Efeito da ação de carbonatos sobre a expansão por umidade associada às propriedades cerâmicas de blocos destinados à construção civil.

Abstract

The use of ceramic blocks in structural masonry since the last thirty years has demanded their capacity of absorbing mechanic efforts resulting from the own weight of building and respective overloads. Researches intended to make possible the new performance of ceramic blocks have not been intensive enough to definitively assure a good structural performance, and some problems concerning their mechanic properties and moisture expansion have shown the need of deeply improve their characteristics. Aiming at that purpose, this doctoral thesis has developed some investigations to identify new patterns that may contribute to increase the knowledge of moisture expansion and mechanic properties of ceramic blocks. To achieve that purpose, we started from information provided by technical literature concerning the good effects of calcium oxide and magnesium oxide incorporated to the rawmaterials of ceramic blocks. Results obtained from the autoclaved specimens have shown the differences between their present characteristics and those expected to be at the end of their working life. Researches to confirm possible moisture expansion minimizations and control of mechanic resistance of packing ceramic bodies have been carried out by using ceramic masses called "A" and "B", handled alike. Different contents of the carbonate used, such as calcium and magnesium carbonates, have been estimated, with the purpose of providing the same oxide contents after the carbon dioxide exit, along the firing cycle. Blocks obtained during a firing cycle between 850-1000°C show a universal moisture expansion decrease resulting from the action of calcium carbonate and a strong trend of its decrease resulting from the addition of magnesium carbonate. Such moisture expansion decreases resulted from the crystalline stages developed by the activity of those carbonates. The highest rate of mass loss, ocurrence of brucite and high rates of water absorption resulting from the addition of magnesium carbonate justify shorter decreases or even non-reduction or moisture expansion resulting therefrom. When both masses were handled without additions, the one with higher rate of clay showed higher moisture expansion values, since a higher rate of clay responsible for higher quantity of vitreous phases. Added material interfered both in moisture expansion and in the ceramic properties of observed specimens. Remarkable was the high susceptibility of the medium content (16.3%) of magnesium carbonate addition interfering in the increase of mechanical resistance, joined to the firing temperature at 1000°C, and acording to this tendency, rupture tension, in both Ceramics "A" and "B", showed disproportionably higher figures relative to firing temperatures under 1000°C. This fact is probably due to the effective presence of enstatite and ringwoodite at this firing temperature.