EXPERIMENT: 2

DETERMINATION OF WATER ABSORPTION

REFERENCE

 IS:3495 (Part1), 1992 - Methods of tests of burnt clay building bricks

AIM

 To determine water absorption of burnt clay building bricks.

BACKGROUND

 Brick for external use must be capable of preventing rain water from passing through
them, to inside of the wall of reasonable thickness. A good brick should.

APPARATUS USED

1. A sensitive balance capacity of weighing within 0.1% of specimen.

2. Ventilated oven.
3. Bricks

Fig.1: Bricks Fig.2: Oven

PROCEDURE

1. Dry the specimen in ventilated oven at a temperature of 105 to 115℃ till it attains
substantially constant mass.
2. Cool the specimen to room temperature and obtain its weight (𝑀1 ).
3. Immerse completely dried specimen in clean water at a temperature of 27°C for 24
hours.
4. Remove the specimen and wipe out any traces of water with a damp cloth and weigh
the specimen.
5. Complete the weighing 3 minutes after the specimen has been removed from water.
absorb water, maximum of the weight of the brick.

CALCULATION

𝑴𝟐 −𝑴𝟏
Water absorption = × 𝟏𝟎𝟎
𝑴𝟏

Where,

𝑴𝟐 = weight of wet bricks

𝑴𝟏 = weight of dry bricks

OBSERVATION

Weight of wet brick Weight of dry brick M1 Water absorption

M2 (kg) (kg) percentage (%)

Average percentage absorption =

CONCLUSION: -