Suitability of the soils of Monatélé (Centre Cameroon) in the production of fired compressed earth bricks, statistical analysis, and modeling of the mechanical behavior

The present work consists of a statistical study the properties soils locality Monatele used for confection compressed and stabilized earth bricks by calcination. This is based on sixteen (16) samples taken from four (04) sites, namely, Nkolossananga, Nkol-Medock, Avoh, Enieg. results chemical mineralogical tests show that sampled are composed quartz, Kaolinite, Hematite, Muscovite, Calcite, Rutile, Pyroxene, Montmorillonite, Illite, with variable proportions. water content these varies 10.32 to 26.35%. granulometric analysis supported Methylene Blue reveals dominant proportions clay ranging 32.8 53.7%. plasticity test shows studied almost essentially medium clays high depending case. HBR classification identifies them as clayey silty belonging classes A-7–6 A-5. physical–mechanical carried out fired brick specimens density decreases increase temperature, while absorption, flexural strength, compressive strength under same conditions. good correlations between different granular in soils. In particular—0.79 gravels silts and—0.68 sands clays. values methylene blue also interesting percentage silt, 0.52 0.54, respectively. Pearson correlation matrix mechanical density, firing temperature each other. These allow establishment predictive models coefficient R2 = 0.83.