ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the thermal optimization of porous and lightweight clay bricks produced by using agricultural waste. It describes a thermal optimization study of porous and lightweight clay bricks produced by using an agricultural residue. In this study, thermal conductivity properties of fired bricks, the weight ratio of additive, firing temperature, and firing time experimental parameters were determined by Box-Behnken experimental design and their relationships were investigated. The heat transfer behavior of microporous materials can be described as, employing convection, radiation, and conduction mechanisms. Thermal conductivity is a valuable material property that plays a crucial role in the heat transfer calculations of the construction materials with the aim of heat insulation. Minimization of thermal conductivity in the production of porous bricks was realized with four different optimization algorithms for two problems, including discrete and continuous domain constraints.
