Journal of Building Construction and Planning Research, 2013, 1, 141-152
Published Online December 2013 (http://www.scirp.org/journal/jbcpr)
http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jbcpr.2013.14015
Open Access JBCPR
141
Quality Study of Automated Machine Made
Environmentally Friendly Brick (KAB) Sample Using
Film Neutron Radiography Technique
Khurshed Alam1*, Robiul Islam2, Sudipta Saha1, Nurul Islam1, Syed Azharul Islam2
1Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology, AERE, Savar, Bangladesh; 2Department of Physics, Jahangirnagar University, Savar,
Bangladesh.
*Corresponding author: [e-mail]
Received September 20th, 2013; revised November 24th, 2013; accepted December 6th, 2013
Copyright © 2013 Khurshed Alam et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License,
which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. In accor-
dance of the Creative Commons Attribution License all Copyrights © 2013 are reserved for SCIRP and the owner of the intellectual
property Khurshed Alam et al. All Copyright © 2013 are guarded by law and by SCIRP as a guardian.
ABSTRACT
Neutron radiography (NR) technique has been adopted to study the internal structure and quality of the KAB bricks
made by Hoffman kiln method. Thermal neutron radiography facility installed at the tangential beam port of 3 MW
TRIGA Mark-II Research Reactor, AERE, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh is used in the present study. Measurements were
made to determine the internal structure and quality of the automated machine made environmentally friendly brick
sample. In this case, optical density/gray values of the neutron radiographic images of the sample have been measured.
From these measurements, the porosity, water penetrating height, water penetrating behavior, initial rapid absorption of
water (IRA), elemental distribution/homogeneity and incremental water intrusion area in the sample have been found.
From the observation of different properties, it is seen that, homogeneity of the Hoffman kiln brick KAB is not perfectly
homogeneous and contains small internal porosity; the incremental water intrusion area is very poor, and the water
penetrating height through the two edges is higher than the middle part; the initial rapid absorption (IRA) rate is also
very poor and the water penetrating behavior of the samples is different as like as stair, capillary, wave and zigzag
shape. From these points of view, it is concluded that the quality of the environmentally friendly brick KAB is better.
The results obtained and conclusion made in this study can only be compared to the properties of bricks produced under
similar conditions with similar raw materials.
Keywords: Neutron Radiography Technique; Water Penetrating Height/Behavior; IRA
1. Introduction
Neutron Radiography (NR) is a technique of making a
picture of the internal details of an object by the selective
absorption of a neutron beam by the object. NR uses the
basic principles of radiography whereby a beam of radia-
tion is modified by an object in its path and the emergent
beam is recorded on a photo film (detector). In general,
the radiography technique is nothing but a simple process
of exposing some objects to an X-ray, gamma-ray, neu-
tron beam and some other types of radiation and then
attenuated outgoing beam from the object is passing
through a special type of photographic film to form im-
ages of the objects on the radiographic film or detector.
Also it is called a non-destructive testing (NDT) [1] and
evaluation technique of testing non-nuclear and nuclear
materials and industrial products. NR is an imaging tech-
nique which provides images similar to X-ray radiogra-
phy and complementary technology for radiation diag-
noses. Neutron radiograph gives the information of the
internal structure of an object; it can detect light elements,
which have large neutron absorption cross-sections like
hydrogen and boron; it is completely complementary to
other NDT techniques, like X-ray or gamma-ray radiog-
raphy. The atoms of the object material scattered or ab-
sorbed the radiation and so the beam reaching the detec-
tor shows an intensity/gray value pattern representative
of the internal structure of the object [2]. Any in-homoge-
neity in the object on an internal defect (such as voids,

Quality Study of Automated Machine Made Environmentally Friendly Brick (KAB) Sample Using
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142
cracks, porosity, inclusion, corrosion etc.) and morpho-
logical change in the plant pod seeds [3] will show up as
change in gray value/radiation intensity reaching the de-
tector. Under these techniques, detecting faults in neutron
shielding materials, flow visualization: real time neutron
radiography, quality control of explosive devices, defects
in ceramics materials, aircraft component, surface corro-
sion on aluminum, medical and biological applications,
investigations of the root soil system, migration/rising of
water in various building products/building materials,
physical description of water transport in a porous matrix
of the sample material, density fluctuations and porosity
detection in ceramics etc [4-20]. Clay is a widely avail-
able raw material that survives very well in its fired form.
Clay brick has been found in the ruins of ancient civiliza-
tions [21]. Bhatnagar et al. saw that properties of these
bricks are affected as a result of physical, chemical and
mineralogical changes [22,23]. Mbumbia et al. investi-
gated that compressive strength and water absorption are
two major physical properties of brick that are good pre-
dictors of bricks ability to resist cracking of face [24].
Few scientists studied that compressive strength is highly
affected by firing temperature method of production, and
physical, chemical and mineralogical properties of the
raw material [22,25]. Water absorption is a measure of
available pore space and is expressed as a percentage of
the dry brick weight. It is affected by properties of clay,
method of manufacturing and degree of firing. Some of
the researchers studied that firing shrinkage increases
with higher temperatures [26]. The quality depends on
the firing temperature and firing time also. Decreasing
firing temperature and shortening firing time do not only
reduce the cost of production but also increase the pro-
ductivity of the factory.
Environmental concerns have been raised in some
parts of the world where coal is the main power generat-
ing sources and where bricks are also the main building
material. Most of the scientists believe that fly ash on its
own can be an excellent raw material for brick making.
This has now been proven and a patent is taken for the
manufacture of bricks from fly ash [27].
Many ancient cultures have made useful decorative
items such as pottery, figurines, building tiles, and burial
containers that become important parts of the archaeo-
logical record. The material aspects of clay and ceramic
technology, the physical properties of clay and various
firing methods can be investigated using archaeometric
techniques [28,29]. Properties of bricks are affected as a
result of physical, chemical and metrological changes
[23,30]. Water absorption is a measure of available pore
space and is expressed as a percentage of the dry brick
weight. It is affected by properties of clay, method of
manufacturing and degree of firing. Water absorption
capacity of the brick affects the surface finishing of the
brick-laid wall [21,26,31]. Ancient technologists and
archaeological material researchers have employed stan-
dard techniques such as X-ray radiography, X-ray dif-
fraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM),
and neutron activation analysis (NAA) to study structure
and composition of ceramic materials [28,29]. Neutron
radiography has been used to detect internal defects in
some materials such as ceramics [9], tiles [10] and dif-
ferent building industries [11]. The technique is also
adopted for the study of water absorption behavior in
biopol, jute-reinforced-biopol composite [12] and wood
plastic composites [13] etc. In the present work, neutron
radiography technique has been adopted to the determi-
nation of elemental distribution/homogeneity, porosity,
incremental intrusion area of water/water penetrating
height and penetrating shape/behavior, and initial rapid
absorption (IRA) of water in the sample as well as the
quality of automated machine made environmentally
friendly KAB brick.
2. Experimental Facility
The experimental neutron radiography facility installed
at the tangential beam port of 3 MW TRIGA Mark II
reactor in the Institute of Nuclear Science and Technol-
ogy, Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Savar,
Dhaka, Bangladesh. The neutron radiography facility
consists of the following devices/equipment.
2.1. Bismuth Filter
In the NR facility at TRIGA reactor of BAEC a 15 cm
long Bi filter in the tangential beam port is used to reduce
the intensity of gamma ray significantly from the beam to
prevent the unwanted fogginess in the radiographic im-
age.
2.2. Cylindrical Divergent Collimator
A cylindrical divergent collimator made of 120 cm long
aluminum hollow cylinder with 5 cm and 10 cm diameter
at the inner and outer end, respectively, has been inserted
in the tangential beam port to collimated neutron beam of
the reactor. The advantage of the divergent collimator is
that a uniform beam can be projected easily over a large
inspection area. Collimators are required to produce a
uniform beam and thereby produce adequate image reso-
lution capability in a neutron radiography facility.
2.3. Lead Shutter
The outer end of the tangential beam tube is equipped with
a lead-filled safety shutter and door to provide limited
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gamma shielding. The thickness of lead in the shutter is
24 cm and the diameter of the shutter is 33 cm.
2.4. Beam Stopper
A wooden box with dimension of 68 cm × 40 cm × 68
cm has been made with the attachment of four ball bear-
ings on the bottom part of it for forward and backward
movement in front of the tangential beam port. It looks a
wooden box, which contains neutron-shielding materials
like paraffin wax and boric acid in 3:1 ratio by weight for
neutron shielding.
2.5. Sample and Camera Holder Table
There is a sample and camera holder table with both
horizontal and vertical movement facility placed in front
of the beam line.
2.6. Beam Catcher
To absorb transmitted and scattered neutron and gamma
radiations a beam catcher with dimension 100 cm × 100
cm × 85 cm has been placed behind the sample and cam-
era holding table. A 30 cm × 30 cm × 30 cm hole has
been made in the middle of the front face of the beam
catcher which coincides with the central axis of the beam
port. A 30 cm × 30 cm × 15 cm lead block weighing 125
Kg has been placed at the back side of the hole for
gamma shielding. For neutron shielding a mixture of
paraffin wax and boric acid has been used in the catcher.
The total weight of the beam catcher is 968 Kg.
2.7. Biological Shielding House
The emitted neutron and the gamma rays are extremely
dangerous for human body. This is why, to prevent these
harmful rays to spread over the entire environment a
biological shielding house has been built around the NR
facility of the tangential beam port. It is made of special
concrete containing cement, heavy sand (magnetite, il-
menite and ordinary sand) and stone chips in the ratio
1:3:3. Paraffin wax and boric acid in 3:1 ratio by weight
were also used inside the biological shielding wall for
neutron shielding. The width and height of the biological
shielding wall of the facility are ≈ 3.0 ft and 6.5 ft, re-
spectively. Details of the NR facility can be found else-
where [3,32,33]. The schematic diagram of the neutron
radiography facility of 3 MW TRIGA Mark II Reactor,
AERE, Savar, Dhaka is shown in Figure 1.
3. Experimental Procedure
3.1. Collection, Preparation and Size of the
Sample
Sample has been collected from Kapita auto bricks
limited located at Joypura, Dhamrai, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Bi Filter
Polyboron
Object
Cassette
Beam Stopper
Beam
Catcher
Collimator
Reactor Biological Shield
NR Facility Shield House
Image recording
Lead Ring
Lead Shutter
Figure 1. Schematic diagram of the neutr on radiography facility.

Quality Study of Automated Machine Made Environmentally Friendly Brick (KAB) Sample Using
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144
For final preparation, the sample is polished manually by
using series paper, cement block, diamond cutter, and
then the sample was dried at daylight/dryer machine until
to get the constant weight. The sample is the rectangular
shape and its size is 23.000 × 11.360 × 6.540 cm3 and
23.050 × 10.821 × 6.480 cm3 for KAB 1 and KAB 2, re-
spectively. In the case of KAB 2 sample, coal is mixtures
with the soil and this coal is used to burn it. But in case
of KAB 1 sample, coal is used into the brick kiln to burn
the sample.
3.2. Loading Converter Foil and Film in the NR
Cassette
A thin converter (gadolinium metal foil of 25 µm thick-
ness) was placed at the back of the X-ray industrial film.
The loading of the X-ray industrial film (Agfa structurix
D4DW) into the NR cassette (18 cm × 24 cm) is a simple
procedure [14]. There are a number of steps to place the
industrial X-ray film into the NR cassette to protect the
film against daylight and lamplight.
3.3. Placing of Sample and the NR Cassette
The sample is placed in close contact with the NR cas-
sette and directly on the sample holder table. The NR
cassette is placed on the cassette holder table. Both of
NR cassette and sample are placed in front of the neutron
beam having 30 cm in beam diameter.
3.4. Determination of Neutron Beam Exposure
Time
Exposure means passing of neutron beam through a sam-
ple and holding it onto a special film (X-ray industrial
film) in order to create a latent image of an object in the
emulsion layers of that film. Exposure time differs for
different samples, depending on the intensity of the neu-
tron beam, density and thickness of the sample and neu-
tron cross-section. The optimum exposure time of the
sample was determined by taking a series of experi-
ments/radiographs at different exposure time, while the
reactor was operated at 250 KW. For the present experi-
ment we found the optimum exposure time is 60 minutes.
The sample was then irradiated for that optimum time to
obtain good neutron radiographs.
3.5. Immersion Procedure of the Brick Sample
The brick sample is placed in a plastic pan and a constant
2.0 cm height of water level is maintained. The water
level is observed very carefully and adds extra water to
maintain water level at 2 cm during the immersion time.
After time of interest (TOI) such as 5, 10, 15 and 20 min-
utes brick sample take off from the pan and extra water
of out side the sample is removed by using the tissue
paper.
3.6. Obtained Radiographic Images of the
Sample
3.6.1. Irradiation
While all the procedures (a-e) were performed, the neu-
tron beam was disclosed by removing the wooden plug,
lead plug and beam stopper from the front side of the
collimator. Each sample was then irradiating for the op-
timum time (60 min) one by one at various immersion
time.
3.6.2. Developing
Developing is an image processing technique by which
the latent image recorded during the exposure of the ma-
terial is converted into a silver image [34]. Developing
process is completed at 20˚C for 5 minutes.
3.6.3. Fi xing
When the developing is completed a conventional pho-
tographic material must be treated in an acid stop bath or
it must be rinsed in water, after which it is treated in a
fixation bath. The fixation solution will dissolve the un-
exposed silver-halide crystals leaving only the silver
grains in the gelatin. The fixing is completed with in 5
minutes and controls the fixture temperature at 20˚C.
3.6.4. Wa sh i ng
In between developing and fixing the radiographic film,
it is necessary to wash for 1 minute at flowing tap water.
3.6.5. Fi nal Washing
The silver compound which was formed during the fix-
ing stage must be removed, since they can affect the sil-
ver image at the latter stage. For this reason the film must
be washed thoroughly in flowing tap water for 15 min-
utes after completion of developing and fixing process.
3.6.6. Dr y i ng
After the final washing, the films were dried by clipping
in a hanger at fresh air/or in a drying cabinet.
After developing, washing, fixing and the final wash-
ing obtained radiographic images (Figures 2 and 3) of the
required KAB brick sample at different immersion time.
4. Mathematical Formulation
4.1. Optical Density Measurement
The neutron intensity before reaching the brick sample
(object) is different from the intensity of the neutron after
passing through it. The relationship between these two
intensities is expressed through the following equation
[15]
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Incremental intrusion zone
(a) (b)
Incremental intrusion zone
(c) (d)
Figure 2. NR images of KAB 1 for (a) 5 min and (b) 10 min water absorption. NR images of KAB 1 for (c) 15 min and (d) 20
min water absorption.
0
x
I
Ie


 (1)
where, e = base of natural logarithms, x = thickness of an
object,  = linear neutron attenuation coefficient, I and I0
are the neutron intensity after passing through the object
and the neutron intensity incident on the object, respec-
tively.
The mathematical expression for the optical density
[16] at a point of the film/NR image, D is given by:


0
lnDAA (2)
Here, A0 = response of densitometer without the sample
image and A = response of densitometer with the sample
mage. i
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Incremental intrusion zone
(a) (b)
Incremental intrusion zone
(c) (d)
Figure 3. NR images of KAB 2 for (a) 5 min and (b) 10 min water absorption. NR images of KAB 2 for (c) 15 min and (d) 20
min water absorption.
The density of film is measured with an optical densi-
tometer (Model 07-424, S-23285, Victoreen Inc. USA)
[5]. A small beam of light from the light source passes
through the film area which is measured by densitometer.
On the other side of the film, a light sensor (photocell)
converts the penetrated light into an electrical signal. A
special circuit performs a logarithmic conversion on the
signal and displays the results in density units. The pri-
mary use of densitometers in a clinical facility is to
monitor the performance of film processors. Actually,
optical density is the darkness, or opaqueness, of a
transparency film and is produced by film exposure and
chemical processing. An image contains areas with dif-
ferent densities that are viewed as various shades of gray.
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4.2. Gray Value
The visual appearance of an image is generally charac-
terized by two properties such as brightness and contrast.
Brightness refers to the overall intensity level and is
therefore influenced by the individual gray-level (inten-
sity) values of all the pixels within an image. Since a
bright image (or sub image) has more pixel gray-level
values closer to the higher end of the intensity scale, it is
likely to have a higher average intensity value. Contrast
in an image is indicated by the ability of the observer to
distinguish separate neighboring parts within an image.
This ability to see small details around an individual
pixel and larger variations within a neighborhood is pro-
vided by the spatial intensity variations of adjacent pixels,
between two neighboring sub images, or within the entire
image. Thus, an image may be bright (due to, for exam-
ple, overexposure or too much illumination) with poor
contrast if the individual target objects in the image have
optical characteristics similar to the background. At the
other end of the scale, a dark image may have high con-
trast if the background is significantly different from the
individual objects within the image, or if separate areas
within the image have very different reflectance proper-
ties.
Although the intensity distribution within any real-life
image is unlikely to be purely sinusoidal, these defini-
tions provide a basis for comparison. For example, an
image that contains pixels with brightness values spread
over the entire intensity scale is likely to have better con-
trast than the image with pixel gray-level values located
within a narrow range. The relationship between the in-
tensity spread at the pixel level and the overall appear-
ance of an image provides the basis for image enhance-
ment by gray-level transformation. The terms gray value
and intensity are used synonymously to describe pixel
brightness. Actually, the specific relationship between
the shades of gray or density and exposure depends on
the characteristics of the film emulsion and the process-
ing conditions. This gray value is measured using image
analysis software Image J [35].
5. Results and Discussions
In the present investigation NR techniques has been
adopted to study internal defects such as in-homogeneity,
porosity/voids, initial rapid absorption (IRA), water
penetrating rate/behavior and incremental intrusion area
of automated machine made environmentally friendly
KAB bricks. Automated machine made environmentally
friendly bricks industry (made by Hybrid Hoffman Kiln
method) is established very recently in Bangladesh. The
NR techniques allowed us to comment on the quality of
this type of brick samples from the measurement of the
gray value/optical densities of their neutron radiographic
images.
5.1. Porosity/Voids and Homogeneity of the
Samples
The quality of a brick samples depends on the proper
distribution of the contents, porosity, hardiness, water
absorption behavior etc. in the sample. In this section,
porosity, elemental distribution of the samples has been
studied by measuring gray value/intensity from the neu-
tron radiographic images of each sample. Variation of
gray values of the radiographic images of the samples
indicates that the constituent components of the samples
are not uniformly distributed and having internal poros-
ity.
The Figure 4 shows the gray value versus pixel dis-
tance plots of radiographic image of the KAB sample.
The gray value has been obtained by drawing line profile
of 1056 × 1600 pixel area on the radiographic images of
an object. From this figure it is observed that in most of
the places the variation of gray value is not regular man-
ner for KAB 1 but in few places it is regular. It is also
observed that KAB 1 sample is not perfectly homogene-
ous and contains little porosity because of irregularity of
gray value. In the same figure for KAB 2, it is observed
that variation of gray value in most of the pixel point is
slightly irregular in nature. This shows that most of the
regions for KAB 2 is homogeneous and small region is
inhomogeneous. Small variation of gray value/intensity
indicates the presence of less internal porosity of that
place/area.
5.2. Water Penetrating Height at Different
Immersion Time of the Samples
KAB 2
Water penetrating/rising behavior of the KAB 2 sam-
ple at different immersion time such as 5, 10, 15, 20
minutes is shown in Figure 5. From these graph it is ob-
served that due to 5 minutes immersion water rises in
upward direction is 2.6 cm and 4 cm through two edges
and 3 cm at the middle side. In case of 10 minutes, pene-
trating of water at the middle place is 4 cm and through
the edges this penetration is about 6 - 6.5 cm. For 15
minutes water immersion, the water uptake is 4 cm at
middle and at two edges the water uptake is 6.4 - 6.6 cm.
For 20 minutes, water uptake is 5 cm at middle and at
two edges is 7 - 8 cm. From above investigation it shows
that at first 5 minutes the water uptake through the mid-
dle is very higher than that of 10, 15 and 20 minutes.
Except for first 5 minutes water immersion, water rises
through the two edges is higher than the middle part.
KAB 1
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Homogeneity Measurement
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
0246810
Pixel distance (cm)
Gray value
12
KAB 2KAB 1
Figure 4. Gray value vs. pixel distance curve.
Water penetrating/rising behavior of KAB 2
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
0
1.8
3.72 5.64 7.68 9.99
0
2.28 3.51 4.71 6.36 8.07
9.9
10.7 0.09 1.53 2.76 4.89 5.99 9.18 10.6
0
0.87 1.89 3.39 5.19 6.69 8.76 10.7
Sample width (cm)
Water rising heig
h
(cm)
05min 10min 15min 20min
Figure 5. Water penetrating height at different immersion time for KAB 2.
Water penetrating height through the middle zone for
KAB1 sample at 5, 10, 15 and 20 minute is 5 cm, 8.1 cm,
8.4 cm and 10.6 cm (Figure 6), respectively. In that case
the water rising through the two edges and the middle is
almost same for individual immersion case. The relation
of incremental intrusion area which is indicated in the
Figures 2 and 3 of neutron radiographic images of the
KAB samples at different immersion time is directly re-
lated to the IRA.
mersion zone of the immersed samples. After irradiation
of the test (wet) samples KAB 1 & KAB 2, obtained the
radiographic images of the wet samples by following the
procedure (f) cited in the experimental part on neutron
radiographic/Agfa structurix D4DW film as a latent im-
age using neutron radiography method. For visualize this
image it is transferred to the PC using high resolution
camera and is viewed in the computer screen by the im-
age analysis software Image J. With the help of this
software, the total pixel distance corresponds to the total
breath/length/height of the sample is calculated along
x/y-axis. From that measurement, the number of pix-
els/cm breath or length or height of the sample is found.
In the present investigation, the actual water length in a
pan is 2 cm. So, by subtracting the actual water absorp-
tion zone (height, 2 cm) from the total water absorption
zone of the immersed sample, incremental intrusion zone
is found. This subtraction is done by the image analysis
software. But, black area and gray area can clearly be
5.3. Determination of Incremental Intrusion
Zone and Black/Gray Area
In the Figures 2 and 3 is indicating the incremental in-
trusion zone i.e ., water is entering into a zone/place
without encroachment and also shows the blue straight
line. This blue line separates the actual immersion zone
and the incremental intrusion zone of the immersed sam-
ples. Lower zone of the blue line is the actual immersion
zone and the upper zone indicates the incremental im-

Quality Study of Automated Machine Made Environmentally Friendly Brick (KAB) Sample Using
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Water penetrating/rising behavior of KAB 1
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
0
3.056 7.907 11.31 2.457 5.261 7.151 10.21 1.544 4.977 7.938 10.27
0
4.127 8.159 9.419
Sample width (cm)
Water rising height (c
m
05min 10min 15min 20min
(cm)
Figure 6. Water penetrating height at different immersion time for KAB 1.
distinguished only by taking radiographic images of the
test sample with the help of neutron radiography (NR)
method and the image analysis software. Because, Neu-
tron radiography is a process of making a picture of the
internal details of an object by the selective absorption of
a neutron beam by the object and is a very efficient tool
to enhance investigations in the field of non-destructive
testing (NDT) as well as in many fundamental research
applications. On the other hand, it is suitable for a num-
ber of tasks and impossible for conventional X-ray radi-
ography. The advantage of neutrons compared to X-rays
is the ability to image light elements (i.e. with low
atomic numbers) such as hydrogen, water, carbon etc and
can be distinguished gray area/black area of the radio-
graphic image of the sample taken by the neutron radi-
ography method.
5.4. Water Penetrating Behavior
Weng et al. studied that water absorption decreased sig-
nificantly when the temperature increased due to the
formation of the amorphous phase at high firing tem-
perature. During the manufacturing time if the clay mix-
ture absorbs more water, brick exhibits a larger pore size,
resulting in a lower density. Depending on the H2O ab-
sorption time of brick, observe differences in capillary
absorption [36]. From the present investigation it also
shows that the water rising/penetrating behavior through
the different brick samples is like as stair, capillary, wave,
zigzag shape. The resulting shape of the penetrating
water into the different brick sample is shown in Figures
5 and 6.
5.5. Initial Rapid Absorption (IRA)
It is the measurement of the absorption rate that water is
absorbed by a porous solid. It is related to the durability,
porosity, pore size distribution and water absorption. It is
sometimes called rising damp. The quantity, sizes and
connection of pores influence the absorption rate of the
brick. The IRA is reported in units of g/(30 in2·min) [37].
In the present case, IRA is measured in units of gm/
cm3/min. Robinson [37] described three stages of capil-
lary absorption. IRA stage is one of them. The results of
IRA measurement are shown in Fi gure 7.
In the case of KAB 2, the initial rapid absorption of
water is less and for KAB 1 it is higher than KAB 2. At a
glance the IRA for KAB brick sample can be written as
KAB 2 < KAB 1. Low values of water absorption ob-
tained in this study indicate that the clay bricks produced
were poorly porous. Internal structure of the brick is ex-
pected to be intensive enough to avoid intrusion of water
[36].
Dr. Robinson [37] found a relationship between capil-
larity and freeze thaw durability. He stated that durability
is a function of the pore structure and the nature of the
fired bond. On the other hand, capillary absorption meas-
ures how well water moves through the brick, then it
must have some bearing on the efflorescence potential.
Theoretically, the rate of capillary absorption influences
the bond between brick and mortar (mixture of lime, wa-
ter and sand). York dale did not believe that there was a
direct relationship between IRA and performance and did
not feel that IRA should be included in ASTM specifica-
tions. This disagreement is probably related to the lack of
information contained in the IRA measurement. Work-
manship plays such a large role in the quality of masonry
that it is hard to definitively identify the influence of
other factors. Rising damp and moisture transfer through
masonry. For a particular type of brick which suggests
Open Access JBCPR

Quality Study of Automated Machine Made Environmentally Friendly Brick (KAB) Sample Using
Film Neutron Radiography Technique
150
Initial rapid absorption for 2 cm water depth
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
0.3
KAB 1KAB 2
Samples name
Absorved wate
r
(gm/cm3/min)
gm/cm
3
/min
Initial rapid absorption for 2 cm water depth
Samples name
Figure 7. IRA measurement for KAB samples.
that the connectivity and orientation of pores also play a
large part in the movement of water in the pores [37].
6. Conclusions
The quality of a brick depends on the proper distribution
of the contents/homogeneity, porosity, water penetrating
behavior etc. in the sample. From the optical density
measurement (Figure 8), it is observed that the optical
density curve for KAB 2 sample is almost straight and
for KAB 1, it shows far from straight line. From the
points of optical density measurement, porosity, homo-
geneity, IRA and water penetrating behavior of view, it is
pointed out that KAB is in good quality. The specific
relationship between the shades of gray or density and
exposure depends on the characteristics of the film emul-
sion and the processing conditions.
This absorption rate for KAB 2 is lower than that of
KAB 1 and the water absorption increases with time
gradually. Figure 9 shows the water absorption charac-
teristics of the samples. This indicates that after 5 min-
utes’ immersion the absorption rate is very slow and be-
comes steady during long immersion time. In the case of
KAB sample, steady time is higher. With higher steady
time, slow absorption rate indicates the good quality.
Many authors [38,39] studied that this absorption de-
pends on submersion time, firing temperature and firing
time. Few authors [40] investigate that when the mixture
absorbs more water, brick exhibits a larger pore size,
resulting in a lighter density.
7. Acknowledgements
Authors would like to thanks to the production manager,
Kapita auto bricks limited, Joypura, Dhamrai, Dhaka,
Bangladesh for supply the sample and to the Ministry of
Science & Technology for their financial aid in order to
R
2
= 0.96
R
2
= 0.9496
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
0123456
KAB 2
KAB 1
Figure 8. Optical densitometric measurement of different
NR images.
H
2
O absorption for 2cm immersion of an object
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
0510 15 2025 3035 40 4550 55 6065 70
Immersion time (min)
Absorbed water (gm/cm
3
)
KAB 1KAB 2
Figure 9. Water absorption rate of the sample (samples are
immersed in water only 2 cm).
collection/completion of this work.
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