Hygroscopic Characterization of Earth Bricks Made From Laterite and Clay of Senegal

Abstract

Earth is the main raw material most used in building construction in Africa and particularly in Senegal. It is a particularly malleable material, easy to handle, from which hard bricks (unfired or fired) can be made. Thus for a good prediction of the mechanical and thermal behavior of a material, it is important to determine its hygroscopic properties. This is why our study focuses on the hygroscopic characterization of earth materials based on laterite and clay. We are mainly interested in the study of adsorption and desorption isotherms by water vapor. The adsorption and desorption isotherm curves of the samples were determined by a volumetric method using the Belsorp Aqua3 apparatus. The measurement results showed that the earth materials are hygroscopic materials. Furthermore, unfired earth materials adsorb more moisture than fired earth materials.