Browsing by Author "Solomon Munyweeza Mbuga"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Evaluation of Rice Husk Ash Production Temperature on Performance in Fire-Burnt Clay Bricks
    (2024-04-13) Solomon Munyweeza Mbuga
    This research examined Rice Husk Ash (RHA) as a stabilizer for fired clay bricks, promoting sustainable construction. It involved determining the physical properties of the soil to be used for making the clay bricks, determining the properties of the rice husk ash formed at varying temperatures and heating durations and assessing the performance of the stabilized fire-burnt clay bricks. XRF analysis revealed changes in RHA's chemistry with production temperature (600-800°C). Sieve analysis and Atterberg limit tests determined particle size and workability. Bricks with 10%, 20%, and 30% RHA were fired and tested to understand how RHA firing temperature affects strength and water absorption after pozzolanic activity with clay minerals. The study identified the optimal combination for durable, and water-resistant bricks to be a mix ratio of 1:9 (RHA: Soil) with the RHA produced at 7000C after 6 hours of heating. With this mix, an increase in compressive strength of up to 143.5% was deduced after stabilization with RHA.