Contribution to study influence of water quality on the mechanical properties of bricks based on traditional gypsum stabilized by cement

The aim of the work presented is to study the possibility of using traditional gypsum, which is found in considerable quantities in southern Algeria, to prepare bricks with sufficient mechanical characteristics to qualify them for the various applications and uses in construction. The improvement of the mechanical properties of traditional gypsum was carried out in two phases: the first phase by adding white cement with different mass ratios of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5%. The results showed that the addition of 2% of white cement gave the best value to make the bricks more resistant to traction and compression.The second phase of the study aims to study the durability and knowledge of the effect of water on traditional plaster bricks and white cement. After determining the best C2 sample of 98% traditional plaster and 2% cement, we placed these samples in drinking water baths and the others in aggressive water baths in 7 days, 14 days, 21 days, 28 days, 60 days and 90 days. After applying the mechanical tests of all the samples on the specified dates, we found that the mechanical results increased with time