# Development of Fiber Reinforced Sustainable Dredge Bricks
## 4 Conclusions  
In an effort to alleviate the burden placed on ports and waterways in managing dredged waste, we explored the potential of utilizing dredged material as the principal component in the production of compressed stabilized earth bricks. Dredge material was mixed in different compositions with classic stabilizing agents such as Portland cement, hydrated lime, and synthetic and natural fibers. The novelty of our approach is the  
Figure 5: CSEB before and after erosion test.  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c} \hline \hline
**Brick** & \begin{tabular}{c} **Average Pit** \\ **Depth (mm)** \\ \end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}{c} **Maximum Pit** \\ **Depth (mm)** \\ \end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}{c} **Mass Before** \\ **Spray Test (lb)** \\ \end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}{c} **Mass after** \\ **(lb)** \\ \end{tabular} & \
\begin{tabular}{c} **Mass Loss** \\ **(lb)** \\ \end{tabular} &
\begin{tabular}{c} **Mass Loss** \\ **(%)** \\ \end{tabular} \\ \hline No Coating/No Fiber & 3.1 & 5.0 & 7.061 & 6.952 & 0.109 & 1.544 \\ Enviro-Create & 0.0 & 0.0 & 6.840 & 6.916 & \(-\)0.076 & \(-\)1.111 \\ Lime-Sand Mortar & N/A & N/A & N/A & N/A & N/A & N/A \\ No Coating/Kenaf Fiber & 2.1 & 3.3 & 6.534 & 6.344 & 0.190 & 2.908 \\ No Coating/PVA Fiber & 7.2 & 10.0 & 5.617 & 5.357 & 0.260 & 4.629 \\ No Coating/Polyester Fiber & 2.2 & 2.8 & 6.582 & 6.378 & 0.204 & 3.099 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table}
Table 2: Results from erosion test on uncoated and coated bricks.  
possibility of using about 80% DM in the brick composition. Strength tests showed that the unconfined compressive strength of the proposed mixed design at 7 and 28 days, respectively, was 1070 psi and 1394 psi which meet the minimum strength requirement of 300 psi by the New Mexico Code for compressed earth block production. The strength behavior was negatively impacted by the addition of any type of fibers although fibers of polyester and kenaf did not significantly decrease the flexural strength of the bricks. Erosion tests revealed that these two types of fiber could help reduce damage from weathering if mixed thoroughly. Uncoated bricks have significant absorption of about 13.6% while the lime stabilized sand coated was somewhat better with an absorption of 9.4%. The Enviro-Crete performed significantly better with an absorption of only 0.8%. Only bricks with Enviro-Crete coating meet the maximum of 2.5% requirement. Erosion test results also show no indentation (zero pit depth) for bricks with Enviro-Crete coating.  
Conceptualization, T.T.M.N., M.J. and P.B.; methodology, T.T.M.N. and S.R.; validation, C.H., T.O., A.R., M.M. and R.M.; formal analysis, Z.L., C.-W.Y., M.J. and P.B.; writing--original draft preparation, all authors; writing--review and editing, T.T.M.N., M.J. and P.B.; supervision, M.J. and P.B.; funding acquisition, T.T.M.N., M.J. and P.B. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.  
The partial support of the Welch Foundation (V-0004) and of the Center for Advances in Port Management (2021) are gratefully acknowledged.  
Not applicable.  
Data availability Statement: Data is contained within the article.  
The authors also wish to thank [PERSON] and [PERSON] for their advice on using the hydraulic brick press (Impact 2001A) and [PERSON], for providing insights and ideas on the current state of research on CSEB.  
The authors declare no conflict of interest.