Influence of Brick Waste Powder on the Shear Behaviour of Cemented Sandy Soil

Abstract

Many studies have proven that cement can be used effectively to treat unstable soils and improve their performance. This has led to an increased consumption of cement, already excessively used in the construction field. However, the use of cement in soil treatment is environmentally concerning, especially when applied on a large scale due to its significant contribution to CO₂ emissions during the production process and its negative effects on the ecosystem and groundwater quality. To reduce the amount of cement consumed in the soil treatment process, its detrimental impact on the environment and its costs, alternative materials such as construction and demolition waste can be used as a complement to cement. This research aims to evaluate the effect of brick waste powder inclusion on the shear behaviour of cemented sandy soil. For this purpose, direct shear tests were carried out on different sand-cement-brick powder mixtures prepared at the dense state (D_r = 80%) with a water content of 10% and cured for 7, 14 and 28 days. The obtained results indicate an enhancement in the shear behaviour of the mixture in terms of maximum shear strength, cohesion and friction angle with increasing brick waste powder content. In addition, the increase of brick waste powder content enhanced the dilative behaviour of the cemented sand. Also, it is speculated through the experimental results that brick waste powder could potentially be used as a partial replacement of cement in soil treatment applications while ensuring similar or better shear strength characteristics.