ABSTRACT
In this study aim to investigate traditional mud brick has been used in South of Turkey. The population in the rural area of Turkey has been increased due to back to village project of Government. Most of the buildings in the area made out of limestone and adobe. But this material is not sufficient resistance for the earthquake. The research in the field of contraction at The University of Cukurova elaborates the mechanical properties and workability of raw materials. These are wheat the stem, basaltic pumice and clay. The production of this kind of bricks from mixes of waste from field of wheat and significant fraction of different ratios and clay mixed with fibber, gypsum and basaltic pumice.
In present study, mechanical properties of mud bricks, which were prepared by Seyhan, Almanpinari and Toprakkale (southern region of Turkey) clay with straw and plastic fibre were investigated. Compressive strength, tensile modulus of elasticity, water absorption capacity and weight loss of clay from three different regions were measured. Water absorption and weight loss properties should be taken into account if clay from these regions region is used as raw materials in brick production because they will affect drying time. Clay with higher tensile modulus of elasticity had higher workability when placing mud into moulds. Bricks made with plastic fibre and clay from Seyhan region had the highest compressive strength. The compressive strength of bricks with clay from all regions and with/without fibres had the compressive strength above the values given in standards. Polystyrene fibres led to higher compressive strength in all bricks from three regions compared to other types of fibre. The results of this study suggests that using these materials have many advantages, as little cost and improvements on the final properties of products.
