Effectiveness of Rice

Hull as an Additive in
making Bricks
Submitted by:
Bagon, King Anthony A.
Enero, Ma. Reana B.
Leonardo, John Paul T.
Ngo, Celene Pia J.
Villamonte, Daryll John V.
Submitted to: Engr. Daniel Guillen
Date: October 5, 2016

I. ABSTRACT
This research has aims to study the effectiveness of rice hull as
an additive in making bricks. Bricks were made from soil-cement
mixes with one having rice hull as an additive. The mixture is
composed

of

1:3:4

ratios

(1-cement;

3-soil;

4-rice

hull).

Comparison with the two mixtures was conducted. By conducting

drop test, dropping both the bricks in a 1.2m height, the brick

with the rice hull did not break while the one without the rice hull
broke. That shows the effectiveness of rice hull as an additive in
making bricks.
II. INTRODUCTION
Philippines is known to be an agricultural country. The country's
main agricultural crops are rice, corn, coconut, sugarcane,
bananas, pineapple, coffee, mangoes, tobacco, and abaca (a
banana-like plant). Having rice as one of the countrys main
agricultural crop, the Philippines is the worlds eighth-largest rice
producer. Being an agricultural country, how does the country
uses the waste product in agriculture such as rice hull?
The rice hull (or husk) is the outermost layer of the paddy grain
that is separated from the rice grains during the milling process.
Around 20% of paddy weight is hull and rice production in Asia
produces about 770 million tons of hulls annually. Rice hull was
largely considered a waste product that was often burned or
dumped on landfills, according to Martin Gummert, postharvest
expert at the International Rice Research Institute.
In this contest search to make something out of the agricultural
waste such as rice hull, various researches have been made to
use rice hull as an alternative building material to clay bricks.
The primary use of bricks has been for wall coverings over the
years, but they can be used for decorative purposes as well.
Historically, the common brick has been molded from clay and
fired in a kiln. But that isn't the only way you can make brick.

Researching for an alternative and economical building material

would be a great help in producing low cost and of good quality
products.
Social, economic and environmental benefits of using rice
hull
Social
The bricks produced with rice hull will be lightweight and
help to reduce the dead load in buildings. The use of light brick
can also reduce transportation expenses and the cost of the walls.
Besides, this kind of bricks can be used as thermal or noise
insulator. It can also be used to design houses or social places,
like beaches, parks or eateries. Using rice hull for bricks will help
in clearing it off the streets to improve the aesthetics of the
surroundings.
Economic
For the farmer, agricultural residues can be a cash crop.
Traditionally farmers have harvested grain and burnt or otherwise
disposed of straw and other residues but the success of this
research means that farmers can reap a second harvest from
grain plantings.
In addition, because of the high cost of transporting
agricultural residues to be processed into bricks, it is likely that
industries will have to be built in rural areas, near the farmers

that supply the residues. This will boost local economies by

providing jobs, services, and a higher tax base.
Environment
Cereal farmers annually burned the straw to prepare fields
for future crops and control rice diseases. However, burning yields
smoke and other pollutants which adversely affect air quality,
visibility, human and environmental health. Industry advocates
have said farmers need to burn the straw to protect crops from
disease and because no alternatives markets exist for the straw
(Jon 1997) scientists have estimated that this resulted in the
release of tons of carbon monoxide annually (Alex 1995).
Therefore at the end of this research farmers will else amass
environmental dividends studies have shown that the burning of
agricultural wastes causes air pollution, soil erosion, and a
decrease in soil biological activity, which eventually leads to soil
crusting and may lower yields (Stephan, 1997; Paul, 1997).
III. METHODOLOGY
The rice hull used in this research was obtained from rice mill in
Bocaue, Bulacan.
In making bricks using rice hull as an additive, here are the
steps to be followed:
1. Make the forms you need to use for the bricks.
The size of the brick is 4x8x2.5
2. Spray oil in the forms to aid in stripping after pouring
the mix into the brick molds.
3. Prepare for the mixture

 There are two types of mixture that will be conducted,

one will be with no rice hull in the mixture
The mixture is composed of cement, water, soil and
rice hull
The ratio of the mixture is 1:3:4. (1-cement, 3-soil, 4rice hull)
4. Pour the mixture in the mold.
5. Let it dry for 3 days and cure it.
6. You may oven dry it for faster results.
Costing
MATERIAL

Price/unit

Amount

Cost

needed per
CEMENT
SOIL

170php/40 kg
41php/ m

RICE HULL
TOTAL

1php/kg

brick
376.5 g
936.75 g

1.6php
4php

200 g

.2php
5.8php

Labor - 5 employees
Minimum wage 454
Water 196.33 per day
Miscellaneous 500
*350 bricks per day
((5.8x350) + (454x5) + 196.33 + 500)/350 = 14.28php
For profit, we could set the amount for 15php per brick.

IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

The researchers have conducted a drop test to test the
effectiveness of rice hull as an additive in making bricks.
After drying, the brick without the rice hull weighed 1.75kg
while the brick with rice hull weighed 1.55 kg.
Both the bricks with different mixtures were dropped in a 1.2m
height. As a result, the brick without the rice hull broke while the
brick with rice hull did not break.
V. CONCLUSION
From the results obtained so far in this research it can be
concluded that the use of rice hull as an additive in making bricks
is effective.
Rice hull composite brick could be cost effective especially in
building houses for the lower income and vulnerable groups.
The researchers recommend to do further research in line with
this research and do further tests like compression test for better
results.
VI. REFERENCES
http://www.naturalbuildingblog.com/rice-hull-ash-brickformula-with-no-cement/
http://www.naturalbuildingblog.com/rice-hull-ash-bricksrsa/
http://www.ajol.info/index.php/ajest/article/viewFile/11828
9/110783
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877705
811877705

 http://www.ijera.com/papers/Vol2_issue5/KX2519061910.p
df
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/248284934_Prop
ertiPr_oo_clay-sand-rice_husk_ash_mixed_bricks

VII. ATTACHMENTS