Recycling of Industrial and Agricultural Wastes in Compressed Stabilized Earth Blocks for Sustainable Development

Abstract

This research aims at investigating the possibility of producing compressed stabilized earth blocks (CSEBs) using locally industrial and agricultural wastes for sustainable development. Two types of industrial wastes in Egypt (i.e., ceramic waste (Cr) and blast furnace slag (S)) were used as additional stabilizers to cement (C), while agricultural waste (i.e., flax fiber (f)) was used as reinforcement. The experimental work was all done in the laboratory of Cairo University, faculty of engineering. It was divided into three phases; the first phase was done to select the optimum conditions for the production of compressed earth cubes, the second was done to select the optimum mixes for each stabilizer, while the third included the investigation of the characteristics of CSEBs produced from the optimum mixes. The results indicate that ceramic powder and/or slag could be used as stabilizers with cement and their optimum percentage to use is 10 % by weight of soil and binders and using a blend of slag and ceramic powder is better than using any of them alone. CSEBs could be reinforced flax fibers and its optimum percentage is 1 % by volume of the mix.