Innovation of gypsum board and corn cob waste on bricks for tests of compressive strength, water absorption, and temperature reduction

Abstract The demand for construction materials, particularly brick, is a consequence of the increase in housing construction. Sand and cement are the primary materials used to make bricks. The rapid development of innovation in construction materials has resulted in the creating of environmentally friendly, cheap, and technical specifications-oriented materials. Thus, creating an eco-friendly material that can substitute sand, specifically corn cob, is vital. Through innovation, bricks can be made less expensive by substituting gypsum board waste material for cement. Using gypsum board, and corn cob waste as brick-making materials must meet SNI 03-0349-1989 specifications for compressive strength and water absorption. The heat absorption capacity of the innovation bricks will also be evaluated. The study applied experimental research, partially substituting gypsum board with corn cob waste. The variations tested were as follows: A (0% gypsum board and 0% corn cob), B (30% gypsum board and 10% corn cob), and C (35% gypsum board and 5% corn cob), with assessments conducted at 7 and 14 days. The findings revealed that the highest compressive strength was achieved in variation C (35% gypsum board and 5% corn cob), measuring 91.89 kg/cm 2 . Additionally, variation C exhibited the most favorable water absorption rate of 3.10%, while variation B (30% gypsum board and 10% corn cob) demonstrated the most effective temperature reduction of 5.17°C.