Influence of Metakaolin and Glass Fiber on the Properties of Sustainable Geopolymer Bricks

¹ Department of Civil Engineering, KPR Institute of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
² Department of Civil Engineering, Dr. N.G.P. Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

The demand for sustainable and eco-friendly construction materials has led to interest in geopolymer bricks as an alternative to conventional clay bricks. This current study investigates the impact of metakaolin and glass fibre on the compressive strength, water absorption, microstructural behaviour, and EDX analysis of geopolymer bricks manufactured from red soil. Various mixtures were prepared, and partially replaced red soil with metakaolin from 10% to 50%, followed by the addition of glass fibre at varying percentages from 0% to 3 %. The compressive strength of the geopolymer bricks was evaluated after 7 and 14 days of curing, and the findings showed a considerable increase in strength. Water absorption tests show a clear reduction in porosity as Metakaolin concentration increased, and this notes the even greater improvement due to the addition of glass fibre. SEM and EDX tests clearly demonstrated a deeper and more compact microstructure in the optimum mix. The SEM analysis showed very few apparent cracks and reduced porosity. The EDX analysis showed the presence of essential components in the geopolymer brick. The results show that the presence of Metakaolin with glass fibre improves the compressive strength, durability, and water absorption of geopolymer bricks, which shows a promising material for sustainable construction applications.