Improvement in Brick Making Properties of Mar and Kabar Soils

Mar and Kabar soils of Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh do not generally yield good bricks. The bricks crack or warp during drying due to high shrinkage characteristics of the soils. This paper discusses the improvements carried out on these soils by additions of various admixtures. Of the various admixtures used viz., lime and surkhi, coal ash and various indigenous sandy soils, the use of lime and surkhi teas found to be the most satisfactory. Surkhi was obtained by heating the same soil of which improvement was required—heating can be done by using the soil as a cover over the brick kiln or on the floor of the kiln. By use of the same soil and the above procedure of making surkhi, use of admixture of lime and surkhi will be both practical and economical in the field.