Assessing the optimal compressive strength of eco-friendly bricks using full factorial design

Abstract

Eco-friendly brick is one of the innovations that can be developed to reduce plastic waste. Plastic waste is mixed using clay and epoxy resin to be united into Eco-friendly brick. This research was conducted to understand the interactions between the parameters of the eco-friendly brick mixing process through the Full Factorial Design (FFD) approach. Two variables were observed: epoxy resin-clay ratio (30-50%) and PET particle (1-5mm). FFD with 22 replications resulted in a total of 8 experimental sets. Design Expert was used to optimize the compressive strength response produced as a variable of the prepared eco-friendly brick. From the results of Design Expert, it is found that the optimum processing parameters are in the condition of 37.78% ratio, and 3.58 mm for PET particle size which will produce the maximum compressive strength of 78.65 MPa with a coefficient of determination R2 of 0.9720. Overall, this study has significance in facilitating processing in the manufacture of eco-friendly bricks. Research and implementations involving mixes of PET particles and epoxy resin in producing environmentally friendly bricks have demonstrated the significant potential for these materials to enhance the compressive strength of sustainable brick.