Brick
Arch 1171 Semester 1st
By Terusaw Solomon
Definition
Brick is a block or a single unit of kneaded clay – bearing soil,
sand and lime or concrete material, fire - hardened or air- dried,
used in masonry construction.
The main constituents of brick making clays are
silica (sand) and alumina, but with varying quantities
of chalk, lime, iron oxide and other minor constituents,
e.g. fireclay, according to their source.
Uniqueness
Size
Durability
Workability
Economical
It is used for building-up
Exterior and interior walls
Roofing
Piers
Footings and other load bearing structures
Size
Size of a standard brick (also known as modular brick) is 19 × 9
× 9 cm and 19 × 9 × 4 cm.
When placed in masonry the 19 × 9 × 9 cm brick with mortar
becomes 20 × 10 × 10 cm.
Length of brick = 2 × width of brick + thickness of mortar
Height of brick = width of brick
Weight of a brick is 2 - 4 kg, An indent called frog, 1–2 cm
deep is provided for 9 cm high bricks to
form a key for holding the mortar.
Types
Solid bricks Perforated bricks
Hollow bricks Cellular bricks
Classification based on physical & mechanical properties
First class bricks
1. These are thoroughly burnt and are of deep red, cherry or copper color.
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.
Uses: First class bricks are recommended for pointing, exposed face work in masonry
structures, flooring and reinforced brick work.
Second class bricks: 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: are under burnt. They are soft and light-colored 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: 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.
Classification based on uses
Common Bricks: 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. Common bricks
Face
Facing Bricks: are made primarily with a view to have good
appearance, either of color 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.
Facing bricks
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.
Engineering brick
Characteristic of good brick
The bricks should have uniform size and plane, rectangular surfaces with
parallel sides and sharp straight edges
The brick should have a uniform deep red or cherry color as indicative of uniformity in chemical
composition and thoroughness in the burning of the brick
The surfaces should not be too smooth to cause slipping of mortar.
The brick should have precompact and uniform texture
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.
Should not exceed 20 per cent of its dry weight when kept immersed in
water for 24 hours.
Crushing strength should not be less than 10 N/mm2.
Manufacture of Clay Bricks
There are five main processes in the manufacture of clay bricks:
Extraction of the raw material
Forming processes
Drying
Firing
Packaging and distribution
Joints
The square recessed (raked) joints articulate the brickwork by featuring the joint, but these should
only be used with high-absorption bricks under sheltered conditions; furthermore, the recess should be limited to a
maximum depth of 6 mm.
The struck or weathered joint also accentuates the light and shade of the brickwork while, as a tooled joint, offering
good weather resistance in all grades of exposure.
If the visual effect of the joint is to be diminished, the flush joint may be used, but the curved
recessed (bucket-handle) joint, which is compressed by tooling, offers better appearance and weathering
properties.
Clay Cladding
Clay Pavements
Thank You!
