Influence of Technological Factors on the Physical-Mechanical Properties of Clay Masonry Units

Abstract

In this work the influence of eight technological factors (clay, non-plastic materials, burning out additive, waste materials, mixing effectiveness in a mixer, degree of compression in formation heads, level of vacuuming in a vacuum chamber, duration of keeping at the highest burning temperature) on the determined physical-mechanical properties of ceramic samples: compressive strength, bending strength, water absorption, net dry density, gross dry density, is analysed applying fractional factorial design at two levels. Linear regression equations are derived enabling to predict the values of physical-mechanical properties of clay masonry units or knowing the desirable values of the properties to determine the optimal effect of the technological factors under investigation and thus to produce the clay masonry units of different purpose with the desirable properties within certain limits.