Load-Bearing Concrete Masonry Units

According to IQS No. 1077 the specifications are given for concrete hollow and solid blocks
used in bearing walls construction.
Bearing concrete blocks: building units with length, width, and thick which specialized for
concrete blocks (400x200x60-350 mm) used for walls constriction manufactured from Portland
cement, aggregate (normal or lightweight or from both) and water.
Solid concrete blocks: the block is considered hollow if contains one or more holes through its
section and having a volume of 25-50% of the total volume.

Classification: According to its use:

a) Grade A: for external or internal walls exposed or not to damp or weathering effects under
or overground level
b) Grade B: for internal or external walls covered by protection layer from damp or
weathering effects over ground level.
Block Manufacturing Process: The production of concrete blocks consists of four basic
processes: mixing, molding, curing, and cubing.
Mixing: sand, gravel (10 mm max. aggregate size), and a small amount of water fed by
weight from batch mixer then cement added to the mixer and mixed for several minutes. This
dry mix is now ready to be molded.

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 Molding: the dry mix emptied of the mixer into molds. The size of the mold determines the
size of the block. It can produce 2-6 blocks at a time. The filled concrete into the mold
pressed and vibrated to avoid holes or pockets. The pressed blocks are forced out of the
molds onto steel pallets and driven, by a conveyor to the kiln.
Curing: The kiln is an enclosed room with an operating temperature of around 150 degrees
and able to hold around 10,000 blocks at a time. The blocks move into the kiln at a steady
rate coming out of the block machine and stay here to cure in the hot, moist air for 12 - 16
hours. In the kiln, the temperature and pressure ensure that the blocks are cured properly, to
achieve their required strength. The blocks can be cured by spraying water, but at this type of
curing it cannot be used before 7 days of its production.
Cubing: The cured blocks roll out of the kiln and are pushed off their steel pallets. The
blocks aligned and then stacked into a cube 3 blocks across, 5 blocks deep and 4 or 5 blocks
high, next stored.
Physical Requirements: Load-bearing concrete masonry blocks must have the following
physical properties:
Table 1: compressive strength and water absorption of concrete blocks.
minimum compressive
Maximum
block strength on average area, MPa
Grade water
type ave. of 3
for one block absorption, %
blocks
A 11 13 10
solid
B 7 9 15
A 6 7 15
hollow
B 4.5 5 20

Dimensions:
1. The thickness of the web walls must be not less than 20 mm, and flange than 20 mm.
2. The tolerance in length, width, and high not more than 3 mm of the standard dimensions.
3. The standard size can be changed, but the thickness not more than the length.

Visual test:
1. All blocks must be hard without cracks and other defects that reduce its bearing capacity
or durability of the structure. Small defects or brocks less than 25 mm and a 5% ratio
caused by transportation are not a reason for rejection.
2. All surfaces must be rough enough to ensure cohesion with plaster or cement coating
mortar.

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Rejection: when any specimens did not meet the specifications of this standard, the second batch
of specimens are selected and tested. Failure for the second time means the rejection of the
whole supplied quantity.