‫ﻫﻴﺌﺔ ﺍﻝﺘﻘﻴﻴﺱ ﻝﺩﻭل ﻤﺠﻠﺱ ﺍﻝﺘﻌﺎﻭﻥ ﻝﺩﻭل ﺍﻝﺨﻠﻴﺞ ﺍﻝﻌﺭﺒﻴﺔ‬

‫)‪GCC STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION (GSO‬‬

‫‪GSO 1911/2009‬‬

‫ﺍﻝﻁﻭﺏ )ﺍﻝﻁﺎﺒﻭﻕ( ﺍﻝﺨﺭﺴﺎﻨﻲ ﺍﻝﻤﻔﺭﻍ‬

‫‪Hollow Concrete Blocks‬‬

‫‪ICS : 91.100.00‬‬
 Hollow Concrete Blocks

Date of GSO Technical Council : 14-16/2/1430h (10-12/2/2009)

Issuing Status : Standard
GSO STANDARD GSO 1911/2009

Foreword

GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) is a regional Organization which consists of the

National Standards Bodies of GCC member States. One of GSO main functions is to issue
Gulf Standards /Technical regulations through specialized technical committees (TCs).
GSO through the technical program of committee TC No (6) "Technical Committee of
Building Materials Standards" has prepared this Standard. The Draft Standard has been
prepared by Sultanate of Oman .
The draft Standard has been prepared based on relevant ADMO, International and National
foreign Standards and references.
This standard has been approved as a Gulf Standard by GSO Technical Council in its meeting
No.(15), held on 14-16/2/1430h (10-12/2/2009) .

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 GSO STANDARD GSO 1911/2009

Hollow Concrete Blocks

1. Scope
This Standard specifies Hollow Concrete Blocks including cellular blocks; and
defines materials, category, dimensions, tolerances and the minimum requirements
which is applicable to all kinds of blocks and whose measurements are given in
Table [1]. Both paving and elevations blocks are outside the scope of this standard.
2. Normative References
2.1 GSO 1912 "Methods of Test Hollow and Solid Concrete Blocks" .
3. Terms and Definitions
3.1 Block: A masonry building unit whether Hollow or Solid, used in load bearing or
non-load bearing walls is made of homogeneous mix from ordinary Portland
Cement or Sulphate Resistance Cement and suitable aggregates; and also may
contain pigments, additives, admixtures etc.
3.2 Hollow Block: A block which contains one or more holes or cavities passing
through it.
3.3 Cellular Block: A block which contains one or more holes or cavities which do not
fully pass through it.
3.4 Work Dimension: Actual dimensions of hollow blocks
3.5 Nominal Dimension: Apparent dimensions which includes thickness of the mortar
in between the hollow blocks (10mm), except for ceiling blocks.
3.6 Designated Lot: Any number of hollow blocks manufactured by the same producer
having the same material, concrete mix, production method, treatment and
measurements.
4. Classification
Blocks are classified as follows with respect to intended use:
4.1 Hollow Wall Blocks: Blocks intended for use in the construction of walls, which
are sub-classified to two.
4.1.1 Non-Loading Bearing Hollow Blocks: Blocks used in non-load bearing walls.
4.1.2 Load Bearing Hollow Blocks: Blocks used in load bearing walls.
4.2 Ceiling Blocks: Blocks intended for use as fillers in the construction of reinforced
concrete ribbed ceiling slabs.
5. Requirements
The following requirements must be ensured in all kinds of hollow blocks.
5.1 Materials
5.1.1 Cement: Must be Ordinary Portland Cement or Sulphate Resistance Cement
conforming to the latest version of either GSO (--------/--------) or BS: 12 / BS:
4027as appropriate.

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 GSO STANDARD GSO 1911/2009

5.1.2 Aggregates: Must be normal weight natural aggregate conforming to the latest
version of either GSO 1809 or (BS 882)
5.1.3 Admixtures: Must be free from chlorides and conforming to the latest version of
either GSO (--------) or BS EN 934 Part-2.
5.1.4 Water: Must be clean and free from deleterious salts or organic matter and conform
to the latest version of GSO (1025).
5.2 External Appearance
5.2.1 Hollow Blocks must be regular in shape and free from any cracks or defects. The
surfaces must be clean and plane, but coarse textured to allow good plaster
adhesion.
5.3 Dimensions
5.3.1 Hollow Blocks must conform to the dimensions given in Table [1]. May the
manufacturer agree to produce hollow blocks with other dimensions as specified by
the purchaser.

Table No. [1]

(Dimensions of Hollow Concrete Blocks)
Nominal Dimensions (mm) Working Dimensions (mm)
Kind of Blocks
L W H L W H
400 200 200 390 200 190
Non Load Bearing 400 150 200 390 150 190
400 100 200 390 100 190
400 200 200 390 200 190
400 150 200 390 150 190
400 100 200 390 100 190
Load Bearing 500 200 200 490 200 290
500 200 200 490 200 190
300 100 200 290 100 190
300 150 200 290 150 190
400 200 250 400 200 250
400 200 200 400 200 200
400 200 150 400 200 150
Ceiling Blocks 420 200 200 420 200 200
420 200 240 420 200 240
370 200 200 370 200 200
370 200 240 370 200 240
5.3.2 Allowable Tolerance in any working dimensions of a hollow block is not more than
± 3mm.
5.3.3 Minimum thickness of external shell shall not be less than 30mm for load bearing
hollow blocks and 15mm for others.
5.4 Compressive Strength
Minimum compressive strength calculated on gross area including the holes must
comply with the respective values given in Table [2].

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GSO STANDARD GSO 1911/2009

Table No. [2]

Minimum Compressive Minimum Compressive

Kind of Blocks Strength for one block Strength for median 10 blocks
(N/mm2) (N/mm2)
Non Load Bearing
Hollow and Ceiling
Blocks 4.8 6

Load Bearing Hollow

Blocks 6 7.5

5.4.1 May the purchaser and producer agree to produce hollow blocks higher than the
limits mentioned in Table [2].
5.5 Water Absorption
Maximum Percentage of Water Absorption (provided both purchaser and producer
agreed for the test).
• 20% (For Individual Specimen)
• 15% (Average)
5.6 Drying Shrinkage
Maximum Drying Shrinkage (provided both purchaser and producer agreed for the
test).
• 0.06% (Average)
6. Sampling for Tests
6.1.1 Perform representative sampling at random conforming to Clause-6.1.2 from
every designated lot for every 20000 hollow blocks or fraction thereof.
6.1.2 Minimum number of specimens required from each designated lot is 25 hollow
blocks as detailed hereunder:
• Dimension and Compressive Strength – 10 No
• Water Absorption – 5 No
• Drying Shrinkage – 5 No
• Reserve – 5 No.
6.1.3 The samples shall be taken during either loading or unloading of the hollow
blocks or from the site stack.
6.2 Test Methods: Follow the test methods as mentioned in GSO "Method of Test
Hollow and Solid Concrete Blocks".

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GSO STANDARD GSO 1911/2009

6.3 Tests: Following Tests are performed on specimens sampled as per Clause-6.1.1
and 6.1.2
6.3.1 External Appearance
6.3.2 Dimensions
6.3.3 Compressive Strength
6.3.4 Water Absorption (Optional)
6.3.5 Drying Shrinkage (Optional)
7. Product Details
7.1 Each Consignment must be provide by these data
a) Factory Name, Trademark or both
b) Minimum compressive strength for individual hollow block
c) Dimensions
d) Category of hollow blocks
e) Date of products
f) Number of this standard
8. Rules for Acceptance and Rejection
8.1 Each consignment must be accompanied by a certificate of conformity with
respect to the requirements of this standard which is agreed between purchaser and
producer.
8.2 The Consignment is conformance to this standard, if the sample passes all
mandatory tests of this standard and 98% of specimen complies the requirements
of external appearance as mentioned in this standard; otherwise the consignment
is deemed not to conform to this standard.
Note:- The hollow block is considered to be broken; if it is cut-off from more than
two edges or includes a continuous crack through two opposite faces.
8.3 If any hollow block is failed for all or any dimensions and drying shrinkage tests,
additional samples are taken as per Clause-6.1.2 for retest for that particular
feature. If retest results are found passing; then the consignment is deemed to
comply with this standard.
8.4 With respect to the compressive strength, the consignment is considered conform
to this standard on following conditions:
a) Individual compressive strength must comply the minimum requirement as per
Clause-5.4 of this standard.
b) Average of compressive strength must comply the minimum requirement as per of
this standard.
If any of the above conditions are not conforming to this standard, repeat the test
on a new specimen of equal in quantity as tested before.

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GSO STANDARD GSO 1911/2009

Incase all specimens conforms to the above a) and b) conditions, the consignment
is deemed to pass for compressive strength test.
Incase any of the specimens does not conforms to above a) and b) conditions, the
consignment is deemed not to conform to this standard.
8.5 The consignment is deemed to conform to this standard with respect to water
absorption (both purchaser and producer agreed for the test) subjected to
following conditions:
a) Individual Water Absorption conforms to the requirements of this standard.
b) Average Water Absorption conforms to the requirements of this standard.
Either a) or b) does not complies, perform retest on same number of blocks tested
before, If the retest confirm to both a) and b) the consignment deemed to conform
to this standard.
If the retest does not confirm to both a) and b), the consignment is deemed not to
conform to this standard.