Reuse of Solid Bricks in Construction: An Experimental Work

This study experimentally and numerically examines the structural and seismic per-formance of recycled solid-brick masonry infills and load-bearing walls constructed from demolition materials. Solid bricks recovered from demolished structures were reused as infill in reinforced concrete (RC) frames and as standalone walls. Five full-scale panels, bare, 50% infilled, and 100% infilled frames, were tested under diag-onal compression in accordance with ASTM E519-17, simulating in-plane seismic loading. Results showed that fully infilled frames exhibited a 149% increase in diagonal shear strength but a 40% reduction in ductility relative to the bare frame, indicating a trade-off between stiffness and deformation capacity. Finite element simulations using the Concrete Damaged Plasticity (CDP) model reproduced the experimental load–displacement curves with close agreement (within 6-8% in peak load) and captured the main failure patterns. Reusing cleaned demolition bricks reduces the demand for new fired bricks and helps divert construction waste from landfill, contributing to sus-tainable and circular construction. The findings confirm the potential of recycled ma-sonry for low-carbon and seismic-resilient construction, provided that ductility limita-tions are appropriately addressed in design.