Brick

Brick plays very important role in construction. Bricks are used as an alternative of stones in
construction purpose.

Characteristics of Good Bricks

It is always desirable to use the best quality brick in constructions. Therefore, the Characteristics of a
good brick must be investigated. Generally good bricks possesses following properties-

 Bricks should be uniform in color, size and shape. Standard size of brick should be maintained.
 They should be sound and compact.
 They should be free from cracks and other flaws such as air bubbles, stone nodules etc. with sharp and
square edges.
 Bricks should not absorb more than 1⁄5 of their own weight of water when immersed in water for 24
hours (15% to 20% of dry weight).
 The compressive strength of bricks should be in range of 2000 to 5000 psi (15 to 35 MPa).
 Salt attack hampers the durability of brick. The presence of excess soluble salts in brick also causes
efflorescence. The percentage of soluble salts (sulphates of calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium)
should not exceed 2.5% in brunt bricks.
 Brick should not change in volume when wetted.
 Bricks should neither overburnt nor under-brunt.
 Generally, the weight per brick should be 6 lbs. and the unit weight should be less than 125 lbs. per
cubic ft.
 The thermal conductivity of bricks should be low as it is desirable that the building built with them
should be cool in summer and warm in winter.
 Bricks should be sound proof.
 Bricks should be non-inflammable and incombustible.
 Bricks should be free from lime pitting.

Detail Classification of Bricks

Bricks can be of many types depending on –

1) Quality
2) Building Process
3) Manufacturing Method
4) Raw Material
5) Using Location 
6) Weather-resisting Capability
7) Purpose of Using 
8) Shape 
9) Region
Classification of Bricks Based on Quality
On the basis of quality, Bricks are of the following kinds:

1. First Class Brick: The size is standard. The colour of these bricks is uniform yellow or red. It
is well burnt, regular texture, uniform shape. The absorption capacity is less than 10%,
crushing strength is, 280kg/cm2 (mean) where it is 245 kg/cm2 (minimum). It doesn’t have
efflorescence. It emits a metallic sound when struck by another similar brick or struck by a
hammer. It is hard enough to resist any fingernail expression on the brick surface if one tries
to do with a thumbnail. It is free from pebbles, gravels or organic matters. It is generally used-

1) In a building of long durability, say 100 years

2) For building exposes to a corrosive environment;
3) For making coarse aggregates of concrete.

2. Second Class Brick: The size is standard; colour is uniform yellow or red. It is well burnt,
slightly over burnt is acceptable. It has a regular shape; efflorescence is not appreciable. The
absorption capacity is more than 10% but less than 15%. Crushing strength is
175kg/cm2(mean) where the minimum is 154 kg/cm2. It emits a metallic sound when struck by
another similar brick or struck by a hammer. It is hard enough to resist any fingernail
expression on the brick surface if one tries to do with a thumbnail. It is used for the
construction of one-storied buildings, temporary shed when intended durability is not more
than 15 years. 

3. Third Class Brick: The shape and size are not regular. The color is soft and light red colored.
It is under burnt, slightly over burnt is acceptable. It has extensive efflorescence. The texture is
non-uniform. The absorption capacity is more than 15% but less than 20%. The crushing
strength is 140kg/cm2(mean) where the minimum crushing strength is 105kg/cm 2. It emits a
dull or blunt sound when struck by another similar brick or struck by a hammer. It leaves
fingernail expression when one tries to do with the thumbnail.

On the basis of the building process Bricks are of following kinds:

Unburnt Bricks: These are half burnt bricks. The color is yellow. The strength is low. They are used as
surki in lime terracing. They are used as soiling under RCC footing or basement. Such bricks should
not be exposed to rainwater.

Burnt Bricks: Burnt bricks are made by burning them in the kiln. First class, Second Class, Third Class
bricks are burnt bricks.

Over Burnt or Jhama Brick: It is often known as the vitrified brick as it is fired at high temperature
and for a longer period of time than conventional bricks. As a result, the shape is distorted. The
absorption capacity is high. The strength is higher or equivalent to first class bricks. It is used as lime
concrete for the foundation. It is also used as coarse aggregate in the concrete of slab and beam
which will not come in contact with water.

On the basis of manufacturing method bricks are of the following kinds:

1. Extruded Brick: It is created by forcing clay and water into a steel die, with a very regular
shape and size, then cutting the resulting column into shorter units with wires before firing. It
is used in constructions with limited budgets. It has three or four holes constituting up to 25%
volume of the brick.
2. Molded Brick: It is shaped in molds by hand rather being in the machine. Molded bricks
between 50-65mm are available instantly. Other size and shapes are available in 6-8 weeks
after the order.
3. Dry pressed Brick: It is the traditional types of bricks which are made by compressing clay
into molds. It has a deep frog in one bedding surface and shallow frog in another.
Percentage of Constituents of Brick (Weight Basis)
There are six major ingredients of brick. The general percentage of these ingredients in brick is given
below:

 Ingredient Percentage in
brick
Silica (SiO2) 55%
Alumina (Al2O3) 30%
Iron Oxide (Fe2O3) 8%
Magnesia (MgO) 5%
Lime(CaO) 1%
Organic Matter 1%

Refractory bricks or fire brick

Refractory bricks or fire bricks are the type of bricks which can withstand high temperature as a
construction material. The colour of fire bricks is usually white, or yellowish white, and they weigh
about 3 kg each. They must have a high fusion point.

Fire clay is used for making this type of bricks. This clay can resist high temperature without
undergoing any appreciable change in structural properties like melting or softening.
Sand

Sand is small grains of silica (SiO 2) formed by the decomposition of rocks. It is one of the most
important construction materials. It is broadly used in concrete, cement mortar, lime mortar, earth
filling, etc. Sand increases the volume of mortar, thereby making economical and also prevents
excessive shrinkage of cement paste, thereby avoiding crakes during setting. Fine sand occupies the
voids in coarse aggregates.

Sand is a mixture of small grains of rock and granular materials which is mainly defined by size, being
finer than gravel and coarser than silt. And ranging in size from 0.06 mm to 2 mm. Particles which are
larger than 0.0078125 mm but smaller than 0.0625 mm are termed silt.

Sand is made by erosion or broken pebbles and weathering of rocks, which is carried by seas or rivers.
And freezing and thawing during the winter break rock up the sand will be made. Sometimes Sand on
beaches can also be made by small broken-up pieces of coral, bone, and shell, which are broken up
by predators and then battered by the sea, and even tiny pieces of glass from bottles discarded in the
sea and other mineral materials or the bones of fishes or other oceanic animals. Sand can be also
considered as a textural class of soil or soil type.

Composition of Sand
Sand is basically made of unconsolidated granular materials consisting of either rock fragments or
mineral particles or oceanic materials. It is mainly made of silicate minerals and silicate rock granular
particles. Typically quartz is the most dominant mineral here as it possesses highly resistant properties
to weather. Other common rock-forming minerals like amphiboles and micas also found in sand.
Heavy minerals such as tourmaline, zircon, etc can also be present in the sand in smaller
concentrations. But from a high level, most sand on the beach is made up of gray or tan quartz and
feldspar.
However, the most common mineral in the sand is quartz–also known as silicon dioxide. This is
formed when silicon and oxygen combine. Feldspar is the most found group of minerals on the
earth’s surface and forms about 65% of the terrestrial rocks. When the wind and sea whip up on the
shores, they transport these teeny-tiny granules to the beach and make up the sand with this
combination.
Properties of Good Sand

 The grains should be sharp, angular and coarse.

 The sand should be free from clay material and organic matters.
 The grains should be of durable minerals.
 It should be free from salts.
 The gradation of grains size should be such as that it will give minimum
voids.
 It should be clean and free from coatings of clay and silt.
 It should not contain organic matter.
 It should be chemically free
 Sand is loose particles of hard broken rock, it comprises of grains from the disintegrated rock.
Sand should be such size that it should pass through I.S. sieve No.-480 [4.75mm]and should
retain on I.S. No-5[0.05mm] as per Indian standards

Uses of Sand

 Sand is used in cement mortar, lime mortar for stone masonry, bricks masonry.

 Sand is used in plan cement concrete, reinforced cement   concrete, precast concrete, pre-
stressed concrete. Coarse sand is used for face plaster on external walls.
 Fine sand used plastering to give a smooth surface to the wall.
 The sand server as a drainage material and is therefore used in filtration plants, filling behind
retaining wall, around the foundation, filling well foundation as a filter to drain seepage water
from earthen dams
 Sand is used below flooring material to provide a hard and level surface.
 Sand is made of tiny rock fragments eroded by water. Some of your sand grains are the same
color as nearby rocks. You may find a lot of light-colored or even clear particles. Many of these
are quartz, a mineral high in silica. Because most sand has a lot of quartz, it is used to
manufacture glass.

What is Bulking of Sand?

The increase in the volume of sand due to increase in moisture content is known as bulking of sand. A
film of water is created around the sand particles which force the particles to get a side from each
other and thus the volume is increased.

The increase in moisture in sand increases the volume of sand. The volume increase in dry sand is
known as the bulking if sand. Bulking of sand depends on the quantity of moisture in the sand and
also the size of the particles. Five to eight percent of the increase in moisture in the sand can increase
the volume of sand up to 20 to 40 percent.
Aggregate
Aggregate is an aggregation of non-metallic minerals obtained in particulate
form and can be processed and used for civil and highway engineering
construction. Aggregates are classified as

Fine aggregate
Coarse aggregate

Fine aggregate

The material which passes through I.S. sieve No.480 [4.75mm] and retained on I.S. sieve No. 5
[0.05mm] is considered as fine aggregate e.g. natural sand, surkhi etc. according to the grain size, the
sand is termed as follows.

Size Types of Sand

0.06 to 1mm Very fine sand
1 to 3mm Harfine sand
3 to 4.75 Coarse sand

Coarse aggregate
The material which passes through an 80mm sieve and retained on I.S. sieve No.480 [4.75mm] is
considered as coarse aggregate. E.g. pebbles, gravel, and if 30mm it is called fine gravel, and if 30 to
80mm is called course gravel. Depending on the size of course aggregate it is used for different works
as follows

Size Types of Sand

200 to 75mm Mass concrete foundation, dams
50 to 75mm Roadwork
24 to 50mm Plain concrete work
15 to 20mm R.C.C. works
10 to 12mm Thin R.C.C. section, curtain walls

Properties of Course Aggregates

 It should be clean, dense and cubical in shape.

 It should be free from silt, clay and coal residues.
 It should not contain any organic and other admixtures.
 It should be sharp, course and angular to have good interlocking property.
 It should be free from thin, flat elongated flaky or splinter particle.
 The size of the aggregates should be such that the voids in the coarse aggregates are
completely filled up by Fine aggregates and the voids in the fine aggregates are complete.
 Mixed up with cement and water to get dense concrete.
 The coarse aggregates used in the surface course of road work must withstand the high
magnitude of load, stresses, wear and tear due to the abrasive action of traffic.
 It should be hard enough to resist wear and tear due to the abrasive action of the moving
vehicles.
 It should not disintegrate under adverse weather condition including alternate wet dry and
freeze-thaw cycle.
 Its specific gravity should be more than 27.