Selection of eco-friendly alternative brick for sustainable development; A study on Technical, Economic, Environmental and Social feasibility
Introduction
Housing demand in India has steadily increased over the years, driven by population growth, urbanization, and rising incomes[1]. According to estimates, India's urban population is projected to reach 600 million by 2031[2], creating a huge need for housing infrastructure. The Government of India's flagship initiative, the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), aims to provide affordable housing for all by 2022, further highlighting the urgency of addressing the housing demand[3]. Additionally, studies suggest that the demand for housing in India is expected to reach 25 million units by 2030[4], emphasizing the scale of the challenge. With a burgeoning middle-class population and increasing aspirations for improved living standards, the demand for housing in India remains a critical concern that requires innovative solutions and sustainable approaches to ensure adequate and affordable housing options for all. In recent years, sustainable development has gained significant attention in construction and building materials. As the detrimental environmental impacts of conventional brick production become more apparent, the need for alternative eco-friendly bricks has emerged as a critical research area. Selecting suitable, environmentally friendly brick materials is essential for promoting sustainable development in the construction industry. The social dimension of brick selection is crucial, considering the well-being of communities and stakeholders involved in the construction process. Sustainable development emphasizes the importance of social equity, local employment opportunities, and the preservation of cultural heritage. Traditional brick manufacturing processes often require extensive resource consumption, resulting in high production costs. Alternatively, efforts are made towards conserving soil and mitigating runoff water through the construction of permeable pavements utilizing waste plastic [5], [6]. Large efforts been made to utilise waste material into a resource to improve the sustainability in planning and designing of material[7].
While widely used in construction, fired clay bricks have several negative aspects[8], [9]. One significant concern is their environmental impact. The production of fired clay bricks involves extracting raw materials, such as the loss of top fertile land, which can lead to deforestation and habitat destruction[8], [10]. The firing process is energy-intensive and releases significant amounts of greenhouse gases, contributing to climate change [11]. Additionally, the extraction and transportation of clay can result in soil erosion and environmental degradation[12].
The use of fly ash cement and lime bricks in the construction industry has received much attention in recent years, mainly due to its potential for sustainable development[13], [14], [15]. Fly ash cement bricks are produced using fly ash (waste from the fired coal industry) and are added to the cement mix. Fly ash not only helps manage waste, it also plays an essential role in reducing carbon emissions. However, cement is also not a viable solution, as cement production is associated with massive carbon emissions[16]. Furthermore, the researcher has explored the possibility of utilising other waste materials like brick dust[17] and marble dust [17] in cement mortar production for improving the sustainability of cement mortar production.
Geopolymerization has gained wide attention recently, especially regarding sustainable construction practices. Geopolymerization is a chemical process in which aluminosilicate materials are combined with alkaline actives to form geopolymer binders[18], [19]. Geopolymer is a third-generation binder after lime and cement and offers many sustainable development benefits[20]. Geopolymer bricks provide an alternative solution using industrial by-products such as fly ash[21], slag[22], and other construction waste products[23], [24]. This method helps reduce waste and eliminates the need for landfills. Geopolymerization can effectively reduce our reliance on natural products and facilitate the energy-intensive extraction and processing of these products. One of the great benefits of geopolymerization is its significant effect on carbon emissions[25]. Unlike the conventional brick-making method that involves firing clay bricks in kilns [26]at high temperatures, geopolymerization can be executed at extensively low or maybe at room temperature[27], [28]. This leads to a substantial decrease in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The use of geopolymerization in brick manufacturing demonstrates a holistic technique toward sustainability, combining waste control, aid conservation, and emission reduction[29].
The construction waste in urban locality is a growing concern in developing countries[30].Utilizing recycled brick and concrete waste as precursor materials in geopolymer brick production brings several advantages. Firstly, it addresses the issue of waste management by diverting these materials from landfills and giving them a new purpose[31]. By incorporating recycled brick and concrete waste into geopolymer bricks, the construction industry can significantly reduce waste disposal's environmental impact while conserving natural resources[32], [33]. Secondly, including recycled brick and recycled concrete waste in geopolymer bricks can enhance their mechanical properties and effectiveness. These recycled materials can contribute to the strength and durability of the bricks, making them more reliable and efficient in construction applications[23], [24]. This promotes sustainability and offers a practical solution for effectively utilizing waste materials [34], [35].
Thomas L. Saaty developed the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) in the 1970 s as a decision-making technique. This approach gives a structured way to assess and prioritize multiple standards or options in complex choice eventualities[36]. With AHP, decision-makers can break challenging conflicts into a hierarchical shape and examine the relative significance of standards by making pairwise comparisons. This method has application in numerous industries, which includes advertising, technology, environmental policy, and healthcare. The use of AHP has been considerably documented in the literature. For instance, [37] used the MCDM technique to select the optimum construction brick. [34] used the AHP technique for the selection of suitable pozzolana material.[38] uses AHP for the ranking of alternative construction materials. In summary, the Analytic Hierarchy Process is a powerful decision-making tool that enables structured evaluation and prioritization of criteria or alternatives in complex decision scenarios. Its versatility and widespread use in various domains highlight its effectiveness in aiding decision-makers. The AHP contributes to more robust and informed decision-making processes by incorporating expert judgment and considering multiple factors.
Overall, this paper contributes to the knowledge of sustainable construction materials by offering a holistic evaluation of alternative eco-friendly bricks. Five different types of bricks were developed, i.e., Fired clay, fly ash- cement, fly ash geopolymer, recycled concrete waste and recycled brick waste bricks produced and emphasize the importance of considering social, economic, environmental, and technical aspects when selecting and implementing these materials for sustainable development using the multi-criteria decision-making technique. The outcomes of this study have the potential to drive positive change within the construction industry, fostering a more sustainable and environmentally conscious built environment.
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Section snippets
Raw materials
Locally available top fertile clayey soil was used in manufacturing fired clay bricks. The chemical composition of the soil was analyzed using Wavelength Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (WD-XRF), and the major oxides of SiO2 and Al2O3 were found, as shown in Table 1. Field Emission- Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) was performed using Nova Nano FE-SEM 450 (FEI) to study the morphology of the raw material. The subrounded and subangular particles were seen in the soil sample, as
Technical properties of bricks
The technical properties of traditional and alternative bricks are shown in Fig. 8. The compressive strength for FCB was 4.5 MPa which is less than the required strength prescribed in IS 3495(Part1)-1995. The lowest compressive strength is due to uneven burning in the kiln, or it may be due to uneven stacking of the bricks while burning. The water absorption for FCB was found to be 12.8 %, per IS 3495 (Part 2)-1995. The efflorescence of FCB ranges from a Slight (1) – Moderate (2) rating. The
Conclusion
The present study investigates the alternative walling material for building construction against traditional fired clay brick. Five different types of bricks, i.e. (Fired Clay brick, fly ash cement pressed brick, fly ash geopolymer brick, recycled concrete waste-based geopolymer brick, and recycle brick waste geopolymer brick) were developed and based on Social, Economic, Environmental and Technical feasibility the selection best alternative bricks for sustainable development were carried out
Declaration of Competing Interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Acknowledgement
The authors would like to thank NCESS Trivandrum for helping it to characterize the particle size distribution and WD-XRF of raw material. The authors are grateful to MRC MNIT for carrying out the microstructural properties of the raw material and sample. The authors are thankful to Tribology Lab MNIT Jaipur for investigating the thermal conductivity of the specimens.
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