Denise Alves Fungaro^1,, Mauro Valério da Silva¹

Sludge from a treatment water Brazilian plant station is, frequently, disposed and launched directly in the water bodies, causing a negative impact in the environment. Also, fly ash is produced by burning of coal in coal-fired power stations and is the industrial solid waste most generated in southern Brazil: approximately 4 million tons/y. An efficient disposal of coal fly ash is an issue due to its massive volume and harmful risks to the environment. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the technical possibilities of incorporating cyclone fly ash (CFA) and sludge from a waste water treatment plant (SWTP) in the production of ecological bricks. The wastes were analyzed for physico-chemical, mineralogical and morphological properties. Various mixtures were prepared by incorporating these industrial wastes in brick production. The effects of wastes incorporation on physical properties such as compressive strength and water absorption have been determined. The best result, in terms of compression strength and water absorption, was reached by the series of bricks produced with 60 % soil, 12 % cement, 8 % coal fly ash and 20 % SWTP by weight. The results showed that SWTP and CFA presented a potential to be used as waste additives in the production of soil-cement bricks.

ecological brick, waterworks sludge, coal fly ash, soil-cement brick, soil-lime brick