Abstract
As building construction speeds up, demolitions will increase due to concrete’s limited lifespan ultimately ending in demolition. In earthquake-prone countries like Nepal, buildings may collapse during earthquakes, leading to the disposal of bricks creating potential environmental pollution. This research explores the use of Crushed Brick Aggregate (CBA), obtained as a replacement for Natural Coarse Aggregate (NCA) in concrete. Laboratory tests of concrete underwent compressive and tensile strength tests, while the aggregate underwent sieve analysis, impact, abrasion, and water absorption tests. Similarly, cement was subjected to tests for w/c ratio, setting time, and consistency. Employing ABAQUS software for numerical modeling, an analysis of how the concrete responds to various pressures has also been conducted. Substituting NCA with CBA at 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25% by weights, the study finds that up to 20% replacement maintains comparable strength, offering potential application in construction. The research emphasizes reusing bricks in construction instead of discarding them, which reduces waste and enhances resource recycling and conservation, ultimately promoting global sustainability. This encourages engineers, and researchers to develop eco-friendly concrete using recycled materials. The limitations encompass durability concerns, water absorption, and project cost. Furthermore, researchers may investigate how the chemical composition of bricks affects concrete strength.
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Acknowledgements
We express our gratitude to the Department of Civil Engineering at Kathmandu University for their consistent support, particularly in granting access to the laboratory for research purposes. Additionally, we extend our heartfelt appreciation to the Department of Management Informatics and Communication within the School of Management at Kathmandu University. We would like to acknowledge the Department Head and the Writing Unit Coordinator for their dedicated leadership, continuous collaboration, and invaluable guidance throughout the entire process of writing, translating, and editing this article to adhere to journal guidelines.
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Each author made contributions to both the laboratory work and paper writing. Kameshwar Sahani formulated the research project. Naresh Bhatta and Abhas Adhikari were responsible for composing the results and methodology, and analysis and visualization of concrete utilizing ABAQUS software. Anubhav Ghimire, Nishant Bhandari, and all authors collaborated on material collection, preparation of test samples, and conducted tests on materials and concrete specimens. Aayushman Subedi conducted the literature review. All authors reviewed and gave their approval to the final manuscript.
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Bhatta, N., Adhikari, A., Ghimire, A. et al. Comparing Crushed Brick as Coarse Aggregate Substitute in Concrete: Experimental vs. Numerical Study. Iran J Sci Technol Trans Civ Eng (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40996-024-01407-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40996-024-01407-8