Investigating the mechanical and thermal properties of compressed earth bricks made by eco-friendly stabilization materials as partial or full replacement of cement

Sustainable development is a major concern, so reducing greenhouse gas emissions during production of construction materials is the main objective for many researches. Rammed earth is an ancient construction technique that utilizes the available soil to create bricks and thick durable walls. Although cement is used as soil stabilizer by ratios not more than 10%, this percentage is unacceptable from the sustainability point of view since cement production contributes to global warming by emitting tons of carbon dioxide. This research aims to produce eco-friendly compressed earth bricks using agricultural wastes and industrial by-products as soil stabilizers to minimize the use of cement, and investigate the physical, thermal and mechanical properties of the produced earth bricks. The potential of producing light weight bricks with low thermal conductivity was also investigated using polystyrene foam and rice husk as partial replacement of soil. The results showed that using alkali-activated fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag as partial or full replacement of cement for the stabilization of compressed earth bricks is promising for sustainable construction. (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.