DOI: https://doi.org/10.59321/BAUETJ.V4I2.11
AUTHOR(S)
Nazmus Sakib1*, Md. Mahmudur Rahman1
ABSTRACT
A comprehensive study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of incorporating recycled brick aggregate (RBA) in concrete for construction purposes. Recycled bricks were collected from a variety of aged buildings and then processed accordingly into coarse aggregate for experimental testing. Unlike many other countries that rely on stone chips as aggregate, Bangladesh faces a shortage of natural stone, leading to the common use of brick chips in older structures. This study is particularly relevant in this context. The physical properties of RBA, such as specific gravity and absorption capacity, were thoroughly examined in this study. The research focuses the potential of RBA as a sustainable alternative for managing construction and demolition waste. Key experimental findings reveal that RBA can be effectively use in concrete, though its performance mostly depends on the water-to-cement (W/C) ratio. Optimizing the W/C ratio notably enhances the mechanical characteristics like compressive and tensile strengths, making RBA suitable for low- to medium-strength applications. The study confirms that recycled brick aggregate can provide comparable performance to conventional aggregates when properly assessed and utilized, with the concrete showing better results at a W/C ratio of 0.45. Overall, RBA offers the potential to produce concrete in the medium-low strength range of 20–30 MPa, making it a viable option for various structural applications.