The Effectiveness of Using Mussel Shells as an Alternative Ingredient in Making Bricks

Chapter I

ABSTRACT

Waste management has been a problem since then because lots of wastes are not used efficiently- needing the people to make a move to convert these wastes into useful things. Thus, this study is undertaken to contribute to the ideas of waste management programs and to find out the effectiveness of mussel shells as an alternative material in making bricks. This study intends to make eco-friendly and affordable bricks by combining the powdered mussel shells, sand and cement with an appropriate ratios. A series of experiments were conducted to study the effect of using mussel shells on the compressive strength and percentage of water absorption of the bricks. The bricks were tested at the construction materials testing center and it proved that the bricks can hold enough strength and can absorb much water. It showed that the sample 1 (3tahong:1cement) has a compressive strength of 3.75MPa which means it is considered as a non structural brick and it has a percentage of water absorption of 13.02%. Since using mussel shell as a component in making bricks will only produce a non structural brick, the researchers conducted another set of samples. Sample 2 can carry more loads 325kN than the two other samples 3 and 4, 275kN and 115kN but sample 2 can absorb more water 19.26% than the other two, 15.7%.

Chapter II

Introduction

Background of the Study

Production and consumption are human’s daily activities. This kind of system tends to destruct the environment because they require large consumption of products and returning the end product which is the waste to the environment in a form that it can damage the environment. The presence of these wastes is an indication that products are not used efficiently. This issue gives an idea to the researchers to help in the waste management.

Mollusk Shells like Mussel Shells is commonly consumed as food. But once the meat of the shell is eaten, people just tend to throw these shells, adding to the tons of garbage which leads to the problem of waste management. Nowadays, even our landfills are becoming too occupied with all of our garbage and yet these shells contribute to these.

Knowing that there are cheap alternative sources of bricks coming from eggshell and oyster shell, it is possible that even mussel shell can be converted and contributed to bricks production.

Mussel shells contain great amount of calcium carbonate which is necessary in the production of bricks. Thus, making mussel shells is useful in brick production.

CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGIES

Research Method

The experimental method was used in the study. This is to objectively prove the effectiveness of using mussel shells as an alternative ingredient in making bricks.

This type of research seeks information through testing and cause and effect process of solving the problem.

Research Design

In order to elaborate the purpose of the study, the researchers conducted some review in related literature regarding mussel shells, bricks, and some related studies about both. An experiment in testing and making the material, particularly brick, was made to reach the aim of the research. They conducted 4 experiments using different ratios of mixtures to know which would be more effective.

Data Gathering Procedure

The researchers gathered data through researching on different libraries such as DOST-STII (Science and Technology Information Institute) and DOST-MSD (Material Science Division). Some of the information gathered was from the internet and other reading materials.

Research Instrument

Aside from the books and other written materials, the researchers used a survey questionnaire for the study which is in a form of questions that will be answered by the respondents to get their opinions regarding the topic.

Research Procedures

1. Cleaning the shells

The researchers used bleach to remove the smell of the shell.

|[pic] |[pic] |

2. Drying the shells

The researchers let the shells dry for at least an hour to make it easy to pulverize.

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3. Pulverizing the shells

The researchers used hammer and cloth to pulverize the shells.

4. Preparing the mixture

Sample 1

a) They added 750g of pulverized mussel shell

b) They added 250g of cement

c) They mixed all the materials in a container with water.

d) They placed the mixture in the molder.

Ratio of mussel shells to cement is 3:1

Sample 2

a) They added 187.5g of pulverized mussel shell

b) They added 62.5g of cement

c) They mixed all the materials in a container with water.

d) They placed the mixture in the molder.

Ratio of mussel shells to cement is 3:1

Sample 3

a) They added 93.75g of pulverized mussel shell

b) They added 62.5g of cement

c) They added 93.75g of sand

d) They mixed all the materials in a container with water.

e) They placed the mixture in the molder.

Ratio of mussel shell, sand and cement is 1.5:1.5:1

Sample 4

a) They added 187.5g of sand.

b) They added 62.5g of cement.

c) They mixed all the materials in a container with water.

d) They placed the mixture in the molder.

Ratio of sand to cement and sand is 3:1

Note: The amount of water is not given because it depends on the materials used. Use enough water to make a workable mix that can be properly compacted.

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5. Compact the Bricks

The bricks were being compacted by means of shaking and vibrating to allow the trapped air to rise out.

|[pic] |[pic] |[pic] |

6. Drying the Bricks

The researchers let the bricks set for 24hours then they removed the bricks out of the molder.

|[pic] |[pic] |[pic] |

7. Curing the Bricks

The researchers cured the bricks by means of soaking it to water for at least 3days.

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Chapter IV

Presentation of Data and Analysis

Brick Sample 1 (3tahong:1cement)

A. Brick Dimension

The brick dimensions evaluated were length, width, depth, surface area and volume.

The Table 1 shows the dimension of brick 1.

|Sample |Length(cm) |Width (cm) |Depth (cm) |Area (cm2) |Volume (cm3) |
|Sample 1 |13.54 |7.87 |5.59 |106.56 |595.67 |
|(3tahong:1cement) | | | | | |

B. Brick Density

The density of brick specimens was calculated by dividing the weight with the volume. Density of bricks can be classified into 3 – lightweight, medium weight and normal weight ranging from less than 1.68 g/cm3, 1.68 g/cm3 to less than 2 g/cm3, and 2 g/cm3 or more respectively according to ASTM C90-09 Standard Specification for Load bearing Concrete Mansory Units. Table 2 shows the density of the brick specimen. The results show that sample 1 is classified as medium weight.

Table 2

|Sample |Weight (g) |Volume (cm3) |Density (g/cm3) |
|Sample 1 |1050 |595.67 |1.76 |
|(3tahong:1cement) | | | |

C. Compressive Strength

The compressive strength of a material determines its load carrying capacity before failure. Table 3 shows the compressive strength of brick specimen. The results show that the brick specimen has 544psi or 3.75MPa. According to ASTM C90-09 Standard Specification for Load bearing Concrete Masonry Units, the minimum compressive strength requirement for bricks is 11.7 MPa or 1696.94 psi and it is still the same regardless of unit density. Lower than the stated strength is considered as a non-structural bricks. Therefore, this brick specimen is used only for non-structural purposes like flooring, wall, façade and patio for they do not carry structural loads. Sample 1 can only carry 40kN.

Table 3

|Sample |Load (kN) |psi |MPa |
|Sample 1 |40 |544 |3.75 |
|(3tahong:1cement) | | | |

D. Water Absorption

The water absorption test was carried out to determine the permeability of bricks. The specimens were first soak in water at normal temperature for 24hours. Then, they were rolled into a large absorbent cloth until all visible films of water were removed. This method is called Saturated Surface Drying (SSD). Then the bricks were weighed under saturated surface dry condition. After weighing, the specimens were placed in a container with water and their weight was determined in water at 23±1.7°C. Lastly, they were dried at constant weight at a temperature of 110±5°C and cooled down to a temperature that was comfortable to handle (approximately 50°C) then, they were weighed. This method is called oven dry. The ratio of the water content to the dry mass of bricks determines the percentage of water absorption of the specimens.

The maximum percentage of water absorption for lightweight, medium weight and normal weight bricks are 20%, 17% and 15% respectively according to ASTM C90-09 Standard Specification for Load bearing Concrete Masonry Units.

Table 4 shows the percentage of water absorption of the brick specimen. It shows that the brick specimen that is classified as medium weight brick is below the maximum water absorption percentage. Therefore these brick specimens have low permeability causing the density to increase.

Table 4

|Sample |Saturated Surface Dry|Oven Dry |Volume (cm3) |Density (g/cm3) |Water Absorption |
| |(g) |(g) | |[OD/V] |(%) |
| | | | | |{[SSD –OD]/OD} x 100 |
|Sample 1 |1042 |922 |595.67 |1.55 |13.02 |
|(3tahong:1cement) | | | | | |

Since using mussel shell as a component in making brick cannot be used as a structural brick due to its low compressive strength, but can be used as a non-structural brick, the researchers made another 3 brick samples but this time it is thinner to follow the standard thickness of a non-structural brick.

Brick Sample 2, 3 and 4

A. Brick Dimension

The Table 5 shows the dimensions of the brick specimens. It shows that the standard deviation of the volume of bricks is high. Therefore the volumes of the bricks are not close to each other.

Table 5

|Sample |Length(cm) |Width (cm) |Depth (cm) |Area (cm2) |Volume (cm3) |
|Sample 2 |13.51 |7.88 |1.38 |106.46 |146.91 |
|(3tahong:1cement) | | | | | |
|Sample 3 |14.07 |7.81 |1.27 |109.89 |139.56 |
|(1.5tahong:1.5sand:1cement) | | | | | |
|Sample 4 |13.55 |8.01 |1.16 |108.54 |125.9 |
|(3sand:1cement) | | | | | |
|Average |13.71 |7.9 |1.27 |108.3 |137.46 |
|Standard Deviation |0.26 |0.08 |0.09 |1.41 |8.71 |

B. Bricks Density

Table 6 shows the density of the brick specimen. The results show that the density of Sample 4 which has no mussel shell in it contains 2.38 g/cm3. It shows that the density of the brick that contains 50% mussel shell (sample 3) decreased by 10.08% and the brick (sample 2) that has 100% mussel shell decreased by 28.57%. Therefore, bricks with mussel shell have lower density compare to the bricks with no mussel shell.

Table 6

|Sample |Weight (g) |Volume (cm3) |Density (g/cm3) |
|Sample 2 |250 |146.91 |1.70 |
|(3tahong:1cement) | | | |
|Sample 3 |300 |139.56 |2.14 |
|(1.5tahong:1.5sand:1cement) | | | |
|Sample 4 |300 |125.9 |2.38 |
|(3sand:1cement) | | | |

C. Compressive Strength

Table 7 shows the compressive strength of the bricks and their loading capacity. Samples 2, 3 and 4 can carry 325kN, 275kN, and 115kN respectively.

According to ASTM c1088 standard specification for thin veneer brick units made from clay or shale, the compressive strength of the thin veneer bricks is not necessary because its strength cannot be measured accurately due its thickness. But we can conclude that the bricks with 100% mussel shell (sample 2) can have more compressive strength than combining the mussel shell to the sand (sample 3) and bricks with no mussel shell at all (sample 4). Therefore, using 100% and 50% mussel shell can increase the compressive strength by 65.29% and 57.56% respectively.

Table 7

|Sample |Load (kN) |psi |MPa |
|Sample 2 |325 |4428 |30.51 |
|(3tahong:1cement) | | | |
|Sample 3 |275 |3630 |25.01 |
|(1.5tahong:1.5sand:1cement) | | | |
|Sample 4 |115 |1537 |10.59 |
|(3sand:1cement) | | | |

D. Water Absorption

Table 8 shows the percentage of water absorption of bricks. It can be concluded that using 100% mussel shell absorbs more water but using 50% mussel shell is still the same with using no mussel shell. It also shows that the water absorption of the bricks is inversely proportional to its density. Then, when the bricks absorb more water, it has low density and when it absorbs less water, it has more density. Using 100% mussel shell will decrease the percentage of water absorption by 18.48% and using 50% mussel shell is still the same with the brick with no mussel shell.

Table 8

|Sample |Saturated Surface Dry|Oven Dry |Volume (cm3) |Density (g/cm3) |Water Absorption |
| |(g) |(g) | |[OD/V] |(%) |
| | | | | |{[SSD –OD]/OD} x 100 |
|Sample 2 |291 |244 |146.91 |1.66 |19.26 |
|(3tahong:1cement) | | | | | |
|Sample 3 |280 |242 |139.56 |1.73 |15.70 |
|(1.5tahong:1.5sand:1cement) | | | | | |
|Sample 4 |280 |242 |125.90 |1.92 |15.70 |
|(3sand:1cement) | | | | | |

Chapter V

Conclusions

This part covers the conclusion based on the results obtained and the recommendation for further study of the processes in doing bricks.

Based on the findings, the researchers have concluded that:

• Calcium carbonate is the main components of mussel shell that can be used in making bricks.

• The processes involved in making bricks are cleaning the shells, drying the shells, preparing the mixtures, compact the bricks, drying the bricks and curing the bricks.

• This brick could be used in walling, flooring and in patios.

Chapter VI

Recommendations

Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations are hereby presented:

• Work on the compressive strength of the bricks for it could also be used for structural purposes.

• Work on the different ratios of sand, cement, and mussel shell.

• Cure the bricks 7days to 28days.

• Conduct other tests such as impact strength and flexural strength for further understanding of the characteristics of the brick.

• To avoid efflorescence (a fine, white, powdery deposit of water-soluble salts left on the surface of masonry as the water evaporates) in the brick, apply hydrochloric acid (muriatic acid) or phosphoric acid on the surface then rinse it well with water. Impregnating hydro-phobic sealer can also be used to treat the bricks from this.

Chapter VII

References

Chapter VIII

Appendix

Survey Questionnaire

We, the fourth year Industrial Engineering Students are currently working on a research study. This is entirely voluntary and would not take much of your time. Your answers would greatly contribute in our study. Thank you and God Bless.

Put a check on the box provided for your answer(s).

Name (Optional):
Age:
Occupation:
City Address: 1. Do you have bricks in your house? (Gumagamit ka ba ng brick sa inyong tahanan?) Yes No

2. Where do you use bricks? (Para saan mo ginagamit ang bricks?) For decorative purposes For repairing For construction purposes Others: ______

3. How often do you buy bricks for decorative or repair purposes? (Gaano ka kadalas gumagamit ng bricks bilang pang-dekorasyon o pagpapaayos ng sira?) Twice a year Once a year Once in every 2years Others: ______

4. Do you buy bricks for decorative or repair purposes (veneer bricks)? (Bumibili ka ba ng bricks bilang pang dekorasyon o pagpapasaayos ng sira?) Yes No If yes, as what? (Kung oo, para saan?) Walls Garage Pavement Facade Balcony Patios Others: ______ 5. How much is your monthly income? (Magkano ang iyong kita kada buwan?) Minimum wage and below P12, 000 – P15, 000 P16, 000 – P20, 000 P21, 000 – Above

6. With your existing income, are you going to spend money on bricks for decorative or repair purposes? (Sa iyong umiiral na kita, bibili ka ba ng bricks bilang pang-dekorasyon o pagpapasaayos ng sira?) Yes No

7. How many bricks do you purchase when using bricks? (Gaano karaming bricks ang iyong binibili kapag gumagamit ka nito?) 100 pieces and below 101pieces – 200 pieces 201 pieces – 300 pieces 301pieces – 300 pieces

8. How much money do you spend per piece? (Magkano ang iyong ginagastos sa pagbili kada isang piraso?)

15php and below 16php - 30 php 31php – 45 php

46php and above

9. What factors do you consider when buying bricks? (Anu-anong mga salik ang iyong isinasaalang-alang kapag bumili ng bricks?) Color Size Pavement Shape Texture Brand Environment friendly Others: ______

10. What kind of brick do you buy? (Anong uri ng bricks iyong binibili?) Sand Plastic Mud Recycled Paper Others: ______

11. Are you going to buy bricks made out of mussel shell for decorative or repair purposes (veneer bricks)? (Bibili ka ba ng bricks gawa sa kabibe ng tahong bilang pang-dekorasyon o pagpapasaayos ng sira?)

Yes No

Chapter IX

Authors

Aldrin Geoffrey M. Manao 1211 Ibarra St. Sampaloc, Manila Mobile #: 09463535006 Email Address: geoffrey.manao@yahoo.com

AFFILIATIONS

Philippine Institute of Industrial Engineers- Polytechnic University of the Philippines Student Chapter Member 2011-present

Jan Frank Anthony N. Nabor Unit 124 B.L.C.A. Condominium 1650 Union St. Paco, Manila Mobile no.: 0936-147-5040 E-mail: jams9nabor@gmail.com

AFFILIATIONS

Philippine Institute of Industrial Engineers- Polytechnic University of the Philippines Student Chapter Member 2011-present

Sanggunian Kabataan (SK Federation)

Brgy. 685 Zone 75 Paco, Manila

SK Councilor

(2011 – 2014)

Acknowledgement

The researchers would like to acknowledge the following groups and individuals for their contributions to the development of this research study:

God Almighty for making all things possible

Engr. Elaine Rodriguez, researcher’s adviser, whose encouragement, guidance and support from the very first up to last, made them to develop an understanding of the subject

Civil Engr. Bernard Capellan, for his advices regarding with the research study.

Barangay Captain Ernesto Ignacio for his cooperation to let the researchers had a demonstration in making bricks to his community.

The respected parents and family of the researchers for understanding, supporting and financing all way, and also for their undying love

The Department of Science and Technology- Science and Technology Information Institute for providing information to the study

And lastly, the researchers also offer their regards and blessings to the BSIE III-2 who supported them in any respect during the completion of the project.