Performance Evaluation and Application Framework for Sustainable Brick Manufacturing Using Rice Husk Ash

This study investigates the incorporation of rice husk ash (RHA) as a sustainable partial replacement for clay in brick manufacturing, addressing waste management problem for industrial sector and developing a way for circular economy. Seven brick compositions containing 0%, 5%, 7%, 9%, 11%, 13%and 15% RHA by weight were developed and evaluated through testing protocols including compressive strength, water absorption shrinkageand efflorescence tests. Results demonstrate that bricks with 5% RHA achieve optimal performance with compressive strength of 4.82 MPa, representing only a 5.3% reduction compared to conventional clay bricks while maintaining structural integrity per NBC 109–1994 standards. The incorporation of RHA shows a direct correlation with water absorption capacity, increasing from 22.81% in pure clay bricks to 38.65% at 15% RHA content, thereby creating opportunities for specialized applications in permeable infrastructure. Notably, shrinkage decreased by 51.3% at maximum RHA content due to the non-plastic nature of ash particles, significantly enhancing dimensional stability during manufacturing. The study establishes a practical application framework categorizing RHA-incorporated bricks into three distinct performance tiers: 0–5% for load-bearing structural applications, 5–7% for non-load-bearing partitionsand 9–15% for permeable pavements and thermal insulation systems. These findings validate RHA integration as a technically viable and environmentally beneficial approach that transforms agricultural by-products into value-added construction materials while simultaneously reducing environmental degradation and advancing circular economy principles in the building materials industry.