Bricks

BY
LOKESH GUPTA
Assistant Professor
Civil Engineering Department.
SPSU Udaipur

Introduction
Building structure consist of many
parts such as foundation, column,
doors, walls, lintels, roof trusses,
window grill etc. All these parts of
structure are constructed of
materials known as engineering
materials i.e. building materials.

Various Types Of Building

Materials

Bricks
Stone
Cement
Sand
Timber
Steel
Plastics
Aluminum
Roofing Materials
Mortar
Glass

Bricks
Bricks are obtained by
moulding clay or other
suitable earth materials to
the desired shape after
subjecting it to several
processes.
Standard
size19cmX9cmX9cm
With mortar20cmX10cmX10cm

Various Ingredients Of Good Bricks

Silica
- 50-60%
Alumina
- 20-30%
Lime
- 10%
Magnesia <1%
Ferric oxide < 7%
Alkalis< 10%
Carbon dioxide
Sulphur trioxide
Water

Classification of bricks

First class Bricks

Second class Bricks
Third class Bricks
Fourth class Bricks

First class Bricks

Characteristics of first class bricks Well burnt, copper colour.

Perfect edges and shape
Sufficiently hard
Produce metallic ringing sound
Homogeneous
Free from pebbles, cracks and voids
Uniform texture
Water absorption- 12-15%
Crushing Strength should not be less than
10N/ mm2.
Density- 1.7-1.9 KN/ mm2.

Second class Bricks

Small cracks & distortion permitted
Water absorption- 16% -20%
Crushing strength should not be less than
7N/ mm2.
Proffered for all important and
unimportant masonry work
RCC work

Third class Bricks

Under burnt, soft & light coloured

Produces dull sound
Water absorption - 25%
Used in temporary building structure.

Fourth class Bricks

Over burnt
Badly distorted in size and shape
Brittle in nature

Classification As Per BIS (IS:

1077)
CLASS

AVERAGE COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH NOT LESS

THAN (N/mm2)

35

35

30

30

25

25

20

20

17.5

17.5

15

15

12.5

12.5

10

10

7.5

7.5

3.5

3.5

Heavy duty Bricks

Average compressive strength 40
N/ mm2
Bridges, Foundation, Industrial
building
Water Absorption- 5%
Sub class A- Smooth, Rectangular
face, Sharp corners and uniform
colour
Sub Class B- Slightly distorted and
has round edges.

Water Absorption Test (IS: 3495- Part II)

Brick absorbs the water by capillary action.

Indicates the degree of burning.
Measure of durability
Water absorption (<7%) indicates high
resistance to the damages by freezing.

Methods of find water absorption1. 24 hours immersion cold water test

2. 5 hours boiling water test

(1) 24 Hours immersion cold water test

Bricks are kept in to the oven at a
temperature of 110C to 115C until they
attains constant mass.
The weight W1 is recorded after cooling at
room temperature.
Bricks are then immersed in to the water
at a temperature of 27C for 24 hours.
Specimens are taken out from water and
wiped with cotton and their weight is
recorded as W2.
Water Absorption (%) = (W2 -W1 ) / W1

(2) 5 Hours Boiling Water

Test
Bricks are kept in to the oven at a temperature
of 110C to 115C untill they attains constant
mass.
The weight W1 is recorded after cooling at room
temperature.
Specimen is immersed in water and boiled for 5
hours and allowed to cool down up to room
temperature i.e. 27C.
Specimens are taken out from water and wiped
with cotton and their weight is recorded as W 2.
Water Absorption (%) = (W2 -W1 ) / W1

Compressive strength Test (IS: 3495Part I)

Six bricks are selected for compressive strength test.

Bricks are then immersed in water at room
temperature for 24 hours.
Specimen are taken out from water and wiped with
cotton.
Frog is filled with cement mortar and stored in jute
bag for 24 hours and then immersed in water at room
temperature for next 3 days.
Specimen are taken out from water and wiped with
cotton.
Specimen is placed in compressive strength testing
machine with flat face horizontal and mortar filled face
being upward.

 Load is applied at rate of

14N/mm2/minute till failure.
The maximum load taken by
specimen before failure per unit
cross sectional area is reported as
compressive strength of each
specimen.
Average of results is reported as
compressive strength.