A Review of Fly Ash-Based Geopolymer Lightweight Bricks
Wan Mastura Wan Ibrahim
1,a*
, Kamarudin Hussin
1,2,b
,
Mohd Mustafa Al Bakri Abdullah
1,2,c
, Aeslina Abdul Kadir
3,d
,
Mohammed Binhussain
4,e
1
Center of Excellence Geopolymer and Green Technology (CEGeoGTech), School of Material
Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), P. O. Box 77, d/a Pejabat, PosBesar, 01007
Kangar, Perlis, Malaysia.
2
Faculty of Engineering Technology, UnicitiAlam Campus, University Malaysia Perlis, 02100,
Sungai Chuchuh, Padang Besar, Perlis, Malaysia
3
Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UniversitiTun Hussein Onn Malaysia
(UTHM), 86400,Parit Raja, BatuPahat, Johor, Malaysia.
4
King Abdul Aziz City Science & Technology (KACST), P.O. Box 6086, Riyadh 11442, Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia
a
wanmastura@unimap.edu.my,
b
vc@unimap.edu.my,
c
mustafa_albakri@unimap.edu.my,
d
aeslina@uthm.edu.my,
e
bnhusain@kacst.edu.sa
Keywords: Geopolymer, Lightweight Bricks, Durability, Fly Ash, Alkaline Activator
Abstract: This paper offers a review on production of fly ash-based geopolymer bricks.Bricks are
the world’s most versatile, durable and reliable construction material.Conventional bricks are
produced from clay with high temperature kiln firing or from ordinary Portland cement (OPC)
concrete,and thus contain high embodied energy and have large carbon footprint. In many areas of
the world,there is already a shortage of natural source material for production of the conventional
bricks. For environmentalprotection and sustainable development, extensive research has been
conducted on productionof bricks from waste materials.Fly ash is a waste material of coal firing
thermal plants and its accumulation near power plants causes severe pollution problems. Therefore,
its utilization as a raw material for brick making will be a very beneficial solution in terms of
economic and environmental aspects.
Introduction
An increasing interest in environmental issues has pressured industries to develop products
and materials that are more environmentally friendly. This interest drives material production and
process development toward more sustainable practices. This review focuses more on bricks which
are one of the most important parts of construction. They are majorly used for making walls and
pillars inside the building of any residential apartment, bungalow or in public places like shopping
complexes, malls, airport etc[1].
Brick belongs to the wide family of construction materials since it is mainly used for the
construction of outer and inner walls in buildings. The brick industry is the most indicated
technological activity sector to absorb solid waste due to the large quantity of raw material used by
the sector as well as by the large volume of final products in construction[2].For making an eco-
friendly building it is important that the material using in such construction process should be
atmosphere friendly. For wide production and application of bricks from waste materials, further
research and development is needed, not only on the technical, economic and environmental aspects
but also on standardization, government policy and public education related to waste recycling and
sustainable development[3].
Foaming agent is one of those techniques which produce environment friendly bricks. It has
been clearly mentioned by foaming agent manufacturer in several countries that these bricks are
environment friendly and earthquake friendly as well.Earthquake friendly means, the possibility of
demolishing of structure when earthquake occurs becomes very less due to its lightweight and the
Applied Mechanics and Materials Vols. 754-755 (2015) pp 452-456 Submitted: 06.01.2015
© (2015) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland Accepted: 06.01.2015
doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.754-755.452
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