*3.4. Efflorescence Test*

According to Ukwatta et al. [29], salt deposits on brick surfaces lead to efflorescence, which detracts from the aesthetics of brick masonry structures. The samples were tested following the procedure given in IS 3495 (part 3) to determine the efflorescence. One random sample from each mixed ratio was selected. A shallow flat bottom tray was taken, and water was poured to a height of 2.5 cm. The samples were placed vertically in the tray and kept until they absorbed the water. When the bricks appeared to dry, the same quantity of water was poured into the tray and evaporated. Once the evaporation occurred, the samples' evaluation was tested on the basis of the classification provided in [28]. In this study, it was observed that there was no efflorescence in brick samples, indicating that none of the samples had been exposed to sulfate attack [28].
