12 BASIC CIVIL ENGINEERING

knowledge about to properties of raw materials, better machinaries and improved techniques of moulding
drying and burning.
The size of the bricks are of 90 mm × 90 mm × 90 mm and 190 mm × 90 mm × 40 mm. With
mortar joints, the size of these bricks are taken as 200 mm × 100 mm × 100 mm and 200 mm × 100 mm
3′′ 1′′ 5″ 1′′
× 50 mm. However the old size of 8 ×4 ×2 giving a masonary size of 9″ × 4 × 3″ is still
4 2 8 2
commonly used in India.

1.2.1 Types of Bricks

Bricks may be broadly classified as:
(i) Building bricks
(ii) Paving bricks
(iii) Fire bricks
(iv) Special bricks.
(i) Building Bricks: These bricks are used for the construction of walls.
(ii) Paving Bricks: These are vitrified bricks and are used as pavers.
(iii) Fire Bricks: These bricks are specially made to withstand furnace temperature. Silica bricks
belong to this category.
(iv) Special Bricks: These bricks are different from the commonly used building bricks with
respect to their shape and the purpose for which they are made. Some of such bricks are listed below:
(a) Specially shaped bricks
(b) Facing bricks
(c) Perforated building bricks
(d) Burnt clay hollow bricks
(e) Sewer bricks
( f ) Acid resistant bricks.
(a) Specially Shaped Bricks: Bricks of special shapes are manufactured to meet the
requirements of different situations. Some of them are shown in Fig. 1.3.

Bull nosed brick Cant brick Plinth brick

Channel brick

Coping brick Cornice brick

Fig. 1.3. Special shaped bricks