Abstract
THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE PROPERTIES OF INTERLOCK TILES BY ADDING DIFFERENT LIME CONTENTS
Abusamra Awad Attaelmanan Yousif*, Abbas Mohammed Alshehari, Jamil Abdulrabb Naji
ABSTRACT
The tiles industry has developed in recent times, as the different types, shapes, thicknesses, and colors of interlock occupied the first place in their acceptance as a product in the construction industry, with its special features that increase their demand locally. Foreign investment entered this industry previously for its production, which is manufactured in factories that were imported from outside Sudan, using local materials and Sudanese labor. After that, factories spread all over the country to distribute their concrete products, of which interlock is one of them. This paper aims to improve the properties of interlock tiles such as durability, weight, and absorption by adding lime. The methodology used to attain the objectives of the work depends on collecting data from different sources, and production sites, reviewing previous studies, making a mix of interlock tiles without adding lime, and conducting laboratory experiments for mixes with adding lime in different proportions. The effect of different proportions of lime on improving the interlock mix for durability, weight, and absorption properties was studied at the ages of 3, 7, 14, and 28 days. It was found that the greatest result of compressive strength at the age of 28 days was when adding 20% of lime (Sample 5) in comparison with the other proportions of lime. It also found a slight reduction in compressive strength compared to the reference design mix (without adding lime). It was also noticed that the weight gain was at the age of 28 days, by adding lime of 20%. Sample 3 gave the highest increase in the absorption ratio when lime was added by 10%. From regression analysis using proposed equations, it was found a good correlation between lime content (up to 30%) and compressive strength. It was recommended to utilize other types of sand and additives to improve the properties of interlock tiles.
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