increase and also due to the lifestyle of people in the 20th century, intensifying the pressure on resources

needed for construction. It also causes bad effects on the environment, such as the carbon footprint associated

with cement production and the waste management of emission waste like fly ash in thermal power plants.

Counteracting and stabilizing the adverse environmental consequences, this study adopts an experimental

approach to utilize thermal power plant waste Class C Fly ash (pozzolanic), locally available red soil, and stone

dust, along with geopolymer precursors, to manufacture bricks, which are the most demanding material for

infill masonry work. The mechanical, durability, and microstructural characterization of the bricks were studied

Received: May 29, 2023. Revised: February 19, 2024. Accepted: March 13, 2024. Published: May 2, 2024.

In the present scenario, the utility of concrete across

the globe is placed in the second position next to

water. As of date, only cement is predominantly used

as a principal binder to produce concrete. However,

environmental concerns associated with the

production of cement are seriously viewed, [1].

amount of heat energy thereby increasing the

atmospheric temperature. On the other hand, CO2 is

the prime greenhouse gas and it contributes

significantly to environmental pollution and ozone

depletion. Based on the above factors, enormous

procedures. Because of this knowledge gap,

researchers tend to formulate, mix proportions, and

adapt their manufacturing practices, [7]. The

parameters involved in the synthesis of geopolymer

composites are highly sensitive. They depend on the

physical, chemical, and mineralogical compositions

of constituents such as aggregates, fly ash, water,

NaOH, and Na2SiO3 solutions. Also, the prevailing

temperature during solution preparation, mixing,

casting, and curing phases influences the parameters,

breakthrough is essential for expanding the use of

GPC in different applications. If the fly ash-based

geopolymer concrete could be developed with an

appropriate mix design, it could demonstrate

enhanced mechanical and chemical properties of

concrete on par with Portland cement concrete, [10].

Latent cementitious materials like Class C Fly Ash

(CFA) and Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag

(GGBS) contain adequate calcium to form

cementitious compounds when they interact with

produced during the hydration of the brick plays the

activator role. This is an exothermic reaction and

emits a significant amount of heat energy. The

evolved heat energy can be utilized for inducing the

polymerization process in a geopolymer brick, [12].

Therefore, this study targets the ambient curing of

geopolymer bricks and their suitability under various

loading conditions in different environmental factors.

study is to optimize the ratio between FA and

alkaline activator solution (AAS) in blocks, with

several ratios being examined. Properties including

greenhouse gas emissions, might be replaced with

lateritic soils found in Bolivia's wet tropical regions.

The compressive strength, chemical composition,

and mineralogy of geo-polymers derived from

lateritic clays have all been investigated. Research on

Bolivia's lateritic clays and their combined

mechanical, mineralogical, and chemical

characteristics in a geo-polymer, however, is lacking.

The goal of the study, [17], was to assess a geo-

when compared to Portland cement IP mortar,

according to the results.

of Weibull distribution and the energy dissipation

mechanism to investigate the deformation and

damage laws of solidified soils during compression

failure. It looks at how the qualities of the soil are

affected by curing ages, moduli, cement, ground

granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS), and alkali-

activator contents. According to the study, energy

energy ratio and dissipation energy fall.

integrity.

5.25, as shown in Table 4.

Stone dust (SD) is a finely crushed material. After

double washing, it is procured from the available

nearby quarry of Tumakuru. Karnataka, India. As per

the unified soil classification system (USCS), the

stone dust may be categorized as mineral sediment

with truncated compressibility. Quarry dust and rock

dust are other names for SD. SD is a by-product

significantly greater than water density, and a bulk

relative density of 1820 kg/m3, with a moisture

shown in the table, along with the percentages of the

stone dust. Then, for three minutes, the mixture is

completely mixed until it has a uniform color.

The brick samples were prepared for various mix

ratios and molarities while maintaining a consistent

1:2.5 NaOH to Na2SiO3 ratio. The samples are cured

for 24 hours in an oven at a high temperature of

60°C. The NaOH to Na2SiO3 ratio is adjusted in

increments of 0.5 while maintaining the ideal ratios,

and these specimens are also cured for 24 hours at

60°C. As the ideal values are recognized, specimens

are made and cured at temperatures between 60°C

and 120°C in steps of 10°C. The proper mix ratio,

Fig. 1: Red mud-based Geopolymer Bricks

power plants, quarry dust, and specific geopolymer

ingredients. Red soil's mineral composition and

physical properties were studied, and the chemical

composition and fineness of class C fly ash were

investigated. Stone dust was screened for particle

size distribution and chemical composition.

the optimal choice for further studies. This selection

is supported by a robust performance across various

tests and conditions, setting the stage for in-depth

investigations into the specific characteristics and

applications of this geopolymer mix.

Table 7, 1:2 f NaOH to Na2SiO3 ratio is selected as

optimal and the respective compressive test results

are shown in Figure 8. As a noticeable increase in

compressive strength is seen and all values fall

within the permissible range, this ratio is regarded as

very suitable. Adopting the 1:2 ratio offers an

appropriate balance between improving strength and

ensuring that the geopolymer brick material remains

within permitted performance restrictions. This

Fig. 9: Compressive strength results of varying oven

curing temperature

material at varying temperatures is crucial to

determining the ideal curing conditions that optimize

the sample’s strength. This understanding improves

the production process and optimizes the curing

the research are as follows: