Subject: CIVIL ENGINEERING MATERIALS

UNIT-2: TILES & BRICKS

BRICKS
The common brick is one of the oldest building material and it is extensively used at present
as a leading material in construction because of its durability, strength, reliability, low cost,
easy availability, easy to handle etc.. Bricks are used for building up exterior and interior
walls, partitions, footings and other load bearing structures.
The Great Wall of China (210 BC) was built with bricks. The other examples of the use of
bricks in early stage of civilization could be in Rome. A number of country farm houses still
exist in Great Britain and profess to be the monuments of the excellent hand –made bricks. A
brick is rectangular in shape and of size that can be conveniently handled with one hand.
Bricks may be made of burnt clay or mixture of sand and lime (or) of Portland cement
concrete.
● Size of a standard brick (modular brick) should be 19 x 9 x 9 cm.
● However, the bricks available in most part of the country still are 9” x 4 ½” x 3” and
are known as field bricks. Weight of such a brick is 3.0 kg.
Comparison of Brickwork and Stonework: The brickwork is superior to the stonework in
the following respects:
● At places where stones are not easily available but where there is plenty of clay,
brickwork becomes cheaper than stonework.
● The cost of construction works out to be less in case of brickwork than stonework as
less skilled labour is required in the construction of brickwork.
● No lifting devices are necessary to carry bricks as they can be easily moved by labour.
● The bricks resist various atmospheric effects better than stones. In case of brickwork,
the mortar joints are thin and hence the structure becomes more durable.
● It is easy to construct connections and openings in case of brickwork than stonework.

Characteristics of Good Brick:

The essential requirements for building, bricks are sufficient strength in crushing, regularity
in size, and a pleasing appearance when exposed to view.
Size and shape: The bricks should have uniform in size, rectangular surfaces with parallel
sides and sharp straight edges.
Colour: The brick should have a uniform deep red (or) cherry colour as indicative of
uniformity in chemical composition and thoroughness in the burning of the brick.
Texture and compactness: The surfaces should not be too smooth to cause slipping of
mortar. The brick should have uniform texture and should not show fissures, holes etc.
Hardness and soundness: The brick should be so hard that when scratched by a finger nail
no impression is made. When two bricks are struck together, a metallic sound should be
produced.
Water Absorption: should not exceed 20% of its dry weight when kept immersed in water
for 24 hours to 48 hours.
Crushing Strength: should not be less than 10 N / mm2.

COMPOSITION / INGREDIENTS OF GOOD BRICK EARTH: For the preparation of

bricks, clay is usually used. 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, magnesium, sulphur etc.. The proportions of
various ingredients and functions are as follows:
Silica 50 – 60 %
Alumina 20 – 30 %
Calcium 10 %
Mg < 1 %
Ferric Oxide < 7 %
Alkalis < 10 % 20 %
SO3; H2O < 2 %

Silica: A good brick earth should contain about 50% to 60% of silica. The presence of silica
constituent prevents cracking, shrinking in bricks thus imparts uniform shape to the bricks.
Excess of silica makes the brick brittle and weak on burning. The durability of bricks depends
on the proper proportion of silica in brick earth.
Alumina: A good brick earth should contain about 20 to 30% of alumina. If alumina is
present in excess, with inadequate quantity of sand the raw bricks shrink and it produces
cracks during drying and burning and become too hard when burnt.
Lime (calcium): A small quantity of lime not exceeding 10% is desirable in good brick earth.
The excess of lime causes the brick to melt and hence its shape is lost and also results in
splitting of bricks into pieces.
Magnesia: if exceeds 1%, affects the color and makes the brick yellow. Excess of magnesia
content leads to the decay of bricks.
Iron – oxide usually constitutes < 7%. If it exceeds 7%, the brick becomes dark blue. When
excess of oxygen is available, the bricks becomes dark brown or black color on burning.
Harmful Substances in Brick Earth: Following are the ingredients which are undesirable in
the brick earth:
Lime: When lime is present in lumps, it absorbs moisture, swells and causes disintegration of
the bricks.
Pebbles, Gravels: The presence of pebbles of any kind is undesirable in brick earth because
it will not allow the clay to be mixed uniformly and thoroughly which will result in weak and
porous bricks. Also the brick containing pebbles will not break regularly as desired.
Alkalis: These are mainly in the form of soda and potash. When alkalis present in excess, the
bricks become unsymmetrical / lose their shape. Further, the presence of excess alkalis
content absorb moisture from the atmosphere. Such moisture, when evaporated, leaves
behind grey or white deposits on the wall surface and the appearance of the building as a
whole is then seriously spoiled
Organic Matter: The presence of organic matter in the brick earth, which is not burnt in
case, the bricks become porous and the strength is reduced.
Sulphur & Carbon: Sulphur is usually found in clay as the sulphates of Calcium (CaSO 4);
magnesium (MgSO4); Sodium (NaSO4); Potassium (K2SO4) and iron sulphides (FeS2). If,
however, there is carbon in the clay and insufficient time is given during burning for proper
oxidation of carbon and sulphur, the latter will cause the formation of a spongy, swollen
structure in the brick.
Manufacturing of Bricks
In the process of manufacturing of bricks, the following four distinct operations are involved:
1. Preparation of clay / Brick earth
2. Moulding
3. Drying
4. Burning

→— Brick

Fig.1 Operations Involved in Manufacturing of Clay

Bricks
1. Preparation of Clay / Brick Earth consists of the following operations:
a) Un-soiling: The soil used for making building bricks should be processed and to be free
from gravel, sand (> 2 mm); lime and kankar particles, organic matter etc. About 200 mm of
the top layer of the earth, normally containing stones, pebbles, gravels, plant roots etc. is
removed after clearing the trees and vegetation.
b) Digging: The clay is then dug out from the ground and is spread on the ground. The height
of heaps of clay on the ground is about 600 mm to 1200 mm. The digging operation should
be done before rains.
c) Weathering: In order to keep it wet, water may be sprayed as often as necessary. The
plasticity and strength of the clay are improved by exposing the clay to weather. The clay/soil
is left in heaps and exposed to weather for at least one month. The soil should be turned over
at least twice and it should be ensured that the entire soil is wet throughout the period of
weathering.
d) Blending: The clay / soil is then mixed with sand and calcareous earth in suitable
proportions to modify the composition of soil uniformly with spades. Addition of water to the
soil at the dumps is necessary for easy mixing and workability. However, the excessive
moisture content may affect the size and shape of the finished brick. The blending makes clay
fit for the next stage of tempering.
e) Tempering: In the process of tempering, the clay is brought to a proper degree of
hardness. The tempering should be done exhaustively to obtain homogeneous mass of clay of
uniform character.
2. MOULDING: It is a process of giving a required shape to the brick from the prepared
brick earth. Moulding may be carried out by hand or by machines. The process of moulding
of bricks may be the soft-mud (hand moulding), the stiff-mud (machine moulding) or the dry
press process (moulding using maximum 10 per cent water and forming bricks at higher
pressures).
Hand moulding: Hand moulding is further classified as ground moulding and table moulding.
Ground moulding:
● In this process, the ground is levelled and sand is sprinkled on it. The moulded bricks
are left on the ground for drying. Such bricks do not have frog and the lower brick
surface becomes too rough.
● To overcome these defects, moulding blocks or boards are used at the base of the
mould. The process consists of shaping in hands a lump of well pugged earth, slightly
more than that of the brick volume. It is then rolled into the sand and with a jerk it is
dashed into the mould.
● The moulder then gives blows with his fists and presses the earth properly in the
corners of the mould with his thumb.
 ● The surplus clay on the top surface is removed with a sharp edge metal plate called
strike or with a thin wire stretched over the mould. After this the mould is given a
gentle slope and is lifted leaving the brick on the ground to dry.
● In this process, the ground is levelled and sand is sprinkled on it. The moulded bricks
are left on the ground for drying.

Table moulding:
● The bricks are moulded on stock boards nailed on the moulding table. Stock boards
have the projection for forming the frog. The process of filling clay in the mould is
the same as ground moulding.
● After this, a thin board called pallet is placed over the mould. The mould containing
the brick is then smartly lifted off the stock board and inverted so that the moulded
clay along with the mould rests on the pallet. The mould is then removed as explained
before and the brick is carried to the drying site.

3. DRYING:
Green bricks contain about 7–30% moisture depending upon the method of manufacture. The
object of drying is to remove the moisture to control the shrinkage and save fuel and time
during burning. The drying shrinkage is dependent upon pore spaces within the clay and the
mixing water. The addition of sand or ground burnt clay reduces shrinkage, increases
porosity and facilities drying. The moisture content is brought down to about 3 per cent under
exposed conditions within three to four days. Thus, the strength of the green bricks is
increased and the bricks can be handled safely. In developing countries, bricks are normally dried in
natural open air. They are stacked on raised ground and are protected from bad weather and direct sunlight.
A gap of about 1.0 m is left in the adjacent layers of the stacks so as to allow free movement
for the workers.

4. BURNING:
The burning of clay may be divided into three main stages.

Dehydration (400-650oc): This is also known as water smoking stage. During dehydration,
(1) the water which has been retained in the pores of the clay after drying is driven off and
them clay loses its plasticity,
(2) some of the carbonaceous matter is burnt,
(3) a portion of sulphur is distilled from pyrites. (
4) Hydrous minerals like ferric hydroxide are dehydrated, and
(5) the carbonate minerals are more or less decarbonated. Too rapid heating causes cracking
or bursting of the bricks. On the other hand, if alkali is contained in the clay or sulphur is
present in large amount in the coal, too slow heating of clay produces a scum on the surface
of the bricks.
Oxidation (650-900oc): During the oxidation period,
(1) remainder of carbon is eliminated and,
(2) the ferrous iron is oxidized to the ferric form. The removal of sulphur is completed only
after the carbon has been eliminated. Sulphur on account of its affinity for oxygen, also holds
back the oxidation of iron.
Consequently, in order to avoid black or spongy cores, oxidation must proceed at such a rate
which will allow these changes to occur before the heat becomes sufficient to soften the clay
and close its pore. Sand is often added to the raw clay to produce a more open structure and
thus provide escape of gases generated in burning.
Vitrification: To convert the mass into glass like substance — the temperature ranges from
900–1100°C for low melting clay and 1000–1250°C for high melting clay. Great care is
required in cooling the bricks below the cherry red heat in order to avoid checking and
cracking. Vitrification period may further be divided into (a) Incipient vitrification, at which
the clay has softened sufficiently to cause adherence but not enough to close the pores or
cause loss of space on cooling the material cannot be scratched by the knife; (b) Complete
vitrification, more or less well-marked by maximum shrinkage; (c) Viscous vitrification,
produced by a further increase in temperature which results in a soft molten mass, a gradual
loss in shape, and a glassy structure after cooling. Generally, clay products are vitrified to the
point of viscosity. However, paving bricks are burnt to the stage of complete vitrification to
achieve maximum hardness as well as toughness. Burning of bricks is done in a clamp or
kiln. A clamp is a temporary structure whereas kiln is a permanent one.

Burning in Clamp or Pazawah: A typical clamp is shown in Fig. 2. The bricks and fuel are
placed in alternate layers. The amount of fuel is reduced successively in the top layers. Each
brick tier consists of 4–5 layers of bricks. Some space is left between bricks for free
circulation of hot gasses. After 30 per cent loading of the clamp, the fuel in the lowest layer is
fired and the remaining loading of bricks and fuel is carried out hurriedly. The top and sides
of the clamp are plastered with mud. Then a coat of cow dung is given, which prevents the
escape of heat. The production of bricks is 2–3 lakhs and the process is completed in six
months. This process yields about 60 per cent first class bricks.

Kiln Burning: The kiln used for burning bricks may be underground, e.g. Bull’s trench kiln
or over ground, e.g. Hoffman’s kiln. These may be rectangular, circular or oval in shape.
When the process of burning bricks is continuous, the kiln is known as continuous kiln, e.g.
Bull’s trench and Hoffman’s kilns. On the other hand if the process of burning bricks is
discontinuous, the kiln is known as intermittent kiln.

Intermittent kiln: The example of this type of an over ground, rectangular kiln is shown in
Fig. 3. After loading the kiln, it is fired, cooled and unloaded and then the next loading is
done. Since the walls and sides get cooled during reloading and are to be heated again during
next firing, there is wastage of fuel.

Continuous kiln: The examples of continuous kiln are Hoffman’s kiln (Fig. 4) and Bull’s
trench kiln (Fig. 5). In a continuous kiln, bricks are stacked in various chambers wherein the
bricks undergo different treatments at the same time. When the bricks in one of the chambers
is fired, the bricks in the next set of chambers are dried and preheated while bricks in the
other set of chambers are loaded and in the last are cooled.

Fig. 2 Clamp or Pazawah Fig. 3 Intermittent Kiln

Fig. 4 Hoffman's Continuous Kiln

 60

Fig.5. Bull's Trench Kiln

TESTING OF BRICK
About fifty pieces of bricks are taken at random from different parts of the stack to perform
various tests. For the purpose of sampling, a lot should contain maximum of 50,000 bricks.

Dimension Test (IS 1077) 20 pieces out of selected pieces (Table 2.3) are taken and are laid
flat as shown in Fig. 2.14. The cumulative dimensions of the bricks should be as discussed in
Sec. 2.5.
The tolerances (Section 2.5) on the sizes of bricks are fixed by giving maximum and
minimum dimensions, not on individual bricks but on batches of 20 bricks chosen at random.
It follows from this method of measurement that batches are likely to contain, bricks outside
the prescribed limit of tolerance. Such lots should be rejected to avoid complaints about the
variation of perpends.

Water Absorption test (IS: 3495 Part-II):

Dry bricks are put in an oven at a temperature of 105° to 115°C till these attain constant
mass. The weight (W1) of the bricks is recorded after cooling them to room temperature. The
bricks are then immersed in water at a temperature of 27° ± 2°C for 24 hours. The specimens
are then taken out of water and wiped with a damp cloth. Three minutes, thereafter it is
weighed again and recorded as W2.

W 2−W 1
The water absorption in % = ∗100
W1

The average water absorption shall not be more than 20 per cent by weight for fourth class,
12.5 and 15 per cent by weight for higher classes.
Compressive Strength test (IS: 3495 Part-I): The crushing affords a basis for comparing
the quality of bricks but is of little value in determining the strength of a masonry wall, since
the latter depends primarily on the strength of mortar. Six bricks are taken for the
compressive strength test although it may be found that an individual brick varies by 20% or
more from the average, the permissible stresses allowed for load bearing walls take account
of this, being based on an average strength of six bricks.
For testing bricks for compressive strength from a sample the two bed faces of bricks are
ground to provide smooth, even and parallel faces. The bricks are then immersed in water at
room temperature for 24 hours. These are then taken out of water and surplus water on the
surfaces is wiped off with cotton or a moist cloth.
The frog of the brick is flushed level with cement mortar and the brick is stored under damp
jute bags for 24 hours followed by its immersion in water at room temperature for three days.
The specimen is placed in the compression testing machine with flat faces horizontal and
mortar filled face being upwards. Load is applied at a uniform rate of 14 N/m 2 per minute till
failure. The maximum load at failure divided by the average area of bed face gives the
compressive strength.

Maximum load at failure( N )

Compressive strength (N/mm2) =
Average area of bed faces(mm 2)

The average of results shall be reported. The compressive strength of any individual brick
tested in the sample should not fall below the minimum average compressive strength
specified for the corresponding class of brick by more than 20 percent.

Warpage Test (IS: 3495 Part-IV): Warpage of the brick is measured with the help of a flat
steel or glass surface and measuring ruler graduated in 0.5 mm divisions or wedge of steel 60
× 15 × 15 mm (Fig. 6). For Warpage test, the sample consists of 10 bricks from a lot.

Concave Warpage: The flat surface of the brick is placed along the surface to be measured
selecting the location that gives the greatest deviation from straightness. The greatest distance
of brick surface from the edge of straightness is measured by a
steel ruler or wedge.
Convex Warpage: The brick is place on the plane surface with
the convex surface in contact with the flat surface and the
distances of four corners of brick are measured from the flat
surface. The largest distance is reported as warpage. The
higher of the distance measured in concave and convex
warpage tests is reported as warpage.
Fig. 6.Measuring Wedge

Efflorescence Test (IS: 3495 Part-IV): The ends of the brick are kept in a 150 mm
diameter porcelain or glass dish containing 25 mm depth of water at room temperature (20°–
30°C) till the entire water is absorbed or evaporated. The water is again filled to 25 mm depth
in the dish and allowed to be absorbed by the brick or evaporated. Presence of efflorescence
is classified as below.

1. Nil — when the deposit of efflorescence is imperceptible.

2. Slight — when the deposit of efflorescence does not cover more than 10 per cent of the
exposed area of the brick.
3. Moderate — when the deposit of efflorescence is more than 10 per cent but less than 50%
of the exposed area of the brick.
4. Heavy — when the deposit of efflorescence is more than 50 per cent but the deposits do
not powder or flake away the brick surface.
5. Serious — when the deposits are heavy and powder or flake away the brick surface.

The specifications limit the efflorescence to be not more than moderate (10–50%) up to class
12.5 and not more than slight (< 10 per cent) for higher classes.

CLASSIFICATION OF BRICKS:

Based on field practice

First Class Bricks:
1. These are thoroughly burnt and are of deep red, cherry or copper colour.
2. The surface should be smooth and rectangular, with parallel, sharp and straight edges and
square corners.
3. These should be free from flaws, cracks and stones.
4. These should have uniform texture.
5. No impression should be left on the brick when a scratch is made by a finger nail.
6. The fractured surface of the brick should not show lumps of lime.
7. A metallic or ringing sound should come when two bricks are struck against each other.
8. Water absorption should be 12–15% of its dry weight when immersed in cold water for 24
hours.
9. The crushing strength of the brick should not be less than 10 N/mm2. This limit varies with
different Government organizations around the country.
Uses: First class bricks are recommended for pointing, exposed face work in masonry
structures, flooring and reinforced brick work.

Second Class Bricks:

These are supposed to have the same requirements as the first class ones except that
1. Small cracks and distortions are permitted.
2. A little higher water absorption of about 16–20% of its dry weight is allowed.
3. The crushing strength should not be less than 7.0 N/mm2.
Uses: Second class bricks are recommended for all important or unimportant hidden
masonry works and centering of reinforced brick and reinforced cement concrete (RCC)
structures.
Third Class Bricks:
These are underburnt. They are soft and light-coloured producing a dull sound when struck
against each other. Water absorption is about 25 per cent of dry weight.

Uses: It is used for building temporary structures.

Fourth Class Bricks:

These are over burnt and badly distorted in shape and size and are brittle in nature.
Uses: The ballast of such bricks is used for foundation and floors in lime concrete and road metal

Based On Strength
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has classified the bricks on the basis of compressive
strength and is as given in Table 1

Table 1 Classification of Bricks based on Compressive Strength (IS: 1077)

Class Average compressive strength not less than

(N/mm2)
35 35.0
30 30.0
25 25.0
20 20.0
17.5 17.5
15 15.0
12.5 12.5
10 10.0
7.5 7.5
5 5.0
3.5 3.5

On the Basis of Use

Common Brick is a general multi-purpose unit manufactured economically without
special reference to appearance. These may vary greatly in strength and durability and are
used for filling, backing and in walls where appearance is of no consequence.
Facing Bricks are made primarily with a view to have good appearance, either of colour
or texture or both. These are durable under severe exposure and are used in fronts of
building walls for which a pleasing appearance is desired.
Engineering Bricks are strong, impermeable, smooth, table moulded, hard and conform to
defined limits of absorption and strength. These are used for all load bearing structures.

On the Basis of Manufacture

Hand-made: These bricks are hand moulded.
Machine-made: Depending upon mechanical arrangement, bricks are known as wire-cut
bricks—bricks cut from clay extruded in a column and cut off into brick sizes by wires;
 pressed- bricks—when bricks are manufactured from stiff plastic or semi-dry clay and
pressed into moulds; moulded bricks—when bricks are moulded by machines imitating
hand mixing.
On the Basis of Types
Solid: Small holes not exceeding 25 per cent of the volume of the brick are permitted;
alternatively, frogs not exceeding 20 per cent of the total volume are permitted.
Perforated: Small holes may exceed 25 per cent of the total volume of the brick.
Hollow: The total of holes, which need not be small, may exceed 25 per cent of the volume
of the brick.
Cellular: Holes closed at one end exceed 20 per cent of the volume.
Fly Ash Bricks
Fly ash bricks are unconventional bricks manufactured from industrial wastes
such as fly ash, cement, sand/stone dust. 

Composition of Fly Ash bricks

For Bricks without cement
Fly Ash – 60-65%
Sand/ Stone dust – 20-25%
Hydraulic Lime – 8-12%
Gypsum- 5%
For Bricks with cement
Fly Ash – 50-60%
Sand/ Stone dust – 30-40%
Cement – 8-10%
Merits & Demerits of fly ash bricks-
Merit of Fly Ash Brick:
1- Fly ash bricks are light weight, therefore, transportation is easy.
2- Fly ash bricks are uniform in shape and size in comparison to burnt clay brick,
therefore, require less mortar in brick work and finishing work resulting saving of
cement mortar.
3- As, fly ash brick are machine made, quality control is better in comparison to burnt
clay bricks. 4- Fly ash bricks are environment friendly as:
▪ It is a green building product and recommended in LEED & TERI-GRIHA
systems.
▪ It uses fly ash, which is a waste – product of thermal power plants having no
value itself.
▪ Saves agricultural land which is used for manufacturing clay bricks.
▪ Less energy intensive compared to clay bricks and help in keeping clean
environment

Demerit of Fly Ash Brick:

1- Mechanical bonding strength is weak. But this can be improved by adding marble/
stone dust and cementing materials.
 2- Limitation of size. Only modular size can be produced.
3- Air exchange is poor in comparison to normal clay bricks. Hence proper ventilation
of house is important.

Manufacturing Process of Fly Ash Brick:

1- Fly Ash Bricks are made bricks manufactured by hydraulic or vibratory press.
2- Raw material required are fly ash shall conform to Grade 1 or Grade 2 of IS 3812
(60-65%), Bottom ash used as replacement of shall not have more than 12 percent
loss on ignition when tested according IS 1727, lime shall conform to class C
hydrated lime of IS 712(8-12%), gypsum (5%), locally available sand/stone dust
(18-27%) and water.
3- Ordinary Portland Cement can also be used in place of hydrated lime and gypsum.
4- Raw materials in the required proportion are mixed in the pan mixer to have a semi
dry uniform mix. 5- Semi dry mix is placed in the moulds of hydraulic/ vibro press.
5. Moulded bricks are air dried for one/two days in a shed depending upon the weather
conditions and then water curred for 14-21 days.
The bricks thus produced are sound, compact and uniform in shape

Fly Ash Bricks Uses:

Fly ash bricks are used in
● Multistorey structures.
● High-rise buildings.
● House construction.
● Factories.
● Warehouses.
● Power plants.

Properties of fly ash bricks:

• Appearance: The bricks have a pleasing cement colour, which is uniform in shade
and smooth, but does not require plastering for building works.
• Thermal conductivity: They do not absorb heat and give maximum light reflection.
• Sound Insulation: It provides an acceptable degree of sound insulation.
• Fire and Vermin Resistance: They have good fire resistance, it has no problem with
vermin attacks.
 • Durability and moisture content: These blocks are highly durable, the absorption of
water is 6–12%, which reduces the humidity of the walls.
• Toxicity and Stability: When mixed with lime, fly ash turns into a non-toxic product
thus have potential as a good building material.

Cellular Lightweight Concrete Bricks

• CLC is an air-cured lightweight concrete with fly ash as a major ingredient that can be
produced at large project sites just like traditional concrete, utilising equipment and moulds
normally used for traditional concreting.
• It is a version of lightweight concrete that is produced like normal concrete under ambient
conditions. It is produced by initially making a slurry of Cement +Sand + Fly Ash
(constituting 26% - 34 % content) + water,
• A cellular concrete is a lightweight product consisting of Portland cement, cement-silica,
cement-pozzolan, lime-pozzolan, lime-silica pastes or pastes containing blends of these
gradients and having homogeneous void or cell structure, attained with gas-forming
chemicals of foaming agents.
• In cellular lightweight concrete, the density can be controlled by the introduction of gas or
foam by foam generator.
• It is especially suitable in India for low-rise load bearing constructions and for partitioning
work in multi-storey blocks.
Density Range:
This Cellular Lightweight Concrete (CLC) can be produced in a wide range of densities from
400 kg/m3 to 1,800 kg/m3 to suit different applications: -
● The lower densities of 400 –600 kg/m 3 are ideal for thermal insulation applications.
CLC’s fire, termite, water-proof-ness, termite-resistance, very low water absorption
and environment friendliness. This range is also used in laying sound insulating layer
over structural slabs of intermediate floors in high-class hotels and institution
buildings to minimise transmission of noise between lower and upper floors.
● It can also be used as a filling in depressions in bathrooms or other floors due to up-
stand beams etc. It make a far superior alternative to the commonly used Thermo
Cole, glass wool, wood wool etc.
● The medium density range 800-1000 kg/ m3 is utilized for making pre- cast blocks for
non-load-bearing walling masonry in framed structures. The size of blocks for the
party/external walls may be 500x250x200 mm and the internal partition blocks may
be 500x250x100 mm nominal size, although any desired size as per requirements,
may be produced.
● The high density range from 1200kg/ m3 (Crushing strength 65 kg/cm2) to 1800 kg/
m3 (Crushing strength 250 kg/cm2) is structural grade material utilized for:-
 (a) In-situ casting of structural (load-bearing) walls and roofs of low rise
individual or group housing schemes.
(b) Manufacture of reinforced structural cladding or partitioning panels.
(c) Making pre-cast blocks (500x250x200/100 mm) for load- bearing walling
masonry for low rise buildings.

Manufacturing Process
(a) Providing a mixture of slurry of Cement, Sand, Fly Ash and water.
(b) Pouring the mixture into a form or mold of the intended concrete product
(c) Curing the poured mixture;
(d) Demoulding the concrete product; and
(e) Utilizing the concrete product.
• In this process, first the wet mix slurry consists of fly ash, cement, sand and water is either
poured or pumped into assembled moulds of blocks or formwork of reinforced structural
elements or poured onto flat roofs for thermal insulation or for filling of voids.
• The second way is to introduce gas or foam to the concrete mix to produce cellular
lightweight concrete.
• The foam produced using foam generator is stable for a time duration far beyond the final
setting time of cement, thereby creating permanent voids in the finally hardened mass thus
imparting lightness.
• The entrapped air bubbles are very fine in size and segregated from each other, because of
which the water absorption of the material is less.
• The foam imparts free flowing characteristics to this slurry due to ball bearing effect of
foam bubbles, enabling it to easily flow into all corners. It levels and compacts in the
moulds/forms by itself, without requiring any kind of external vibration or compaction
Application
● The wide range in densities and consequently their different thermal and structural
properties, make CLC equally suitable for use: -
● As reinforced load-bearing in-situ walls and roofs in Low Rise Buildings.
● Even block-work (made from pre-cast blocks produced at the project site or obtained
from a pre-casting plant) can also be used for load-bearing low rise constructions.
● Non load-bearing internal or external walls in High Rise Buildings.
● Thermal Insulation of building roofs and walls & roofs of cold storage.
● Filling of depressions in Toilets, floors etc.

Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Bricks

AAC blocks are used as a substitute for conventional building masonry as it is widely
accepted globally because of its beneficial properties such as lightweight, thermal and sound
insulation, fire resistant, low capillary water absorption, easy to cut, and other benefits which
ease the process of construction. Not only that, but these precast building elements are
environment friendly as its processing hardly cause pollution and also boast the consumption
of fly ash which is a waste material. AAC elements are being used throughout industrial,
commercial, and residential structures for different applications such as external and internal
walls, roofs, other partitions, and divisions.
The aeration is caused by a mix of various materials mainly consisting of fly ash, quicklime,
cement, gypsum, aluminium powder and performance additives mixed with water in a high-
speed mixer. AAC Blocks Consists of up to 80% air, this aerated material is processed
through autoclaving which entails high pressurized curing of aerated materials and the
resultant product is formed having cellular structure & known as AAC elements. AAC has
millions of tiny air pores, is completely inorganic and not combustible. These elements can
be further classified into blocks, wall/floor/roof panels and lintels.

Features & Benefits of AAC:

Cost Saving:
● AAC Blocks are approximately nine times bigger than red clay bricks reducing the
need for mortar joints by over 66%.
● Light weight properties lead to lighter dead load on the building structure. Cost due to
steel, cement, and excavation can be reduced using lightweight building materials.
● Due to good surface accuracy and finishing of blocks, the need for plaster on AAC
blocks is less.
● High insulation properties result in saving of energy costs.
Energy Efficient:
● Thermal insulation is one of the greatest benefits of using AAC blocks, as the AAC
blocks wall helps maintain distinct internal and external temperature saving energy
costs.
Fire Resistant:
● AAC material is non-combustible and completely inorganic.
● AAC Blocks are suitable for use in areas where fire safety is recommended as these
blocks are fire resistant for about 2-6 hours depending on the thickness of the wall.
Pest Resistant:
● The pest-resistant properties (as the blocks are made of inorganic materials) of AAC
keep termites away, avoiding damages and losses.
Minimum Wastage:
● Breakage of AAC Blocks is negligible, that is less than 5% which increases the
utilization of the blocks.
Sound Insulation:
● Having a commendable STC (Sound Transmission Class), AAC elements are
appropriate material for wall construction.
Earthquake Resistant:
● The manufacturing process gives the blocks commendable strength, maintaining its
lightweight property due to which the steadiness of these blocks in a building is more
reliable, making it earthquake resistant.
Water Saver:
● For the curing process of AAC blocks walls, there is no need to water the blocks, only
the mortar joints need to be cured with water in case of conventional mortar mix,
saving water consumption.
Minimum Storage:
● Supplies are available at all seasons. So, the AAC Blocks buyers do not need to
maintain large storage areas for AAC Blocks.
Time Saving:
● Time consumed in building walls decreases due to lightweight ness of the product and
its size over conventional clay bricks. Decreasing lead time as well as installation
time.
Easy Application:
● Being light in weight and larger in size, AAC Blocks are easy to apply and facilitates
the comfort to the mason to work in high-rise construction.
Comparison of AAC Bricks & Conventional Red Clay Bricks:
SL.NO Particulars AAC Blocks Clay Bricks
1. Size (Lx B x H) mm 650 x 250 x 300 / 200 x 75- 190 x 90 x 90
300
2. Precision in size +1 (thickness & height) +5 (length)
mm

3. Dry Density 550-650 Kg/m3 (oven dry) 1800 Kg/m3

4. Sound Reduction 45 for 200 mm thick wall 50 for 230 mm thick wall
Index (dB)
5. Thermal 0.16 0.81
Conductivity
(W/mK)
6. Mortar 0.5 Bag of Cement 1.35 bag of Cement
Consumption m3
with 1:6
7. Construction Time 30 m3 20 m2
per Mason
8. Chemical Fly-ash used around 65% Soil is used which contains
Composition which reacts with binders for inorganic impurities in
form AAC Efflorescence.
9. Finishing Can be directly cut or shaped/ Not possible
sculptured as required

10. Cost benefit factor Up to 24% in structural cost No Cost benefit.

(subject to project design)
11. Energy Saving Up to 30 % of Air- No Energy Saving
conditioning load
12. Capillary Water Less (due to low density) More (due to High Density)
Absorption