Shrinkage Behavior of Stabilized Earth Bricks Reinforced with Wheat and Barley Straw

Taha Ashour, Azra Korjenic, Ahmed Abdelfattah, Eldira Sesto () and Wei Wu
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Taha Ashour: Agriculture Engineering Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Benha University, Moshtohor 13736, Toukh, Kalubia, Egypt
Azra Korjenic: Research Unit of Ecological Building Technologies, Institute of Material Technology, Building Physics and Building Ecology, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Vienna University of Technology, A-1040 Vienna, Austria
Ahmed Abdelfattah: Agriculture Engineering Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Benha University, Moshtohor 13736, Toukh, Kalubia, Egypt
Eldira Sesto: Research Unit of Ecological Building Technologies, Institute of Material Technology, Building Physics and Building Ecology, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Vienna University of Technology, A-1040 Vienna, Austria
Wei Wu: Institute of Geothechnical Engineering, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences—BOKU, 1180 Vienna, Austria

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 23, 1-13

Abstract: Due to its ecological and financial benefits, earth building has gained global attention, with earth bricks being extensively used. Shrinkage and crack development have a considerable impact on the performance and quality of earth bricks. This study employs laboratory experiments to examine the shrinkage behavior of earth bricks reinforced with wheat and barley straw. In addition to this, the impact of cement and gypsum additives is examined. The obtained results indicate that increased fiber content reduces crack formation effectively. However, higher levels of cohesive soil have been shown to have a negative influence on shrinkage behavior. In general, higher fiber contents contribute to the improvement of earth brick performance. These findings offer useful insights for improving the composition and characteristics of reinforced earth bricks, resulting in enhanced performance and quality in sustainable construction practices.

Keywords: unfired earth bricks; natural fibers; cement and gypsum stabilization; shrinkage property (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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