Thermal conductivity of clay based material incorporating Argan Shell: Experimental characterization

This research investigated the impact of agricultural biomass additives (Argan shell) on the thermal and physical properties of fired clay bricks for building application. The objective of the study is to characterize the selected materials from molecule up to the final materials used in buildings. The materials used in this study, are soil and Argan shells, locally available materials for brick making. The Argan shells were grinded and then added to the clay mixture. The Clay brick shows a formation of pores during the firing process up to 1050°C. As results, the bulk density of the clay bricks decreased due to the pores formation. On the other hand, the thermal conductivity of the clay bricks was reduced by 53% using 20wt% of the biomass additives.