Caracterização tecnológica de blocos cerâmicos de alvenaria de vedação produzidos por empresas cerâmicas do estado do Espírito Santo

Abstract

This paper aims to characterize hollow ceramic blocks used for sealing masonry produced in 17 ceramic industries in Espirito Santo state. The hollow masonry blocks analyzed had nominal dimensions of 90 mm wide by 190 mm x 190 mm length. This work has a contribution of to reveal for the Espirito Santo state consumers the quality of the masonary sealing blocks that are produced, and also to provide suggestions for modifications in the processes to improve the quality standards. The characterization of the ceramic industries was made through ceramic industries site visits, data questionnaires, and sampling and analysis of ceramic block's geometric, physical and mechanical characteristics according to brazilian standart ABNT NBR 15.270-1: 2005. The results show that none of the analyzed ceramic industries had their sampling lots accepted, what leads us to the conclusion that masonry industries needs to evaluate their supplies and manufacturing processes. To the end, it was conduded that the main corrective actions that needs to be taken by the ceramic industries are to at least one year maturation for the raw material; to correct the mouthpiece dimension; to control the dosage, humidity and uniformity of the ceramic mass, to control the drying intensity and speed, and to control the uniformity and burning temperature of the blocks at a range 900° C.