Sedimentation is a naturally occurring process of allowing particles in water bodies to settle out of the suspension under a gravity effect. In this study, the sediments of the Drava River were fully ...investigated to determine the heavy metal concentrations along the river and their potential reuse in the construction sector. Naturally dehydrated sediments from the Drava River were tested as an additive for the production of fired bricks. The dredged sediments were used as a substitute for natural brick clay in amounts up to 50% by weight, and it was confirmed that up to 20% by weight of the added sediment could be used directly in the process without critically affecting performance. Finally, the naturally dehydrated sediments were also evaluated for their use as a filling material in the construction of levees. The natural moisture content of the dehydrated sediment was too high for it to be used without additives, so quicklime was added as an inorganic binder. The test results showed an improvement in the geotechnical properties of the material to such an extent that it is suitable as a filling material for levees.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Processes of soil restoration in anthropogenically disturbed soils is an urgent topic in modern ecology and nature management. Being mediator between mineral soil composition and plant vegetation, ...soil microbial community is important factor of soil restoration processes. Analysis of main soil nutrition components followed by 16S amplicon sequencing are sufficient methods for primary analysis of novel locations. Here is the primary analysis in a novel location in Northwest Europe (Russia). Main nutrition parameters (pH, P, Na and NH.sub.4.sup.+) and 16S rDNA Illumina amplicons were explored in abandoned soils from sandy pit quarry (2 sites) and refractory clay mining dumps (4 sites).
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The effects of organic and inorganic waste sludges, coal dust, fly and landfill ashes, soybean crust, sawdust, sunflower flakes and their ash addition to representative heavy clay were investigated. ...Changes introduced to shaping moist (SM), shrinkage (ΔSk) and weight loss (ΔGk) in Bigot’s curve critical point, and plasticity coefficient (PC) by Pfefferkorn were studied. The highest sensitivity to drying showed samples with coal dust addition, while the greatest plasticity and shaping moist was detected in samples with 50wt% of fly and landfill ashes.
The influence of waste material used, its’ content and also firing temperature were independent parameters that influenced compressive strength, water absorption, firing shrinkage, weight loss during firing and volume mass as dependent parameters. Second order polynomial mathematical models predicted fired products characteristics, and were later used to determine the optimum conditions by Response Surface Method (RSM), coupled with Fuzzy Synthetic Evaluation algorithm (FSE), using trapezoidal function. The choice of the parameters optimal interval that characterized fired products (water absorption, compressive strength, weight loss during firing, firing shrinkage and volume mass), depended on a final usage of the raw material in heavy clay brick industry. The optimization results showed that sunflower hulls, wood sawdust, soybean husks and saturation sludge are best to be used in solid bricks production. Coal dust, landfill ashes and neutralization (inorganic) sludges are best to be used in hollow bricks production. Sunflower hulls ash can be added in higher quantity to heavy clay to produce blocks or in lower quantity in roof tiles. Fly ashes addition of 50wt% allows roof tiles production. The optimal temperature for solid bricks and hollow blocks production is found to be 900–950°C.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Clay bricks are one of the most commonly used walling materials in Sri Lanka. The brick manufacturing process poses a notable impact on the environment. Clay excavation leads to resource depletion ...while diesel fuel utilized for excavation and clay transportation pollutes the air. Additionally, tree cutting for wood fuel contributes to deforestation whilst wood burning promotes air pollution. Thus, this research aimed to quantify the global warming potential due to English brick manufacturing using cradle to gate Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach. The functional unit used was one-meter square of the brick wall area. Data collection, analysis and interpretation of results were done by the ISO 14044/14040 standards. Primary life cycle inventory data was gathered via brick kiln owners and workers. The LCA assembly was modelled using the 'OpenLCA' software. Three product systems were defined according to the brick bond types and wall thicknesses. The global warming potential related to brick production was assessed using the 'GWP 100a' method. Clay excavation, clay transportation and wood chamber firing emerged as emission hotspots. The study revealed that the global warming potential of 225mm brick wall and 115mm brick wall as 11.9 and 5.9 kg CO2-eq/m 2 , respectively. Through this study, local clay brick industry can be driven to improve the overall sustainability of the brick manufacturing sector.
