Drying of brick clay is the most important stage in brick manufacturing. Small cracksmay develop during the drying of the clay body and thiscaus e failure during firing step of the brick. Drying strains increase as the drying shrinkage increase and clay body is more susceptible to cracking. Pulp residue addition increased the drying shrinkage of the clay body and also water demand for plasticity (Table 3). However, increase in drying shrinkage was not so high as in plasticity water
increment. Up to 5% residue addition change in drying shrinkage is not so much pronounced. It was considered that, being hollow and absorbent nature of cellulose fibberss tabilizesthe drying behaviour of the clay body despite the increase in water demand. Ten percent residue addition was found to be unsuitable because of increase in drying shrinkage. Residue addition slightly increased the dry bending strength of clay body up to 5% addition (Table 4). Ten percent addition lowered the bending strength. Increase in dry bending strength of clay body is possibly due to the fiber strengthening effect of residue, which has fibrous shape. Increase in bending strength is found to be very useful for the preventing
handling problemsof the clay-brick.