Brick & Masonry

Introduction to Bricks
• Brick is the simplest of all the building techniques - bricks, stones,
concrete blocks built over the top of one another to make walls,
with mortar as binding material in between them
• Bricks are one of the oldest types of building blocks.
• They are an ideal building material because they are relatively
cheap to make, very durable, and require little maintenance.
• A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction,
usually laid using various kinds of mortar.
• Bricks dated 10,000 years old were found in the Middle East.
• Examples of the civilizations who used mud brick are the ancient
Egyptians and the Indus Valley Civilization, where it was used
exclusively. In particular, it is evident from the ruins of Buhen,
Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa.
• The first sun-dried bricks were made in Mesopotamia (what is now
Iraq) in about 4000 BC
Characteristics of Bricks
• Brick is made of clay or shale formed, dried and fired into a
durable ceramic product.
• There are three ways to form the shape and size of a brick: i)
extruded (stiff mud), ii) molded (soft mud) and iii) dry-pressed.
• The majority of brick are made by the extrusion method.
• Brick achieves its color through the minerals in the fired clay
or through coatings that are applied before or after the firing
process. This provides a durable color that never fades or
diminishes.
• Brick shrink during the manufacturing process. Brick will vary
in size due to the manufacturing process. These variations are
addressed by ASTM standards.
Characteristics of Bricks
• The method used to form a brick has a major impact on
its texture.
 Sand-finished surfaces are typical with molded brick.
 A variety of textures can be achieved with extruded
brick.
Characteristics of Bricks
• Brick manufacturers address sustainability by locating
• manufacturing facilities near clay sources to reduce
transportation, by recycling of process waste, by
reclaiming land where mining has occurred, and by
taking measures to reduce plant emissions. Most brick
are used within 500 miles of a brick manufacturing
facility.
Raw Materials for Bricks
• Clay is one of the most abundant natural mineral
materials on earth. For brick manufacturing, clay
must possess some specific properties and
characteristics.
• Such clays must have plasticity, which permits
them to be shaped or molded when mixed with
water; they must have sufficient wet and air-dried
strength to maintain their shape after forming.
• Also, when subjected to appropriate temperatures,
the clay particles must fuse together.
Bricks Manufacturing
Bricks Manufacturing
Types of Bricks
1) Compressed Earth Block
2) Concrete Bricks
3) Fire Brick
4) Light Weight Hollow Blocks
5) Eco-Block
Advantages of Compressed Earth Block
• Shipping cost: Suitable soils are often available at or near
the construction site.
• Uniformity: Manufactured to a predictable size and has
true flat sides and 90-degree angle edges.
• Non-toxic: Materials are completely natural, non-toxic,
chemical-free, and do not out-gas.
• Sound resistant: An important feature in high-density
neighborhoods, residential areas adjacent to industrial
zones.
• Fire resistant: Earthen walls do not burn.
• Insect resistant: Insects are discouraged since the walls are
solid and very dense, and have no food value.
• Reduction in transportation cost due to locally available
material used.
Concrete Bricks
• Concrete Bricks
These bricks have either pale green or gray color. These
are prepared from a small, dry aggregate concrete which
is formed in steel molds by using vibration and
compaction. The entire manufacturing process is incurred
either in an egg Layer or static machine. Rather than
firing, the curing process is used to convert the blocks
thus prepared into bricks under low pressure steam.
Fire Bricks
• Fire Brick
A fire brick is a block of ceramic material used in
masonry construction and sized to be layered with one
hand using mortar. Bricks may be made from type of
material .These are built primarily to withstand high heat
and also find applications in extreme mechanical,
chemical, or thermal stresses. The brick is widely used as
refractory insulating bricks for maintaining insistent
temperature.
Light Weight Hollow Bricks
• Light Weight Hollow Blocks
This blocks are used in construction of houses in
earthquake prone areas. These bricks are made of fly ash,
cement, lime, gypsum, stone dust etc. Available in
different sizes. Hollow concrete blocks is used as
substitute for conventional bricks or stones used in
construction of buildings. And the blocks' important
feature
Light Weight Hollow Bricks
Advantages of Light Weight Hollow Bricks
• Hollow block needs low maintenance.
• High Durable.
• Construction speed is high when compare to conventional construction
systems.
• It has high tensile strength.
• Economical friendly and cheap rates.
• It reduces the building costs.
• The acoustic system of the room is good with hollow cement
construction.
• Maintains the thermal balance system of any hollow block construction.
• It reduces the labor cost and total construction cost.
• High heat and water resistant.
• It’s no needs of plastering
• Low water absorption than brick.
• Main advantage, block voids can be filled by other filling materials.
Eco-Block
Eco-block is an environmentally friendly construction material
which is made by glass wastes and construction materials.
• It not only reduces the disposal of waste, but also
conserves the use of natural resources, such as river sand.
• It is also to remove air pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides
(NOx).
Eco-Block
Applications:
1) Pedestrian road, and
2) Vehicular road
Properties of Bricks
Aesthetic
Bricks offer natural and a variety of colors, including various
textures
Strength
Bricks offer excellent high compressive strength.
Porosity
The porosity of bricks in attributed to its fine capillaries. The
ability to release and absorb moisture is one of the most
important and useful properties of bricks, regulating
temperatures and humidity inside structures.
Fire Resistance
When prepared properly a brick structure can give a fire
protection maximum rating of 6 hours
Properties of Bricks
Sound Insulation
The brick sound insulation is normally 45 decibels for a 4.5 inches
brick thickness and 50 decibels for a nine inch thick brick.
Insulation
Bricks can exhibit above normal thermal insulation when compared
to other building materials. Bricks can help regulate and maintain
constant interior temperatures of a structure due to their ability to
absorb and slowly release heat. This way bricks can produce
significant energy savings, more than 30% of energy saving, when
compared to wood.
Wear
A brick is so strong, that its molecular composition provides
excellent wear resistance.
Efflorescence
Efflorescence forms on concrete structures and surfaces when
soluble salts dissolved in water are deposited and accumulated on
surfaces forming a visible scum.
Properties of Bricks
Tests on Bricks
• Crushing strength test
• Water Absorption test
• Efflorescence test
• Hardness test
• Size, Shape and Color test
• Soundness test
• Structure test
Brick Walls
Brick Walls
Brick Walls

Flemish Wall English Wall

Comparison between English vs Flemish Walls
S. English Wall S. Flemish Wall
N. N.
1 Headers and stretchers are 1 Headers and stretchers are
laid in alternate courses. laid alternately in each
course.
2 Strongest of the types of 2 Comparatively less strong
bonds. for walls more than 30cm
thick.
3 Provides rough appearance. 3 Provide good appearance.
4 Absence of vertical joints in 4 Partly continuous vertical
the structure. joints appear in the structure.
5 Special attention is not 5 Special attention is required
required for this bond. for this bond.
6 Progress of work is more. 6 Progress of work is less.
7 Costly, no brick bats are 7 Economical, as brick bats
used. are used.
8 Skilled labor is not required 8 Skilled labor required for its
for its construction construction.
9 9
Less mortar is used. More mortar is used due to
use of bats.
Brick Finsihing
32
Unreinforced Bricks
Confined Bricks
Confined Bricks
Confined Bricks
• The brick walls carry the seismic loads and the concrete is
used to confine the walls.
• Construction system where masonry structural walls are
surrounded on all four sides with reinforced concrete.
• Confinement should be in vertical and horizontal both
direction to resists lateral and gravity loads.
The confining members are effective for:
1. Enhancing the stability and integrity of masonry wall for in-
plane and out-of-plane earthquake loads.
2. Enhancing the strength of masonry wall under EQ.
3. Reducing brittleness of masonry improving EQ performance.
Reinforced Brick Walls
Reinforced Brick Walls