Dissertação de Mestrado
The growing environmental impact of the construction industry and the need to improve energy efficiency have driven research into bioconcretes, which incorporate organic waste, such as sawdust. This study evaluates how different fractions of sawdust affect the mechanical and thermal properties of bioconcrete, focusing on vertical sealing elements with good thermal performance and low environmental impact. The process involved five stages: material characterization, mold preparation, evaluation of mechanical and physical properties (compression strength, absorption, specific mass, and void index), production of panels with different sawdust fractions (35% a 55%), and thermal analysis through a thermal chamber, with sensors to measure thermal conductivity at various temperatures. The final stage consisted of analytical validation of the data obtained from the thermal tests using computational simulations. The results indicated that the addition of sawdust reduced the compressive strength, especially at higher quantities. The mixture with 15% sawdust exhibited the highest strength, reaching 33 MPa after 3 days of curing, while the mixture with 45% showed significantly lower strength. However, the mixtures with higher sawdust content gradually regained strength over time. Additionally, water absorption and the void index increased, indicating higher porosity and water retention capacity. Thermally, the mixtures with more sawdust showed better insulation properties, favoring thermal control. The computational simulations, based on the experimental data, showed differences compared to the thermal conductivity values found in the literature, validating the use of the thermal chamber as an empirical method and confirming the potential of sawdust-based bioconcrete in reducing the thermal load of buildings.
Date: 19/05/2025
ResearchLine
- Architecture, Project and Sustainability
Person
- Beatriz Temtemples de Carvalho
- Fabrício Pimentel Gaspar da Silva [author]
- Guilherme Chagas Cordeiro
- Reila Vargas Velasco [coordinator]
- Sylvia Meimaridou Rola
- Thiago Melo Grabois [contributor]
Course
- Master of Architecture PROARQ