Bricks

History of Bricks:
• Bricks are one of the oldest types of building blocks.
• They are an ideal building material because they are relatively
cheap to make, very durable, and require little maintenance.
• A brick is a block of material used in masonry construction, usually laid
using various kinds of mortar.
• Examples of the civilizations who used mud brick are the ancient
Egyptians and the Indus Valley Civilization, where it was used
exclusively. In particular, it is evident from the ruins of Buhen,
Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa.
• The first sun-dried bricks were made in Mesopotamia (what is now
Iraq), in the ancient city of Ur in about 4000 BC
 BRICKS WITH MORTAR(cement mortar(cement +sand) as binder.
However, before the invention of cement, clay and lime were used as
binder)

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 Advantages of bricks
• Brick will not burn, buckle or melt.
• Brick will not rot and allow Termites to invade.
• Brick will not rust and corrode.
• Brick will not dent.
• Brick will not fade from the Sun's UV Rays.
• Brick will not be damaged by high winds, rain or hail.
• Brick will not require constant maintenance.
• Brick will not devalue.
• Brick will not limit your personal expression.
• Brick will not limit your design options. 
AAC Block
Ingredients of good bricks earth

• Silica 50-60%
• Alumia 20-30%
• Lime 10%
• Magnesia < 1%
• Ferric oxide < 7% less than 20%
• Alkalis < 10%
• Carbon dioxide
• Sulphur trioxide very small %
• water
Manufacturing of clay bricks

Unsoiling –> digging-> weathering-> blending-> tempering

moulding

drying

burning

brick
Characteristics of good clay bricks
• Size and shape: should have uniform size and plane,
rectangular surfaces with parallel sides and sharp
edges.
• Color: should have a uniform deep red or cherry color
as indicative of uniformity in chemical composition
and thoroughness of in the burning of the brick.
• Texture and compactness: surface should not be too
smooth to cause slipping of mortar. The brick should
have pre compact and uniform texture.
• Hardness and soundness: the brick should be so hard
that when scratched by a finger nail no impression is
made.
• When two bricks are struck together a metallic sound should be
produced.
• Water Absorption: should not exceed 20% of its dry weight when
immersed in water for 24 hrs.
• Brick earth: should be free from stones, organic matter …
• Crushing strength: should not be less than 10 N/mm2
Classification of clay bricks
• On field practice: Classified based on their
physical and mechanical properties.
• First Class
• Second Class
• Third Class
• Fourth Class
 First class brick
• Thoroughly burnt and deep red, cherry or copper colour.
• The surface should be smooth and rectangular, with parallel, sharp and
straight edges and square corners.
• These should be free from flaws, cracks and stones.
• These should have uniform texture.
• No impression should be left on the brick when scratch is made by the
finger nail.
• The metallic or ringing sound should come when two bricks are struck
against each other.
• Water absorption should be 15 to 20% of its dry weight when immersed
in cold water for 24 hours.
• The crushing strength of the brick should not be less than 10 N/mm2
• Uses: recommended for pointing, exposed face work in masonry
structure, flooring and reinforced brick work.
Fig 1: First class brick
 Second class bricks
• Same requirements like first class except
• Small cracks and distortion permitted.
• A little higher water absorption of about 16-20% of its dry
weight is allowed.
• The crushing strength should not be less than 7.0 N/mm2
• Uses: important and unimportant hidden masonry
works and centering of reinforced brick work and RCC
structures.
Fig 2: second class brick
 Third class brick

• Are under burnt.

• Soft and light colored producing a dull sound when struck against
each other.
• Water absorption is about 25% of dry weight.
• Uses: used for building temporary structures.
Fig 3: third class brick
 Fourth class
• Are over burnt and badly distorted in shape and size and are brittle in
nature.
• Uses: used for foundation and floors in the lime concrete and road
metal.
Fig 4: fourth class brick
On basis of use
• Common brick: multi-purpose unit manufactured
economically without special reference to appearance.
Used for filling and backing of walls.
• Facing bricks: primarily made to have a good
appearance either color or texture. Used for surface
walls for which a pleasing appearance is desired.
• Engineering bricks are strong, impermeable, smooth,
and hard and conform to definite limits of water
absorption and strength. Used for load-bearing wall.
Examples
On the basis of finish
• Sand faced brick: has textured surface manufactured by sprinkling sand
on the inner surfaces of the mould.
• Rustic Brick: has mechanical textured finished, varying in pattern.
On the basis of burning
• Pale bricks: are under burnt obtained from outer portion of klin.
• Body bricks: are well burn occupying central portion of the klin.
• Arch bricks: are over burnt also known as clinker bricks obtained from
inner portion of the klin.
examples
On the basis of types
• Soilds: small holes not exceeding 25% of the volume of the brick are
permitted.
• Perforated: small holes may exceed 25% of the total volume of the brick.
• Hollow : the total of holes, which need not be small may exceed 25% of
the volume of the brick.
• Cellular: holes closed at one end exceed 20% of the volume.
examples
AAC Block
Defects of clay bricks
• Efflorescence: defect caused due to presence of alkalis in the brick.
Calcium sulphate, magnesium.
• Prevention: selecting proper clay, water repellent in mortar, providing water
proof coping etc..
• Over burning of bricks: soft molten mass is produced and loss of shape
of brick.
• Under burning of brick: incomplete vitrification cause less soft and un
covering of pores increasing the water absorption of brick.
• Bloating: spongy swollen mass over the surface of burned bricks due to
presence of carbonaceous matter and Sulphur.
• Black core: presence of bituminous matter or carbon and incomplete
oxidation th ebrick results in black core.
• Chuffs: the deformation of the shape of bricks caused by the rainwater
falling on hot bricks is known as chuffs.
• Checks or cracks: due to lime or excess of water. Expansion and
disintegration due to lime and shrinkage and burning cracks due to
excess of water.
• Spots: iron sulphide causes dark spots on the brick surface.
• Blisters: broken blisters due to imprisoned air during moulding.
• Laminations: thin lamina on the face of brick which weather out on
exposure. Caused by entrapped air in the void.
Different forms of bricks
• Depending upon the places of use
• Round end and bull nose brick: to construct curved edges
• Eg: curved walls, drains.
• Cant brick: also called splay brick
• suitable for doors, windows jambs.
• Double cant are used for ocatagonal pillars
• Cornice brick: used from architectural point of view.
• Perforated bricks and Hollow Brick: used for engineering purposes to
control the amount of heat and sound in side the building. Used in halls.
• Coping: top most of the bricks course are made with coping bricks.
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 CLAY TILEs- thin rectangular slab used in
various engineering purposes as follows:
• Flooring tiles
• Roofing tiles
• Walls tiles
• Partition tiles
NOTE:MANUFACTURING PROCESS is same as brick(EXPLAIN THE PROCESS)
Characteristics of good clay tiles :
• Uniform texture
• Accurate size and shape
• Free from flaws, cracks and non uniform burning
• Water absorption less than 15%
• Resistant to atmosphere and dampness
• Durable

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OTHER MISCELLANEOUS CLAY
PRODUCT
1.EARTHERNWARE
2.TERRACOTTA
3.STONEWARE
4.PROCELAIN

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ROOF TILES….IS 654(clay roofing tiles)

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EARTHERN WARES…drain pipes,lavatory
fittings

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EARTHERN WARES…drain pipes,lavatory
fittings

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TERRACOTTA…Ornamental

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TERRACOTTA…cornices

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TERRACOTTA…column casing

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STONEWARE…Wash basin

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STONEWARE…water closet

CISTERN

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STONEWARE…sewer pipes

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 END OF
SESSION

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STONEWARE…floor tiles and wall tiles

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• Queen closer: when brick is cut along the length
• King closer: when cut at one end by half header and half stretcher.
 Brick Work
• Brick shape in brick
work
• To produce the variety
of arrangmenet or
special purpose in brick
work

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 Brick Work
• Brick shape in
brick work

Angle
Brick

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 Brick Work
• Brick shape in
brick work

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 Brick Work
• Brick arrangement
in brick work

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 Brick work
• Brick arrangement
in brick work

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 Brick Work
• Brick arrangement
in brick work

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