Part 3

Bricks & Their Qualities

What is Brick and How it is formed?

● Bricks are the basic building structural member of a

building.

● Bricks are used in brick masonry and brick

foundation.

● These are made up of clay shaped like bricks and

baked in kiln to make it hard.

● Usually baking can go up to 2 Days in kiln.

● Bricks colour and quality depends upon the locally

available soil.
 Constituents of a Brick

Ingredients Percentage in
Brick

Silica (SiO2) 55%

Alumina (Al2O3) 30%

Iron Oxide (Fe2O3) 8%

Magnesia (MgO) 5%

Lime (CaO) 1%

Organic Matter 1%

Clay Bricks are made by mixing some materials in a particular ratio and finally
bake them in a brick kiln
Qualities of a Brick

Bricks are classified in 3 categories by their qualities

1st Class Bricks
2nd Class Bricks
3rd Class Bricks

Size of Brick –
1. Traditional / Standard Brick – 230 x 115 x 75 mm
2. Modular Brick 200 x 100 x 100 mm

Weight of brick
The weight of brick for 1m3 is 1800 kgs. And the total no. of
brick in 1m3 is 500
• The brick should produce a metallic sound when collides with each
other

• There should not be any gaps and void inside the brick.
Qualities of a Brick
Compressive strength of a brick • Water absorption capacity of bricks
1st class brick = 10N/m2 For
1st class brick ≥ 20% of total weight of brick
2nd class brick=7.5N/m2
2nd class brick ≥ 22% of total weight of brick
3rd class brick = 3.5 N/m2
3rd class brick ≥ 25% of total weight of brick
Toughness
The brick should not break into pieces when drop
from the height of 1 m.
Hardness
The brick should be hard enough that it does not show
any kind of sign when it is scratchedfrom finger nail.
Alkali
When the brick emerged in water for 24hrs it does not show
any sign of effloresce.