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In this work, marl clay was used because these materials have a very important industrial potentiality in several fields, namely ceramics. The objective was manufacturing expanded clay aggregate (ECA), with two main ingredients of marl and pozzolan at different percentages in order to integrate them into the concrete as aggregate. The physicochemical parameters of the mixture marl / Pozzolan was discussed and the results of the analyses, allowed deducing that the sample with 15% pozzolan has the most expansion rate of 16.8%, and its density of 1232 kg/m 3 is in accordance with the international standard of expanded aggregates. The density of the concrete decreases with the quantity of ECA added and reaches its minimum with 1671 kg/m 3 according to concrete with 50% of the expanded aggregate. The bending tests show the increase of the mechanical strength as a function of the quantities of aggregate added. The results show a very important potential with the addition of clay aggregates, density and water absorption decrease with the increase of the mechanical resistance.

This scientific paper presents a comprehensive study of the physical and chemical properties of a clay sample collected from Meknes region of Morocco. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the presence of kaolinite, muscovite, and quartz minerals in the clay sample. X-ray fluorescence analysis showed that the sample contained a significant amount of aluminum and silica. The Atterberg limit test indicated that the clay has a high plasticity index and is classified as a clay of low to medium plasticity. The ATG_DSC analysis revealed that the sample underwent multiple endothermic reactions, including dehydration, dehydroxylation, and decarbonation, at different temperature ranges. Shrinkage and weight loss experiments showed that the clay exhibited high shrinkage and weight loss upon drying. SEM-EDX analysis provided information on the microstructure and elemental composition of the clay sample. The water absorption test revealed that the clay has a low water absorption capacity. The three-point flexural test showed that the clay bricks had high flexural strength, which makes it suitable for use in high-stress applications. Overall, the results suggest that the clay sample can be used in a variety of applications, including building materials, ceramics, and other industrial uses.