(CS2.4) Sustainable preservation solutions: experimental insights on reusing old bricks in modern construction

Climate change has accelerated in recent decades, resulting in a noticeable 1.7°C rise in Canada's average land temperature over the past 50 years. Implementing strategies to reuse materials from old masonry structures shows a huge potential in reducing waste accumulation and combating the impacts of climate change, particularly in Eastern Canada. In Canada's construction, renovation, and demolition (CRD) sector, which accounts for over 80% of solid waste, there are significant opportunities for intervention. This study focuses on clay bricks commonly used in facades, examining their mechanical and environmental properties. Old bricks sourced from deconstructed buildings in Montreal, Quebec, dating back to the 19th century, are compared with new bricks used in modern Canadian construction. Various destructive (DT) and non-destructive (NDT) standardized tests, including uniaxial compression and three-point bending tests, were conducted on multiple batches of old and new bricks to ensure fair evaluation. Testing encompassed full-size bricks, half-size bricks, and smaller prisms to assess size effects. Environmental assessments followed criteria outlined by the Canadian Standard Association to evaluate the brick’s durability. The evaluation included freeze-thaw, 24-hour water absorption, and 5-hour boiling tests. The study's findings are presented and compared across different samples, with recommendations provided for integrating old masonry clay bricks into modern construction practices. Additionally, key limitations of standardized tests are highlighted