Ceramic bricks made from municipal solid waste incineration-derived clay and ashes: a quality study

Abstract

This paper presents analytical data from tests on bricks made from different clay/ash mixtures. The ashes used were obtained from a Hoffmann-type brick-making furnace equipped for coal and municipal solid waste co-firing. The bricks were physically and chemically characterised and their quality was determined by porosimetry, water absorption, breaking load and tensile strength tests. Brick loading capacity increased by up to 10% with ash mixtures and decreased at higher percentages, whereas water absorption increased brick loading capacity for all mixtures. This study showed that clay/ash bricks complied with all the quality standards required in Colombia.

Keywords

• brick
• incineration
• co-firing
• municipal solid waste
• volatile ash
• encapsulation