Vol. 16 No. 01 (2026): Journal of Materials & Construction
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JOURNAL OF MATERIALS & CONSTRUCTION

ISSN: 2734-9438

Website: www.jomc.vn

Physico – mechanical properties of water treatment sludge – clay bricks

Do Thi Phuong , Nguyen Van Quang , Nguyen Thi Ngoc Yen , Ha Van Phuc , Ho Anh Tuan , Vo Duy Vu

Keywords:

Sludge
Water treatment sludge
Clay brick
Waste
Physico-mechanical properties

Abstract

This paper presents an experimental investigation on the utilization of drinking water treatment sludge (WTS) as a partial replacement for clay in clay brick manufacturing. Clay bricks were produced by substituting natural clay with WTS at replacement levels ranging from 0 to 60%, and firing at temperatures between 850 and 1050°C. The effects of WTS content and firing temperature on the physical and mechanical properties of the bricks were systematically evaluated. The results indicate that increasing WTS content leads to a reduction in bulk density and firing shrinkage, while water absorption and compressive strength of the clay bricks increase. At the optimal firing temperature of 1050°C, the brick sample containing 50% WTS exhibited the highest compressive strength of 23.1 MPa, which is approximately 2.3 times higher than that of the control sample. In addition, this composition showed a firing shrinkage of 3.05%, bulk density of 1.75 g/cm³, and water absorption of 13.2%, meeting the requirements for solid clay bricks according to TCVN 1451:1998. These findings demonstrate the significant potential of recycling water treatment sludge as a sustainable raw material in eco-friendly building materials and clay brick production.

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Do Thi Phuong, Nguyen Van Quang, Nguyen Thi Ngoc Yen, Ha Van Phuc, Ho Anh Tuan, & Vo Duy Vu. (2026). Physico – mechanical properties of water treatment sludge – clay bricks. JOURNAL OF MATERIALS & CONSTRUCTION, 16(01), Page 164 – Page 170. https://doi.org/10.54772/jomc.v16i01.1303

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