Innovative Brick Manufacturing Using Tungabhadra Dam Sediment Deposits with Partial Addition of GGBS and Recycled PET Plastic Strips

• The Tungabhadra Dam sediment is classified as silty clay of medium plasticity (CI), with specific gravity 2.56, liquid limit 38%, plastic limit 9.38%, maximum dry density 2.00 g/cm³, optimum moisture content 10%, and silt and clay content 1.372%. • Partial replacement of sediment with GGBS improves brick compressive strength up to an optimum of 15% GGBS, achieving 6.04 N/mm² (second-class brick); further addition reduces strength. • Adding recycled PET plastic strips at 15% GGBS further improves compressive strength up to an optimum of 2% plastic content, achieving 9.01 N/mm² (first-class brick). • Bricks manufactured from sediment alone achieve 4.04 N/mm² (third-class brick), confirming that GGBS and PET plastic strip addition each contribute measurable strength improvement. • Combining dam sediment, GGBS and recycled PET plastic strips offers a technically viable and more sustainable alternative to conventional clay bricks, simultaneously addressing reservoir sediment disposal, industrial by-product recycling and plastic waste reduction.

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