Properties of Sand-lime and Concrete Brick/Block Units Manufactured in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia PDF

Keywords

sand-lime, Saudi Arabia, Concrete bricks

Abstract

A total of 330 concrete and 30 Sand-lime bricks/blocks along with representative sand and aggregate samples were collected from 24 brick/block factories in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Tests needed to determine the mechanical and physical properties for the collected specimens were carried out. These are: grading, specific gravity, absorption of aggregate and compressive and flexural strengths, modulus of elasticity, density and water absorption of bricks/blocks. Results of the study indicate that there is a wide variation in the mechanical properties of the collected specimens which are greatly influenced by the type of the raw materials used (white or red sand), mix proportions, curing conditions and manufacturing process. Also , based on the statistical analysis performed for the test results, empirical formulas that relate the flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, water absorption and density to the compressive strength of the bricks/blocks are suggested.