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Mineralogical, geochemical, and geotechnical evaluation of Al-Sowera soil for the building brick industry in Iraq

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Abstract

The raw material soil of Al-Sowera factory quarry (quarry soil and mixture) used for building brick industry was tested mineralogically, geochemically and geotechnically. Mineral components of soil are characterized by Clay minerals (Palygoriskite and chlorite) and non-clay minerals like calcite, quratz, feldspar, gypsum and halite. The raw material is deficient in SiO2, Al2O3, K2O, Fe2O3 and MgO, while enriched in CaO. Loss on ignition and Na2O are in suitable level and appear to be concordant with the standard. Grain size analyses show that the decreasing sand and clay, and increasing silt ratio in both quarry soil and mixture caused decreasing in strength of brick during molding and after firing. The quarry soil is characterized by high plasticity clayey soil of 30.49 plastic index (P.I), whereas the mixture considered a clayey soil has a low plasticity of 7.7 plastic index (P.I). To improve the chemical and physical properties of the raw material, alumina-silicate minerals rich in K2O, Fe2O3 and MgO are recommended as additive materials to the main mixture.

Abstract

تم إختبار تربة مقلع معمل الصويرة (المأخوذة من كل من المقلع و الخلطة) المستعملة في صناعة طابوق البناء معدنياً وجيوكيميائياً وجيوتكنيكياً. تميزت المكونات المعدنية بالمعادن الطينية (الباليكورسكايت والكلورايت) والكلسايت والكوارتز والفلدسبار والجبسم والهالايت. المادة الاولية تعاني من شحة فيSiO و Al2O3 و K2O وFe2O3 و MgO , بينما تكون غنية ب CaO .إن نسبة مفقودات الحرق و Na2O تكون ضمن المستوى المناسب ومنسجمة مع القيم القياسية. بين التحليل الحجمي الحبيبي بأن نقص الرمل والطين وزيادة نسبة السلت في كل من تربة المقلع وتربة الخلطة قد سبب نقص في قوة الطابوق خلال عملية القولبة وكذلك بعد عملية الحرق. بلغت قيمة معامل المرونة لتربة المقلع 30.49 دالة بذلك على تربة طينية مرنة, في حين بلغت قيمة معامل المرونة للخلطة 7.7 دالة بذلك على تربة طينية واطئة المرونة. لغرض تحسين المواصفات االكيميائية والفيزيائية للمادة الأولية , يوصى بأضافة معادن المنيوسلكاتية غنية بأكاسيد البوتاسيوم والحديد والمغنيسيوم الى الخلطة.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Earth Science Department, College of Science, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq

    Salih Muhammad Awadh & Hamed Hassan Abdullah

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  1. Salih Muhammad Awadh
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  2. Hamed Hassan Abdullah
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Correspondence to Salih Muhammad Awadh.

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Awadh, S.M., Abdullah, H.H. Mineralogical, geochemical, and geotechnical evaluation of Al-Sowera soil for the building brick industry in Iraq. Arab J Geosci 4, 413–419 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-009-0081-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-009-0081-x

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