Determination of the

Compressive Strength of
Concrete Hollow Blocks
What Is A Hollow Block In General?

In general, Hollow Block is a Type of Concrete Block Used for

building internal and external walls. Hollow concrete block
saves time in building walls due to its large dimensions. Due to
the load-carrying capacıty, the Hollow Block is playing an
important role in the construction industry.

Hollow blocks are made using molds and a suitable additive

depending on your location and your project. It is believed that
concrete blocks are one of the most popular construction
materials which are used in the construction industry almost
everywhere. Cement is used to bond components in order to
produce stronger and longer life hollow blocks.
Hollow Block Composition

As an additive any of the below materials can be

used:

 Volcanic ash
 Granite rubble
 Sand
 Broken glass, brick, concrete, hardened
cement
 Expanded clay
 River gravel or crushed stone
 Sawdust
 Some combustion products: boiler slag, ash
Concrete Block Types And Description

Concrete block is considered as inexpensive

material, therefore, used by builders quite often.
Regarding the properties and appearance of
concrete blocks, they are presented in the following
varieties:

 Solid concrete block

 Hollow block
 Decorative facing concrete hollow block
 Partition concrete hollow block
 Colored concrete hollow block
 Base concrete hollow block
 Rough surface hollow concrete block
 Solid concrete block
Solid concrete blocks are used for laying the foundation,
columns, supporting structures of buildings, and basements.
The leading role is played by their durability.
 Hollow block:

Concrete hollow block with emptiness inside is used as a building

material in the construction of walls and partitions of a building.
They are lighter, so they do not add to the total weight of the
structure too much. Usually, these hollow blocks are produced in
a way to interlock each other and the machine that produces these
blocks are called an interlocking brick machine, so don't get
confused if you hear this name.
 Decorative facing concrete hollow block:
Appeared on the building materials market not so long ago. Their
distinctive feature is the presence of a decorative coating on one
or two sides. This layer of the concrete hollow block not only
duplicates various textures (stone, plaster) but also performs a
protective function - makes it resistant to moisture. Due to this,
there is no need for complex finishing work.
Partition concrete hollow block:
They are used in the laying of partitions and have some
advantages: accurate wall geometry is observed, solution saving,
low weight compared to brick, and quick installation. These
blocks are produced in both hollow and solid types. Choosing the
right type depends on your project.
 Colored concrete hollow block:
Used in construction as conventional materials, hollow blocks are
most often used in the construction of fences, gables, decorative
pillars. They achieve the desired shade already at the stage of the
hollow block manufacturing process. To do this, crushed red brick
or colored chalk is added to the mixture.
 Base concrete hollow block:
Their other name is an artificial wall stone. It differs in durability
and durability in use, does not shrink, and does not crumble. A
prerequisite for laying the foundation of concrete hollow blocks is
the presence of reinforced concrete tape, which must have a layer
of at least 1.5 centimeters. The walls of the foundation blocks are
necessarily covered with hydro and heat insulation.
 Rough surface hollow concrete block:
This building material has a decorative surface under the
"ragged" and crushed concrete hollow block. It is used most often
as a cladding for fences and decoration of buildings or structures.
Hollow Block Dimensions And Standards

The hollow block is also known as a hollow cement block or

hollow concrete block as well. It is sometimes called a
concrete masonry unit as well. The shapes and sizes of most of
the common concrete blocks have been standardized to ensure
uniform building construction. Hollow block machines are
also manufactured with the same standard. The machine has
the feature of working for 24 hours. It has different
Automation levels and capacities. The machine is very fast and
has a high production capacity. Except for product drying and
curing rooms, there is no extra equipment needed in the plant.
Machines for making hollow blocks: manual hollow block
machine, Semi-Automatic concrete block machine, and
fully automatic block making machine.
Normally the size of a standard hollow block is 20cm(width)
* 40cm(length) * 20cm(height) this is a worldwide standard
and the manufacturers produce their hollow blocks
considering this standard. There are also other standards
but this is the standard that the machine capacity is
calculated with.
Hollow Block Advantages

1. Rapid Execution of Work in construction

2. Extremely durable
3. Better Insulation
4. Environmentally friendly
5. Cost-Efficient
6. Low Maintenance
7. Reduce consuming Space
8. Bonding of mortar and plaster
Hollow Block Disadvantages

1.Appearance
2.Water absorption
Hollow Block Manufacturing Process

Maybe you wonder how a hollow block is made, it is made of

cement, water and aggregate mixed together with a standard
ratio, about the machine which produces hollow blocks, it is
called hollow block machine or brick making machine.

This machine has different molds and each mold can produce
a different shape and size of a hollow concrete block. The
hollow block machine uses pressure and vibration to compress
the mortar, so the produced hollow blocks have better quality.
The pressing force is usually 150 Bar and the vibration force is
normally 36.500kg.
Producing hollow blocks is a very profitable business. The
hollow block is very much in demand due to the advantages
it has over other options. And due to the population growth,
the need for housing is growing as well. There are many
brick making machine manufacturers in different
countries with different capacities and prices, so you have
many options to choose among them.
ASTM SPECIFICATIONS FOR CONCRETE
MASONRY UNITS

The most widely-used standards for specifying concrete masonry

units in the United States are published by ASTM International.
These ASTM standards contain minimum requirements that
assure properties necessary for quality performance.
LOADBEARING CONCRETE MASONRY
UNITS— ASTM C90
NONLOADBEARING CONCRETE MASONRY
UNITS— ASTM C129

ASTM C129 (ref. 11) covers hollow and solid nonloadbearing

units, intended for use in nonloadbearing partitions. These
units are not suitable for exterior walls subjected to freezing
cycles unless effectively protected from the weather. These
units must be clearly marked to preclude their use as
loadbearing units. Minimum net area compressive strength
requirements are 500 psi (3.45 MPa) for an individual unit
and 600 psi (4.14 MPa) average for three units.

Compression Test of Concrete Hollow Blocks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXi7yg6Ttks
REFERENCES/ WEBSITES

1. https://ncma.org/resource/astm-specifications-for-concrete-masonry-units/
#:~:text=Minimum%20compressive%20strength%20requirements%20are,based%20on
%20average%20gross%20area.

2. https://bessconcreteblockmachine.com/what-is-hollow-block.html