Building Materials-Bricks, Cement Blocks………………

Bricks

The common brick is one of the oldest building material and it is used at present as a leading building material and it is used at present as a leading building material of construction because of its strength, low cost, easy availability, etc. The bricks are made from soil and hence the properties of bricks are made from soil and hence the properties of bricks depend on the properties of soil. Following are the constituents of good brick earth.

  • Alumina- 20 to 30%
  • Silica- 50 to 60%
  • Lime- <5%
  • Oxides of Iron
  • Magnesia

 

Size of Bricks

The size of the Indian standard brick is 19cm*9cm*9cm, with mortar joints the sizes of these bricks will be 20cm*10cm*10cm. But the size of the traditional brick is 23cm*11.4cm*7.6cm.

 

Manufacture

  • Preparation of brick earth
  • Moulding of bricks
  • Drying of bricks
  • Burning of bricks

 

Properties

  • Aesthetic
  • Strength
  • Porosity
  • Fire Resistance
  • Sound Insulation
  • Insulation
  • Wear
  • Efflorescence

 

Uses

  • Bricks are used for construction of walls, foundations of structures.
  • Used in construction of bridges and dams.
  • Used for paving and road works.
  • Firebricks are used for furnaces, chimneys, etc.
  • Bricks are used for ornamental works.

 

Special types

  • Hollow Bricks
  • Perforated Bricks
  • Paving Bricks
  • Solid Block Bricks

 

Uses of Blocks

  • Buildings
  • Walls
  • Retaining Walls
  • Bridges
  • Culverts
  • Pavements

 

Advantages

  • Cost effective.
  • Ease of construction-light weight, regular shapes, modify like corner blocks.
  • Environment aspects-aesthetic pleasant compared to clay brick.
  • Design aspects-in block work, hollows are unfilled. In applications where the loads are high, hollows can be filled with concrete, and also be reinforced.

 

 

About The Author