Development of Wood-Crete building materials from sawdust and waste paper

This study was to develop a new building material, Wood-Crete, using sawdust, waste paper and Tradical lime. The paper presents the processing technologies, factors which affect the performance of the developed composites, and properties of Wood-Crete. The results showed that lightweight sustainable blocks can be produced with good insulating and other relevant properties for building construction with density ranging from 356 to 713 kg/m3 and compressive strength from 0.06 to 0.80 MPa. The properties were closely related to the composition of Wood-Crete with an addition of waste paper being a dominant influence on both strength and thermal conductivity, reflecting its effect on the structure of composite and contribution of self strength of paper fibres. The combined effect of sawdust and waste paper and Tradical lime had a direct effect on the strength properties of Wood-Crete. Of significant importance was the contribution of self strength of Wood-Crete due to the influence of the size of sawdust particles used. The developed Wood-Crete was able to withstand considerable amount of impact load and considered, like hempcrete, most suitable for wall panelling or other non- and semi-structural applications with good thermal insulating properties.

► Lightweight blocks produced with insulating properties for building construction.
► Blocks used as insulating materials with thermal conductivity of 0.046–0.069 W/m K.
► Highest compressive strength of 0.08 MPa with density of 473 kg/m3.
► Addition of waste paper had a dominant influence strength and thermal conductivity.
► Influence of sawdust size with 2 mm sieve being more suitable than 3 mm sawdust.