Industrial recycled fired clay brick waste aggregates as a sustainable component in masonry mortars: A multi-scale characterization
Abstract
This study investigates the feasibility of partially replacing natural sand with industrial waste fired clay brick aggregates in mortar formulations. Five mortar mixtures-M-100S-0 W, M-85S-15 W, M-70S-30 W, M-55S-45 W, and M-0S-100W-were prepared with volumetric sand (S) substitutions by waste brick aggregates (W) of 0%, 15%, 30%, 45%, and 100%, respectively. The water-to-cement ratio was 0.5 for all mixtures. The fresh-state workability physical properties, as well as the mechanical, thermal, and microstructural characteristics of the hardened mortars, were evaluated after curing periods of 28, 90, and 180 days. The results show that increasing the brick aggregate content leads to an increase in total porosity due to the intrinsic porosity and high-water absorption of the aggregates. At 28 days, this higher porosity is accompanied by a decrease in mechanical strength, particularly in compressive and flexural strength. At the same time, mechanical strengths increase with curing age and may, in the long term, approach or exceed those of reference mortars, particularly at high substitution rates. Thermogravimetric analyses reveal an increase in chemically bound water and a decrease in portlandite over time, suggesting ongoing hydration reactions and pozzolanic interactions between the cement paste and fired bricks. The results indicate that recycled fired-brick aggregates constitute a viable alternative to natural sand in masonry mortars, taking into account the reduction in mechanical performance at early ages and their progressive improvement during the curing period.
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BibTeX
@article{wembe2026industrial,
title = {{Industrial recycled fired clay brick waste aggregates as a sustainable component in masonry mortars: A multi-scale characterization}},
author = {Japhet Tiegoum Wembe and Prosper Pliya and Khadim Ndiaye and Cinthia Ngouyap Tientcheu and Luc Leroy Mambou Ngueyep and Albert Noumowe},
journal = {Results in engineering},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1016/j.rineng.2026.112357},
url = {https://cyu.hal.science/hal-05736989v1},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Industrial recycled fired clay brick waste aggregates as a sustainable component in masonry mortars: A multi-scale characterization
AU - Japhet Tiegoum Wembe
AU - Prosper Pliya
AU - Khadim Ndiaye
AU - Cinthia Ngouyap Tientcheu
AU - Luc Leroy Mambou Ngueyep
AU - Albert Noumowe
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/06
JO - Results in engineering
DO - 10.1016/j.rineng.2026.112357
UR - https://cyu.hal.science/hal-05736989v1
AB - This study investigates the feasibility of partially replacing natural sand with industrial waste fired clay brick aggregates in mortar formulations. Five mortar mixtures-M-100S-0 W, M-85S-15 W, M-70S-30 W, M-55S-45 W, and M-0S-100W-were prepared with volumetric sand (S) substitutions by waste brick aggregates (W) of 0%, 15%, 30%, 45%, and 100%, respectively. The water-to-cement ratio was 0.5 for all mixtures. The fresh-state workability physical properties, as well as the mechanical, thermal, and microstructural characteristics of the hardened mortars, were evaluated after curing periods of 28, 90, and 180 days. The results show that increasing the brick aggregate content leads to an increase in total porosity due to the intrinsic porosity and high-water absorption of the aggregates. At 28 days, this higher porosity is accompanied by a decrease in mechanical strength, particularly in compressive and flexural strength. At the same time, mechanical strengths increase with curing age and may, in the long term, approach or exceed those of reference mortars, particularly at high substitution rates. Thermogravimetric analyses reveal an increase in chemically bound water and a decrease in portlandite over time, suggesting ongoing hydration reactions and pozzolanic interactions between the cement paste and fired bricks. The results indicate that recycled fired-brick aggregates constitute a viable alternative to natural sand in masonry mortars, taking into account the reduction in mechanical performance at early ages and their progressive improvement during the curing period.
SN - 2590-1230
ER -