Utilização de resíduos das indústrias de cerâmicas e de calçados na elaboração de materiais e produtos à base de cimento portland reforçados com fibras de sisal.

Abstract

The generation of industrial residues is improve by the growth of the branch of activity. These residues not always they are treated in a correct way, bringing noxious consequences to the environment. The reuse or recovery of those residues besides helping in the sanitary subjects and in the preservation of the nature reserves of raw materiais, it can reduce costs, providing good results for the involved companies and for the society in general. The civil constructíon has great potential of absorbing the industrial residues. This is justifíed for the need of reducing costs and for the abundant raw material variety and products applied in the constructions. This thesis studies the development and behaviour of mortar composites reinforced with sisal fíbres, using residues resulting from both bricks and shoes manufacturing. Firstly, composites were developed for structural applications. Several mixtures were prepared with and without reinforcement of sisal fíbres. In order to reduce the alkalinity of the cementitious matrix and to increase the durability of the fíbres inside the composites, a partial substitution of cement was accomplished using a pozzolanic material resulting from the fine grinding of residues of ceramic bricks. Furthermore, two forms of compacting the matrix were used: mechanical vibration and press compacting. For durability evaiuation, tests for physical and mechanical characterisation of the composites were made under two exposure conditions: some samples were submitted to natural weather and some samples were sheltered. Soon afterwards, a prototype of roofing tiles was developed, using some of the studied composite mixtures. They significativelly spared the use of roof timber. Physical and mechanical tests were made for evaiuation of the durability both of sheltered tiles and tiles exposed to natural weather. Physical and mechanical characteristics were determined along the time in samples cut out of the tiles. Moreover, the thermal behaviour was analysed by having models exposed to solar radiation, being electronically monitored. Finally, light cementitious composites were developed without sand using, as light aggregate, residues from shoes factories. The mixtures were prepared with and without the fine grinding of ceramic residues. Sisal fíbres were used in one of the mixtures. Physical and mechanical tests were made for evaiuation of durability under different exposure conditions. In addition, a test of thermal behaviour was made in a heat chamber, simulating a wall plaster. Those studies clearly showed the potentialities of the use of local, abundant industrial residues, of high aggregated value, which are presently treated as dump and thrown in the environment. The produced composites presented physical and mechanical properties that fulfil most of the norms dealing with the matter. The use of fíbres in cementitious composites presented advantages in the first months after the cure, avoiding fragile rupture and absorbing small impacts during handling, transportation and mounting of the products. Additionally, the composites presented thermal behaviour better than the reference matrix.