LAUSR

Abstract This paper reports an optimisation study for producing fired bricks using organic solid wastes used as partial substitutes to the soil. A series of experiments were carried out following Design of Experiments approach proposed by Taguchi (L25 orthogonal array with four factors and five levels). Different type of wastes (additives) were added to two different types of soils (laterite and alluvial) in various mix ratio and fired at two different temperatures (850 and 900 °C) in line with the commercial kiln practice. The effects of additives, soils, firing temperature and mix ratio on the performance characteristic were analysed using ANOVA, Signal to Noise (S/N) ratio and Random Forest regression analysis. It was inferred that (i) firing temperature of a brick is the least important parameter affecting a brick's compressive strength, water absorption or linear shrinkage, and (ii) substituting up to 15% of fertile soil by an appropriate additive (waste type) can still achieve compressive strength comparable to the normal clay brick.