Assessment of the Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Bricks based on Clay and Stabilized with Reed Fibers from the Drâa-Tafilalet Region

Abstract. In the field of sustainable construction, it is imperative to find environmentally-friendly materials with optimized performance. The present study examines a comprehensive exploration of the untapped potential for using natural resources in the Drâa-Tafilale region, focusing on the incorporation of reed fibers into traditional clay bricks, a naturally abundant and renewable resource. The design of reed fiber-stabilized bricks was carried out using six distinct mixes, mainly differentiated by their reed fiber content, ranging from 0% to 5%. Initial observations highlighted the promising potential of reed fibers. Increasing the reed fiber content in a mix improves the mechanical strength of clay brick compositions (at 1% reed fiber). However, above this threshold, the inclusion of reed fibers led to a decrease in tensile and compressive strength. In addition, the thermal conductivity of the samples decreased with increasing fiber content. Furthermore, brick density decreased with increasing fiber percentage.