Soil–cement bricks incorporated with eggshell waste

Abstract

The food processing industry generates large amounts of eggshell waste worldwide. The eggshell waste is rich in calcium carbonate (CaCO3), and is considered to be a solid waste material of very complex and difficult final disposal. This work investigates the reuse of eggshell waste as an alternative raw material into a soil–cement brick body, replacing cement by up to 30 wt%. Soil–cement bricks are uniaxially pressed and cured for 28 days. The technological properties of the cured bricks (e.g. apparent density, water absorption and compressive strength) are then determined. The results show that eggshell waste can be used in soil–cement bricks with excellent technical properties, in the range up to 30 wt%, as a partial replacement for Portland cement. Hence, application in civil engineering could be one of the best management practices for eggshell waste as a low-cost, alternative raw material.