Identification of physical and engineering properties of modified sand brick using coconut shell as cement replacement

Abstract

This research more focuses on producing the new environmental friendly product for construction industry. This will be one of the efforts to reduce the environmental pollution. In addition to diversifying the material in the construction industry, the main factor that lead to the used of coconut shell is to cut the cost. The objective of this research were to identify the physical and engineering properties of modified sand brick using coconut shell as cement replacement. The ability of modification bricks were tested and compared with the existing bricks on the market nowadays. The physical properties of modification bricks such as colors, surface and density of this bricks also being compared so as the engineering properties such as the compression strength and water absorption. Through this research, the modification bricks had replaced the quantity of cement with the coconut shell in 10%, 20% and 30% ratio. The existing bricks were labeled with BS while the modification bricks were labeled with BC10, BC20, and BC30. The mixing ratio of modification bricks is 1:3. A few findings have been determined from this research firstly, for the physical of modified sand brick had not so much different between standard sand brick especially for density. However for colour and surface have little bit different between that. Second, the highest percent of coconut shell in modified sand brick were get highest water absorption for modified sand brick. Density of sand brick can give the higher value for compression strength. Lastly, the heights compression strength for modified sand brick was BC10, with 7.606 MPa and 1.109 MPa lowest.