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Scientific Article details

Title Developing advanced techniques to reclaim existing end of service life (EoSL) bricks - An assessment of reuse technical viability
ID_Doc 20775
Authors Zhou, K; Chen, HM; Wang, Y; Lam, D; Ajayebi, A; Hopkinson, P
Title Developing advanced techniques to reclaim existing end of service life (EoSL) bricks - An assessment of reuse technical viability
Year 2020
Published
DOI 10.1016/j.dibe.2020.100006
Abstract Structural bricks are highly durable building products. However, brickwork is mostly demolished long before the end of its technical service life; the majority are crushed to form aggregate or else landfilled. Urban mining and circular economy are stimulating interest in the potential to recover structural products from end-of-service-life buildings for direct reuse. For brickwork, separating bricks from cement-based mortar, as opposed to lime-based mortar, without damage to bricks is a major barrier. This paper presents two advanced techniques based on saw-cutting and punching, to demonstrate the technical feasibility of brick reclamation. Compared to new bricks, reclaimed bricks have similar visual appearance and their compressive strength differs by -4.8% to +40%. Design formula for compressive strength of masonry in current codes can be applied to reclaimed bricks. The reclamation process achieves reclaim rate of over 95% and has significantly lower energy consumption, and carbon requirements (<1%) relative to new bricks.
Author Keywords Brickwork; Masonry; Reclaim; Circular economy; Reuse; End-of-Service-Life
Index Keywords Index Keywords
Document Type Other
Open Access Open Access
Source Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED)
EID WOS:000662763600001
WoS Category Construction & Building Technology; Engineering, Civil
Research Area Construction & Building Technology; Engineering
PDF https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dibe.2020.100006
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