The Use of Brown Coal Pond Ash as a Replacement of Cement in Concrete Masonry Bricks

OBJECTIVES

Develop an optimised mix design for geopolymer concrete bricks using brown coal pond ash and other additives

Test the strength and durability of the bricks to meet building standards

Study the environmental and cost benefits of using pond ash bricks compared to traditional concrete.

Improve the product design for large-scale manufacturing and test it in a real-world construction project with AGL

Team

David Law

Lead Researcher

Md. Hamidul Islam

PhD

Partners

AGL Energy Ltd

Ash Development Association of Australia

Acciona

Progress

SUMMARY

This project aims to turn brown coal pond ash—an industrial waste—into a valuable resource by developing geopolymer bricks that could replace traditional cement bricks. Building on earlier research that proved the concept, the project is now focused on refining the brick recipe and making it ready for commercial production.
Researchers from RMIT, in partnership with AGL Loy Yang, Ash Development Association, and Acciona, are developing bricks that replace up to 80% of cement with pond ash. Advanced modelling techniques have been used to optimise the design, and field trials are planned for the Suburban Rail Loop project. The goal is to create a practical solution for reusing large volumes of pond ash stored in Australia’s dams.

OPPORTUNITIES

Access to industry and government funding for scaling up the technology

Real-world demonstration through the Suburban Rail Loop project

Creation of new construction materials that reduce landfill waste and carbon emissions

Strong collaborations between universities, industry, and government for ongoing product development and testing

Potential for global adoption to address pond ash waste in other countries