Effect of incorporation of grits waste on the densification behavior of soil-cement bricks (Efeito da incorporação de resíduo grits sobre o comportamento de densificação de tijolo solo-cimento)

In the cellulose industry the Kraft process is widely used to produce cellulose. This process generates huge volumes of inorganic solid wastes, including the grits waste. In Brazil, the final disposal of this solid waste is of high economical and environmental interest. The present work assesses the influence of the addition of grits waste on the densification behavior of soil-cement bricks. The raw materials used were soil, Portland cement, and grits waste. Soil-cement bricks containing up to 30 wt.% grits waste in partial replacement of Portland cement were prepared by uniaxial pressing and cured for 28 days. The following technological properties were determined: water absorption, compressive strength, and durability. The microstructure was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The experimental results indicated that the addition of grits waste influenced positively the densification behavior of the soil-cement bricks. Moreover, the grits waste could be incorporated into the soil-cement brick composition up to 20 wt.% as a partial replacement of Portland cement.