Research on performance of the baking-free bricks of non-sintered wrap shell aggregates from sludge based on fractal theory
摘要
This study applies a non-sintered wrapping shell process to convert sludge into artificial lightweight aggregates, which are then used to replace crushed stone coarse aggregates in the production of baking-free bricks (BFBs). The effect of NS-WSAs substitution rates on BFB performance are investigated. Moreover, the correlation models between pore structure and macroscopic properties of BFBs are established based on fractal theory, and the micro- morphology of the interfacial transition zone (ITZ) is analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).The results demonstrate that the BFBs produced with NS-WSAs are viable, achieving a density grade of A. In the preparation process of “Raw sludge ~ Aggregate core ~ NS-WSAs ~ BFBs”, the heavy metal in sludge has the remarkable solidification effect under the multi-layer solidification mechanism, and the leaching amount of is effectively controlled. With increasing NS-WSAs substitution rate, the compressive strength of BFBs decreases stepwise, while the L70 group achieves a strength grade of MU35, meeting practical application requirements, water absorption rises, while porosity initially increases and then declines. The fractal dimension (D) of pores decreases, accompanied by a gradual deterioration of pore structure and frost resistance. Moreover, it is negatively correlated with compressive strength, positively correlated with water absorption, and shows no significant correlation with porosity. Compared with crushed stone coarse aggregates, the ITZ of NS-WSAs exhibits a looser structure and a lower degree of hydration. This technology provides an effective solution to the problem of large-scale sludge accumulation, and can also alleviate the relatively scarce situation of natural sand and gravel resources in the construction field.