BIO

Hi, my name is Ashley Lawlor. I am from northern Virginia. I am studying environmental science, hopefully engineering soon, and love learning in general.

Algae Bricks

Abstract

Marine algae are used as an ingredient in varieties of clay bricks and cement to increase the sustainability of these materials. However, the physical and chemical properties of these bricks are not fully understood. The properties can improve or worsen depending on how much algae is added and which species of algae is used. The types of clay used can also affect the strength of the material. This study examines the flexural and compressive strength of bricks incorporating macroalgae species. We created clay bricks containing no algae, Sargassum filipendula, and Agardhiella subulata. The algae are added at varying percentages of the brick’s total volume. The samples are cast to ASTM or industry standard dimensions for testing. The samples are placed into instruments that test their flexural and compressive strength. While the experiment is ongoing, we expect the flexural and compressive strength of the algae bricks to be lower than traditional bricks. However, algae bricks can still have applications. These results would indicate that algae bricks are not ideal for high-stress scenarios but could be used in low-stress conditions. Some examples include new walkways and parking infrastructure.

Keywords: Algae, Bricks, Engineering