LECTURE #01

Bricks
Bricks are blocks of tampered clay molded to suitable shapes and sizes while it is
still in plastic condition, dried in the sun and burnt.
Classification
Bricks are broadly classified Into Two Categories
1) Sun Dried Bricks Or Kacha bricks
2) Burnt bricks or Pucca bricks
1) Sun dried bricks
These bricks after moulding have been dried in the sun and are used in the
construction of temporary and cheap structures. These types of bricks should not
be used at places of heavy rains.
2) Burnt bricks or Pucca
These are of the following four types
a) First class bricks
 These are well burnt bricks of uniform color.
 These are free from cracks.
 Scratch with finger nails leaves no mark
 These do not absorb more than 20% of their weight of water
 When struck with each other give a sharp metallic ringing sound
 These are free from nodules of free lime
Uses: used in face work of structures not to be plastered
Used in flooring and reinforced brickwork
b) Second class bricks
These are as hard and well burnt bricks as the first class but may be somewhat
irregular in shape or size and may have slight rough surface.
The crushing strength of this brick-type should be above 70 kg/cm2.
These bricks don't absorb more than 22% water of its own weight after 24 hours
immersion in fresh water.
These bricks may have hair cracks and their edges may not be sharp and uniform.
Uses: used in unimportant situations or in places where the masonry is to be
plastered.
Used as brick ballast in RCC work and in lime concrete.
c) Third Class Bricks:
 These are under burnt bricks ,

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 these are soft

 These have lighter color
 These emit a dull sound when struck against each other
 It doesn't absorb more than 25% water of its own weight when immersed 24
hours in fresh water.
 Crushing strength of this type is more than 35 kg/cm2?.
Uses: these are used in temporary constructions not subjected to heavy loads or too
heavy rains
d) Over Burnt Bricks:
These are over burnt bricks that are being near the fire in the kiln get fused and
lose their shape
Uses:
Used in the foundations of structures
Used as aggregate for concrete
Used as road metal
Nomenclature of cut bricks
I. Nomenclature based on brick size
Frequently, the Builder must cut the brick into various shapes. The most common
shapes are shown in figure .They are called half or bat, three-quarter closure,
quarter closure, king closure, queen closure, and split. They are used to fill in
the spaces at corners and such other places where a full brick will not fit.
The six surfaces of a brick are called the cull, the beds, the side, the end, and the
face, as shown

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ii. Nomenclature based on climatic conditions

This type of classification divides brick into grades according to the probable
climatic conditions to which it is to be exposed.

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GRADE SW is brick designed to withstand exposure to below-freezing

temperatures in a moist climate like that of the northern regions of our country.
GRADE MW is brick designed to withstand exposure to below-freezing
temperatures in a drier climate than that mentioned in the previous paragraph.
GRADE NW is brick primarily intended for interior or backup brick. It may be
used exposed, however, in a region where no frost action occurs, or in a region
where frost action occurs, but the annual rainfall is less than 15 in.
Standard Tests of Bricks
Burnt clay bricks are subjected to the following tests
a) Test for compressive strength (crushing strength)
b) Test for water absorption
c) Test for efflorescence
a) Test for compressive strength (crushing strength)
The brick specimen is immersed in water for 24 hours. The frog of the brick is
filled flush with 1:3 cement mortar and the specimen is stored in damp jute bag for
24 hours and then immersed in clean water for 24 hours. The specimen is placed in
compression testing machine with 6 mm plywood on top and bottom of it to get
uniform load on the specimen. Then load is applied axially at a uniform rate of 14
N/mm2. The crushing load is noted. Then the crushing strength is the ratio of
crushing load to the area of brick loaded. Average of five specimens is taken as the
crushing strength.
b) Test for water absorption
Brick specimens are weighed dry. Then they are immersed in water for a period of
24 hours. The specimen are taken out and wiped with cloth. The weight of each
specimen in wet condition is determined. The difference in weight indicates the
water absorbed. Then the percentage absorption is the ratio of water absorbed to
dry weight multiplied by 100. The average of five specimens is taken.
Water absorption=w2-w1/w1 *100
Where w1=weight of dry brick
W2=weight of wet brick after 24 hours immersion in water
c) Test for efflorescence

Efflorescence is a fine, white, powdery deposit of water-soluble salts left on the

surface of masonry as the water evaporates. These efflorescent salt deposits tend to

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appear at the worst times; usually about a month after the building is constructed,
and sometimes as long as a year after completion.
Place the brick specimen on its end in a glass dish containing water to a depth of
25 mm in a well-ventilated room. After all the water is absorbed or evaporated
again add water for a depth of 25 mm. After second evaporation observe the bricks
for white/grey patches. The observation is reported as ‘nil’, ‘slight’, ‘moderate’,
‘heavy’ or serious to mean
(a) Nil: No patches
(b) Slight: 10% of area covered with deposits
(c) Moderate: 10 to 50% area covered with deposit but unaccompanied by flaking
of the surface.
(d) Heavy: More than 50 percent area covered with deposits but unaccompanied by
flaking of the surface.
(e) Serious: Heavy deposits of salt accompanied by flaking of the surface.
Qualities of Good Bricks
The qualities of good bricks are as listed below:
Colour
Colour should be uniform and bright.
Shape
Bricks should have plane faces. They should have sharp and truly right angled
corners.
Texture
Bricks should have fine, dense and uniform texture. A fractured surface should not
show fissures, cavities, loose grit and unburnt lime.
Size
Bricks should be of standard size as prescribed by the standard code.
Soundness
Bricks should give a metallic sound when struck with a hammer or with another
brick.
Strength
Crushing strength of bricks should be as high as possible. The Indian Standard
code does not permit the use of any brick with crushing strength of less than
55kg/cm2. A field test for strength is that when dropped flat from a height of 0.9m
to 1m on a hard ground, the brick should not break into pieces.
Water absorption

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After immersing bricks in cold water for 24 hours, water absorption of bricks
should not be more than 20 per cent by weight. For class-I works, this limit is 15
per cent.
Efflorescence
Bricks should not show white patches when soaked in water for 24 hours and then
allowed to dry in shade. White patches are due to the presence of sulphates of
calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium, and they keep the masonry
permanently in a damp and wet condition.
Thermal conductivity
Bricks should have low thermal conductivity so that buildings built with them are
cool in summer and warm in winter.
Sound insulation
Heavier bricks are poor insulators of sound while light weight and hollow bricks
provide good sound insulation. The strength and sound insulation properties of
bricks contradict each other. Hence, bricks with unnecessarily too high strength
(heavy bricks) need not be used.
Fire resistance
Fire resistance of bricks is usually good. In fact sometimes bricks are used to
encase steel columns as a measure of fire protection.

Defects in bricks
Over burning of bricks: Bricks should be burnt at temperatures at which
incipient, complete and viscous vitrification occur. However, if the bricks are over
burnt, a soft molten mass is produced and the bricks lose their shape. Such bricks
are not used for construction works.
Under burning of bricks: When bricks are not burnt to cause complete
vitrification, the clay is not softened because of insufficient heat and the pores are
not closed. This results in higher degree of water absorption and less compressive
strength. Such bricks are not recommended for construction works.

Bloating: This defect observed as spongy swollen mass over the surface of burnt
bricks is caused due to the presence of excess carbonaceous matter and sulphur in
brick-clay.
Black core: When brick-clay contains bituminous matter or carbon and they are
not completely removed by oxidation, the brick results in black core mainly
because of improper burning.
Efflorescence:

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This defect is caused because of alkalis present in bricks. When bricks come in
contact with moisture, water is absorbed and the alkalis crystallize. On drying grey
or white powder patches appear on the brick surface.
Chuffs: The deformation of the shape of bricks caused by the rain water falling on
hot bricks is known as chuffs
Spots: Iron sulphide, if present in the brick clay, results in dark surface spots on
the brick surfaces. Such bricks though not harmful are unsuitable for exposed
masonry work.
Brick earth
Composition:
For the preparation of bricks, clay or other suitable earth is molded to the desired
shape after subjecting it to several processes. After drying, it should not shrink and
no crack should develop. The clay used for brick making consists mainly of silica
and alumina mixed in such a proportion that the clay becomes plastic when water
is added to it. It also consists of small proportions of lime, iron, manganese,
sulphur, etc. The proportions of various ingredients are as follows:
Silica 50 to 60%
Alumina 20 to 30%
Lime 10%
Magnesia less than 1%
Ferric oxide less than 7%
Alkalis less than 10%
Functions of various ingredients of brick earth
Silica: It enables the brick to retain its shape and imparts durability, prevents
shrinkage and warping. Excess of silica makes the brick brittle and weak on
burning. A large percentage of sand or uncombined silica in clay is undesirable.
However, it is added to decrease shrinkage in burning and to increase the
refractoriness of low alumina clays.
Alumina: Alumina absorbs water and gives plastic property. If alumina is present
in excess of the specified quantity, it produces cracks in brick on drying. Clays
having exceedingly high alumina content are likely to be very refractory.
Lime: lime normally constitutes less than 10 per cent of brick earth. Lime in brick
clay has the following effects:
1. Reduces the shrinkage on drying.
2. Causes silica in clay to melt on burning and thus helps to bind it.
3. In carbonated form, lime lowers the fusion point.
4. Excess of lime causes the brick to melt and the brick loses its shape.

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5. Red bricks are obtained on burning at considerably high temperature (more than
800°C)
and buff-burning bricks are made by increasing the lime content.
Magnesia: Magnesia rarely exceeding 1 per cent affects the color and makes the
brick yellow, in burning; it causes the clay to soften at slower rate than in most
case is lime and reduces warping.
Iron oxide: Iron oxide constituting less than 7 per cent of clay, imparts the
following properties:
1. Gives red color on burning when excess of oxygen is available and dark brown
or even black color when oxygen available is insufficient; however, excess of
ferric oxide makes the brick dark blue.
2. Improves impermeability and durability.
3. Tends to lower the fusion point of the clay, especially if present as ferrous oxide.
4. Gives strength and hardness.
Different types of bricks:
Facing Brick
Facing brick are intended for use in both structural and nonstructural masonry,
including veneer, where appearance is a requirement.
Hollow Brick
Hollow brick are used as either building or facing brick but have a greater void
area. Most hollow brick are used as facing brick in anchored veneer. Hollow brick
with very large cores are used in reinforced brickwork and contain steel
reinforcement and grout.
Building Brick
Building brick are intended for use in both structural and nonstructural brickwork
where appearance is not a requirement. Building brick are typically used as a
backing material.
Thin Brick
Thin veneer brick have normal face dimensions but a reduced thickness. They are
used in adhered veneer applications.
Paving Brick
Paving brick are intended for use as the wearing surface on clay paving systems.
As such they are subject to pedestrian and light or heavy vehicular traffic.
Glazed Brick
Glazed brick have a ceramic glaze finish fused to the brick body. The glaze can be
applied before or after the firing of the brick body. These brick may be used as
structural or facing components in masonry.

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Block
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
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
Most common sizes of concrete blocks:
16in x 8in x 8in(410mmx200mmx200mm)
390mm x190x190
400mm x 150x 200

Solid concrete block is also becoming popular, especially in the northern part of N-
W.F.P or Azad Kashmir because of the unavailability of brick kiln and high cost of
brick imported from other part of the country. The blocks are manufactured in
small factories in semi-automatic machines. The different sizes of blocks produced
are 12 x 8 x 6 inch (30.5 x 20.3 x 15.2 mm), 12 x 8 x 5 inch (30.5 x 20.3 x 12.7
mm) and 12x 8 x 4 inch (30.5 x 20.3 x 10.1 mm) (length x width x thickness).
Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Agency (EERA) construction
guideline-2006 recommends 12 x 8 x 6 inch (30.5 x 20.3 x 15.2 mm) concrete
block for the construction of building.

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