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Lecture Seven

Concrete Block

Characteristics of concrete masonry units:

Characteristics of concrete masonry units: Concrete blocks (or bricks, if they are small and solid) are made by pouring concrete into metal molds, dumping them quickly, then curing under steam.

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Comparison between CMUs & conventional burned clay brick: 1) Size: CMUs do not require firing in a kiln. Thus they can be made much larger (~8x). 2) Reduced volumetric cost: Concrete blocks cost less per unit volume. (This refers to the size of the block regardless of holes, there is generally less material in a concrete block than in the equal volume of brick). 3) Reduced construction time and cost: a reinforced structural CMU wall can be 1 layer thick; because the blocks are larger, the number of courses is reduced(~3x). 4) End cost advantage: a. Brick wall 20cm thick cost $78/m2 b. CMU wall 20cm thick costs $30/m2

Three basic types of concrete block: 1) Hollow non-loadbearing (i.e. it can not support joists) 2) Hollow loadbearing 3) Solid loadbearing (included concrete brick)

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Appearance: 1) Common surface finish is plain concrete available in fine, medium, and coarse. 2) Block shapes are available with geometric designs (common for outdoor uses). 3) Glazing is possible; it involves thermosetting with a plastic binder. 4) Colored aggregate can be used (used in plain or patterned block).

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Shapes: Concrete blocks come in a variety of different shapes, some of which are as follows: 1) Stretcher (standard size) 2) Corner 3) Half 4) Jamb 5) Lintel 6) Bullnose

Size: Although sizes of concrete blocks vary, standard concrete blocks are said to be those with a face that is 40cm wide by 20cm high. Blocks are usually sold in thicknesses of 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 cm (i.e. 4, 6, 8, 10, & 12). The thickness depends on the usage of the block. Uses of the standard thicknesses are as follows: 1) 10cm: used only for partitions, not sufficient for loadbearing. 2) 15cm: may be used for partitions, or in a minimal loadbearing capacity.

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3) 20cm: used in typical single floor structural loadbearing capacity. 4) 25cm & 30cm: can be used in loadbearing capacity up to 3 or 4 floors. Reinforcement Conventional methods of reinforcing concrete block walls: 1) Vertically: re-bars are passed through the sells (vertical holes), and concrete is poured in to secure the re-bars. This gives the wall tensile strength. 2) Horizontally: re-bars are laid in the mortar joints. This provides crack control. 3) Bond beam: re-bars are run through a layer of blocks at the top of the wall. This ties the wall together.

Composite walls: Many concrete block walls are given a single layer brick face, or a stone veneer face. This is done with ties in much the same manner as veneer walls are attached to wood frame construction.

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Stone

Three categories of stone: 1) Igneous: solidified directly from the molten state, this is the hardest and least porous stone. 2) Sedimentary: sand and decomposed material carried by water, and settled, this is the softest and most porous stone. 3) Metamorphic: sedimentary materials which are further hardened by a combination of pressure, heat, and moisture, close in hardness compared with igneous stone.

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Common stone building material: 1) Granite: Igneous, extremely hard (and non-porous), used commonly as veneer. 2) Limestone, Sandstone: sedimentary stones that differ based on their composition, they are soft, fairly porous, easily worked, and are used both as a veneer and as structural material. 3) Marble: metamorphic, harder than limestone or sandstone, and more durable, still fairly easily worked. Mostly a decorative material 4) Slate: metamorphic, a smooth, dark, waterproof material used frequently in floors, and as shingles. 5) Travertine: sedimentary, a soft porous stone used decoratively in interior uses only. 6) Soapstone: sedimentary, used for counters.

Stone Masonry Because stone is very expensive to quarry, to cut, and to transport, structural stone masonry is very rarely seen today.

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Shape of stones in walls: Though stones are always cut, a distinction is made between those cut at random, with flat faces, and those cut into rectangular solids. The first is referred to as rubble, while the second is referred to as ashlar.

Layering of stone in walls: 1) Horizontal layers: for either rubble or ashlar, you find both coursed and uncoursed walls. Although it is easier to build in courses (continuous horizontal joints), some walls are deliberately uncoursed for effect (e.g. allusions to the past). 2) Vertical layer: in a given wall, good quality large stone are used only for the outer surfaces, with smaller rubble, or brick infill.

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Finish of stone masonry: 1) Roughed: the outer surface of the stone may be cut in such a way that it looks uncut. This treatment is commonly found at the base of a building (such as this one). 2) Rustication: grooves are left at the edges of the stones to provide extra definition of the joints. Traditionally this is used as a transition between the roughed stone and the smooth stone. 3) Smooth: there are a number of finished that can be applied to relatively smooth stones, depending on the device used.

Stone Veneer Although stone is too expensive in general for structural purposes, because of its durability it can be effectively used for surface applications. Choice of stone is determined by color, texture, desired hardness, and weight, with a multitude of options available.

Types of stone veneers: 1) Flooring 2) Sheets 3) Tiles 4) Terrazzo 5) Panels (refer to curtain walls)

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Applications of stone veneers: 1) Interior: as a wall or floor covering, generally for public area like lobbies, corridors. 2) Exterior: as a cladding, for the base, for spandrel panels, or for the entire building.

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