Module 1

Module Title: Prepare Masonry materials

Select materials, tools and equipment
needed in hauling and mixing
RAW MATERIALS FOR MASONRY
WORKS
• Bricks
• Stones
• Concrete blocks
• Sand and aggregates
• Cement
• Water
 BRICKS
• Bricks must be of good quality and without visible cracks for a load-bearing
wall. A hard ringing sound emitted when two bricks are struck together
indicates that they have been burnt satisfactorily. Generally, the bricks should
be true to size and shape, with straight edges and even surface, so as to
facilitate laying them into position without using too much mortar. Inferior
bricks are generally under-burnt and as a consequence are easily broken and
are very porous. These are neither hard nor durable and are incapable of
withstanding heavy loads.
 Classification of bricks

1. Facing bricks
• These bricks are thoroughly burned and uniform in
colour, and having plane rectangular faces and sharp
straight right angled edges.
• They are used in the exposed face of the brickwork
without any plaster or surface treatment.
• Facing bricks are also used for “Rat Trap Bond”
masonry walls
 Classification of bricks

2. Solid bricks
• A solid brick is a brick with less
holes or perforations of 25% of its
volume, in which frogs do not
exceed 20% of its volume
 Classification of bricks

3. Cavity bricks
• A burnt clay hollow block
or brick with holes larger
than 20mm wide, which
exceed 20% of its volume.
 Classification of bricks

4. Special shaped bricks

• These are usually solid
bricks of various shapes
suited to a particular
construction.
 Quality of bricks
Generally common bricks are grouped into 3 classes:

Description Class 1 Class 2 Class 3

Water absorption Max. 20% Max 20% Max 20%

Crushing strength Min. 105 kg/cm2 Min. 70 kg/cm2 Min. 35 kg/cm2

 STONES
• Building stones are derived from various
types of rocks that are found in the crust
of the earth. They are natural products
and are used directly, except for their
rough sizing and dressing, before being
put in a structure.
• Stones are or can be used in almost all
parts of construction such as
foundations, walls, floors, roofs, as well
as for roads, dams etc.
 STONES

All size bolder stone try masonry wall Sized stone pillar construction
 Classification of stones
Stones or rocks are divided into three main groups:
• Igneous (Granite)
• Sedimentary (Sand-stone Lime-stones)
• Metamorphic (Slates, Marble, Laterite)
 Quality of building stone

• The fundamental requirements of building stones are

strength, density and durability combined with reasonable
facility for working. A good building stone must be hard,
tough, compact grained and uniform in texture and color.
• Usually, crystalline and close-grained stones are durable.
 Signs of good quality stones
Colour: Stones should have uniform colour. Red and brown shades
and mottled colour indicate the presence of injurious
material.
Weight: Basically, the heavier and compact grained stones are the
stronger and durable they are.
Water absorption: A stone absorbing less water is stronger and more durable as it
will have less action of rainwater.
Appearance: A good building stone should be free from decay, flaws, veins,
cracks and sand-holes

Quality tests
There are several tests
possible to define the
quality of a stone.
However, in the field
there are basically three
tests where one can
define the suitable quality
of a stone.
Hammer test
Take a hammer and check the stone for its
sound. A hard ringing sound indicates that the
stone is of good quality and has no major
defect such as holes or cracks.
Visible test
Check the stone for any defects such as cracks,
patches with soft materials, discoloring etc.
Porosity or absorption test
Weight a stone of reasonable size and place it for
24 hrs. into a water-bucket. A good building stone
should not absorb more than 5% of its weight of
water after 24hrs immersion
 Concrete blocks
• Concrete blocks are nowadays very common
and time proofed walling materials. Concrete
blocks can be produced by hand and by
machine.
• Hand made blocks are usually of lower
quality, because machine made blocks are
better compacted by a vibrator table.
• The specific use of a concrete block defines
its size and the quality. Cement and coarse
sand with small size aggregates are used with
very low water/cement ratio.
 Classification of concrete blocks
Concrete blocks are classified into two main groups:

Solid blocks Hollow blocks

 Quality of concrete blocks
The basic quality requirement of concrete blocks are; strength, uniform
in size and to a certain degree water resistant.
A good concrete block is produced and stored under a sunshade, has an
appropriate mix ratio (not more than 1: 6 for hollow blocks and 1: 10 for
solid blocks) contains clean raw materials (sand, aggregates and water)
and fresh cement, is properly cured for 21 days and is handled with care
up to the point of use for masonry work.
 Hollow blocks Hollow blocks
(non load (load bearing
Description Solid blocks bearing walls) walls)

Density >1800 kg/cum >1500 kg / cum >1500 kg/cum

Crushing
strength (after
Min. 5 N/mm2 Min.2.8 N/mms Min. 3.5 N/mm2
28 days)
 SAND AND AGGREGATES

Sand and aggregates are

very essential building
construction raw
materials and deserve
special attention.
 Classification of sand and aggregates
• Material retained on a 4.75 mm IS (Indian Standard) sieve is classified as
coarse aggregate, and below that size as fine aggregate or sand. The material
passing a 75-micron IS sieve is generally considered to be clay, fine silt or fine
dust in an aggregate.
• Sand, which contains 90% of particles of size greater than 0.06 mm and less
than 0.2 mm, is fine sand.
• Sand, which contains 90% of particles of size greater than 0.6 mm and less
than 2 mm is coarse sand.
Coarse aggregate
•Natural deposits
There are mainly
three sources from • Crushed stones
where coarse
aggregates originate • Brick aggregates
namely:
 Sand • Pit sand
• Sea sand
There are mainly
four types of • River sand
sand namely • Crushed sand
Pit sand
 Quality of sand and aggregates
• The quality of the mortar is directly linked to the characteristics and
condition of the sand. Sand and aggregates must be free from clay, loam,
vegetables and any other organic material.
• Clay or dirt coating on aggregates prevents adhesion of cement to aggregate,
slows down the setting and hardening process and reduces the strength of
the mortar.
• Therefore, clay and silt content should not exceed 10%, otherwise the sand
needs to be washed.
 Sand storage
• The sand should be stored preferably under a
shade. The sand should be sufficiently
protected, such that no impurity from
animals, agricultural waste, children, trees, etc.
is possible.
Testing the sand
quality • Visible test
• Check the sand for
There are two main sand impurities such as organic
quality-testing methods, materials (mud, leaves, roots
namely: etc.) Remove them before
using the sand
 • Hand test
• The sand sample is rubbed between damp hand. A
Clay and silt clean sand will leave the hands only slightly stained.
If the hands stay dirty, it indicates the presence of
content test too much silt or clay.
• Bottle test
• Take a bottle and fill in the sand until it is half full.
Fill in clean water until the bottle is threequarters
The clay and silt full. Shake up vigorously and leave it to settle for
about one hour. Clean sand will settle immediately,
content test can be in silt and clay will settle slowly on top of the sand.
The thickness of the clay and silt layer should not
two ways: exceed one-tenth or 10% of the sand below.
• This test is also called decantation test. This test is
not applicable to crushed stone sands!!
• Dirty sand should never be used in masonry
because it will reduce the adhesive value of the
mortar considerably.
 Sea sand

• Sea sand is unsuitable for mortar as it contains

salts, which attract and retain moisture. In addition
the salt content in the mortar will produce a
whitish powder of efflorescence, which discolors
the brickwork or masonry.
 CEMENT
Cement is a mixture of 60 to 67% lime, 17 to 25% silica
and 3 to 8% alumina, which are intimately mixed together
with water to form into a slurry, which is subsequently
heated, dried, calcined and ground to a very fine powder. A
small proportion of gypsum is added before grinding in
order to control the rate of setting.
 Setting/Hardening

• The terms setting and hardening have different

meanings.
• Setting is the process which changes a fluid concrete
to a solid but weak state.
• Hardening is the process by which the weak set
concrete attains strength.
 Hydration of cement

When water is added to cement, the cement hydrates

and during the chemical reactions, which take place
while the cement is setting, an increase in
temperature occurs and a considerable quantity of
heat is generated.
 1. Ordinary Portland
Different types of cement Cement
2. Rapid hardening
There are total five different kinds of Cement
cements. Cements are classified by their 3. Quick setting Cement
properties and chemical composition. The 4. Blast – furnace Slag
names of these five kinds of cements are:
Cement
5. High Alumina
Cement
 Type and quality

For ordinary brick masonry work it is recommended

to use ordinary Portland cement. In order to achieve
a good mortar in strength and durability, it is
essential that the following rules and regulations be
followed:
 Cement storage
• Cement can be safely stored in bags for a few months if kept in a dry room. Paper
bags are better for storing than jute bags because paper bags perform better in
regard to quality deterioration due to moisture. During the monsoon time, the
cement storage plays an even more important role, since the relatively higher
humidity accelerates the deterioration process of the cement.
• Cement bags should be stored on a raised wooden platform (e.g. timber pallets)
about 15 to 20 cm above the floor level and about 30 to 50 cm away from walls.
• The cement stack should not be more than 10 bags high. The bags should be placed
close together to reduce circulation of air.
• A cement bag should never be opened until its immediate use for mixing.
Cement storage
 Use of fresh cement

Ordinary Portland cement, which has been

stored for over six months, should not be used
for masonry work.
• The average reduction of strength in a 1:2:4 mix as a result of storage is:
Fresh cement strength 100%
Cement after 3 months, strength reduced by 20%
Cement after 6 months, strength reduced by 30%
Cement after 12 months, strength reduced by 40%
Cement after 24 months; strength reduced by 50%
 Testing the cement quality

The indication of damaged cement is given by the

presence of large lumps of set cement. These lumps
of set cement should not be used, not even if
screened again
 The freshness of cement can be tested as per
following description:
• Lump test:
• Check the cement for any small or large lumps. Remove them.
• Rubbing test:
• When cement is rubbed between fingers and thumb it should feel like a smooth powder such as flour.
• Setting test:
• If you are uncertain about your cement quality you can make a simple setting test.
• Make a stiff paste of neat cement and water and form it into a cake about 75 mm diameter and 12 to 15 mm
thick. The cake should commence to set in about 30 to 60 minutes. In 18 to 24 hours the cake should have
hardened sufficiently so that it does not effortlessly scratch the surface with a thumbnail.