

2.2.2 Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS)

Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) could be a helpful by-product recovered from the blast-furnaces
utilized in the assembly of iron. It will be used un-ground as a rough combination or as a supplementary building
material. It’s obtained by conclusion liquefied iron scoria from a furnace in water or stream, to provide a glassy,
granular product that’s then dried and ground into a fine powder.

2.2.3 Quarry Dust

It is residue taken from granite quarry. Also creates environmental problems of large-scale depletion of these
sources. The properties of the quarry dust are in conformation with IS 2386:1963. Quarry dust was tested was
various properties like specific gravity, sieve analysis and are conforming to IS standards.

2.2.4 Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) Sodium hydroxide is chemical compound, used as a base in chemical reactions. It
will simply dissolve in water and forms series of hydrates (NaOH.nH2O). For this experiment, several focused
NaOH solutions (in terms of molarity) were ready by victimization hydrated oxide pellets.

2.2.5 Sodium Silicate

Sodium silicate is colourless clear solids or white powders, adhesive in nature and soluble in water in numerous
degrees. sometimes stable as a matter, sodium silicate produces alkalescent answer once it dissolves in water. In
this analysis activity, numerous focused (in terms of molarity) glass solutions were created out of its powder type.

2.2.6 Water
Clean portable water free from suspended particles was used both for mixing and curing the brick specimen. And
also there is no IS provision for taking water amount.

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VIVA-Tech International Journal for Research and Innovation Volume 1, Issue 4 (2022)
ISSN(Online): 2581-7280
VIVA Institute of Technology
9th National Conference on Role of Engineers in Nation Building – 2022 (NCRENB-2022)

FIG. 1 MATERIALS

2.4 TEST ON BRICKS

2.4.1 Compressive Strength Test
Compressive strength of bricks is that the capability of brick to resist or stand up to underneath compression once
tested on Compressive testing machine [CTM]. The Compressive strength of a fabric is decided by the flexibility
of the fabric to resist failure within the kind of cracks and fissure. during this check, the compression force is
applied on each the faces of brick and also the most compression that brick will bear while not cracking is
determined and recorded.

TABLE.1 COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH

OF GEOPOLYMER BRICK
Compressive Strength (N/mm2)
Days I II III
7 26.90 27.49 29.24
14 51.46 42.11 52.63
28 64.33 70.18 61.40
Compressive Strength (N/mm2)
Days I II III
7 1.97 2.17 2.37
14 2.52 2.29 2.17
28 2.68 2.84 2.80

2.4.2 Water Absorption Test

Water perviousness, specifically water absorption is vital measure to manage geo chemical compound sturdiness.
concerning to the present, pores within the geopolymer have a very important role to permit the liquid/fluid move
through the geopolymer. but the tendency of geo chemical compound to absorption and transmission of water by
surface tension not solely depends on the consistency however conjointly on its pore diameter, distribution,
continuity and distortion.

TABLE.2 WATER ABSORPTION

Brick Weight (kg) Water

Absorption
Dry Wet
(%)
Red Brick 2.420 2.650 9.50
Geopolymer 3.370 3.410 1.19
brick

2.4.3 Hardness and Soundness Test

In this check a scratch is formed on brick surface with a tough factor. If that does not left any impression on brick
then that's sensible quality brick. When a brick is struck by a hammer or against another brick, it should emit a
clear metallic ringing sound, it should not bedull. A freshly broken brick ought to show a homogenized compact

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VIVA-Tech International Journal for Research and Innovation Volume 1, Issue 4 (2022)
ISSN(Online): 2581-7280
VIVA Institute of Technology
9th National Conference on Role of Engineers in Nation Building – 2022 (NCRENB-2022)

structure with none lumps. If a brick is born from a few height of 1m on a tough ground or on another brick, it
shouldn’t break.

2.4.4 Color Test

Color throughout. An honest brick ought to be of correct form and commonplace mere size, the perimeters of it
ought to be sharp, there mustn’t be any cracks and fissures on the brick. Color of a geopolymer brick is found to
be gray.
2.4.5 Acid Test
Here, a sample of stone weighing about 50 to 100 gm is taken. It is placed in a solution of hydrophobic acid having
strength of one percent and is kept there for seven days. Solution is agitated at intervals. A good building stone
maintains its sharp edges and keeps its surface free from powder at the end of this period. If the edges are broken
and powder is formed on the surface, it indicates the presence of calcium carbonate and such a stone will have
poor weathering quality. This test is usually carried out on sandstones.

FIG.6 COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH FIG.7 WATER ABSORPTION

FIG.8 HARDNESS AND COLOUR FIG.9 SOUNDNESS

TABLE 4. ACID TEST

Brick Weight Before Weight After % of Weight Loss

Immersed in Acid Immersed in Acid

Red Brick 2.565 2.520 1.98

Geopolyme 3.310 3.290 0.60

r Brick

III. CONCLUSION

From the above experimental studies we can conclude that,

● Geopolymer bricks square measure appropriate for frame structure.
● These bricks versatile compared to traditional brick, these bricks square measure probably ideal material
for earthquake prone areas.

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VIVA-Tech International Journal for Research and Innovation Volume 1, Issue 4 (2022)
ISSN(Online): 2581-7280
VIVA Institute of Technology
9th National Conference on Role of Engineers in Nation Building – 2022 (NCRENB-2022)

● The geopolymer bricks square measure sensible sound absorbent, thence geopolymer is employed in
these bricks. So, these bricks may be utilized in auditoriums.
● The strength of the brick on top of the traditional brick.

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