Experimental investigation on properties of alkali activated brick and masonry using municipal incinerated ash

Abstract

Bricks are one of the most dominating construction materials worldwide because of their excellent strength, abundance and durable properties. In recent days, on account of industrialization, population hike and globalization, there exists a demand for construction materials. According to the Planning Commission Report, in India, 377 million people residing in urban areas alone are generating 62 million tons of municipal solid waste per annum and it is anticipated that by 2031 these urban centres would generate 165 million tons of waste annually and by 2050 it shall be expected to reach 436 million tons. Globally, the ash from the incinerated municipal solid waste finds suitable applications in road pavement construction and in aerated concrete. The ash from municipal solid waste incineration has a vast potential in various civil engineering applications. This research mainly aims to utilize municipal solid waste incinerated ash as an effective material in brick manufacture through the alkaline activation process. The material characterization study of Municipal Incinerated (MI) ash reveals that the ash is rich in silica, calcium and alumina, which is the main ingredient to be present in the brick. Under the geopolymerization process, the alkaline activators react with the alumina and silica components of the MI ash and form a complex aluminosilicate component. This polymerized compound binds all the materials together and offers excellent structural integrity. Therefore, the developed eco sustainable alkali activated brick product will better serve structural performance characteristics than conventional bricks. The potential of Municipal Incinerated ash in the brick productions from the alkali activation process is an innovative concept that needs broad exploration and study. The experimental investigations cover a wide range of work starting from the collection and microlevel characterization of MI ash, casting and testing of bricks to the macrolevel study of MI ash brick masonry.