Basics of Civil Engineering

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UG First Year
Sem-I (2022 Batch)
EEE-B

Dr. Vanama Raghava Kumar, M.Tech.(VNIT), Ph.D.(IITB)

Assistant Professor
Department of Civil Engineering,
National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli
Tamil Nadu, INDIA - 620015

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 BRICKS
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Bricks Manufacturing
• Brick is obtained by moulding good clay into a block, which is dried and then burnt. Standard size of Brick in India
• This is the oldest building block to replace stone.
• Manufacture of brick started with hand moulding, sun drying and burning in clamps.
• A considerable amount of technological development has taken place with better
knowledge about the properties of raw materials, better machineries and improved
techniques of moulding, drying and burning. Eagle aqueduct, Spain
• With mortar joints, the size of these bricks are taken as 200 mm × 100 mm × 100 mm
• Romans made the first large-scale use of masonry arches and roof vaults in their
basilica (domes), baths and aqueducts (arch bridge)

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Chemical composition of brick
The clay should be free from pebbles, gravel, alkalis, organic matter and vegetation
• Prevents cracking, shrinking and warping of raw bricks. Ingredients Concentration (%)
• imparts uniform shape to the bricks. Silica 50 – 60
• Influences Durability
• Excess of silica destroys the cohesion between particles and bricks
Alumina 20 – 30
become brittle. Iron oxide 5–6
Lime <5
• It is the chief constituent of every kind of clay. Magnesia 0.1
• imparts plasticity to earth so that it can be molded.
• excess alumina: raw bricks shrink and warp during drying and burning.

• imparts red colour to bricks.

• Excess of oxide of iron makes the bricks dark blue or blackish.

• A small quantity in finely powdered state prevents shrinkage of raw bricks.

• Excess of lime causes the brick to melt and hence, its shape is lost due to the splitting of bricks.

• imparts yellow tint to bricks, and decreases shrinkage.

• But excess of magnesia decreases shrink leads to the decay of bricks.

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Brick Manufacturing process

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 Brick Manufacturing Process
Mining and storage
• Removal of loose soil
• The top layer of ground should be removed for a depth of 200 mm.
• It should not be used for preparation of bricks as it contains lot of impurities.
• Digging, spreading and cleaning
• The earth removed from below 200 mm is spread on a level ground.
• All undesirable materials like grass, roots, gravel etc. are removed

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29-Nov-22 CEIR11 Basics of Civil Engineering
Brick Manufacturing Process
Size Reduction
• Dry Pan Crushers- Breaks large chunks of clay or shale
• Grinders- pulverizes the clay to a fine consistency
• Clays should be dry when grinding

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Brick Manufacturing Process
Screening

• Passes through Vibrating Screen, Scalper Screen

• Coarse material left goes back to grinder - Hammer mill
• Large particles inhibit the durability of the brick

Scalper screen Vibrator screen

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Brick Manufacturing Process
Forming
Two steps in the forming process

Tempering
• Water is added to clay
• This is done to make the whole mass of clay, homogenous and plastic.
• This is done by trampling under feet by workers, cattle in a Pug mill or by
mixer when bricks are required on large scale.
Molding
• The pugged brick earth is then moulded into shape in moulds.
• Moulding can be done on the ground or on top of a table, either by hand or
machine.

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Brick Manufacturing Process
Drying
• In natural drying method, bricks are dried for a period of 7 to 14
days. During drying this must be protected from wind, rain and
direct sun.

• In artificial drying method using oven, it takes < 48 hours.

• The moisture content of the formed clay is reduced, not

eliminated, so that the brick will not explode during the firing
process.

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Brick Manufacturing Process

Firing and cooling

• The dried brick is sent through a firing chamber for 5 to 10 hours at
200 to 900oC.
• Heat and humidity must be regulated to avoid cracking in the brick.
• Later, the temperature will be ramped to 1300oC for 10 hours
• The bricks are allowed to cool for 48 – 72 hours
• Later the bricks will be stocked for delivery.

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Types of firing of bricks
• Burning in Clamps
• A clamp is an arrangement where the bricks and fuel are arranged in
alternate layers.
• A floor is prepared, and the fuel is first spread at slope of 15°. The fuel
consists of wooden piece, cow dung, straw, wastepaper etc.
• On top of this layer the raw bricks are placed.
• Then another layer, of 75 cm. thick fuel is spread. Thus, alternate layer
of brick and fuel are arranged to a height of 3 to 4 m.
• Then entire clamp is plastered on all the sides and top and filled with
clay to conserve the heat.
• The bricks are burnt for a period of one or two months and then
cooled for the same period.

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Types of firing of bricks
Burning in Kilns:
• When large number of bricks have to be burnt, Kilns are adopted.
• Kilns are of two types
• Intermittent Kilns and
• Continuous Kilns
• In intermittent kilns, the loading, firing, cooling and unloading are
done one after the other and not simultaneously
• In continuous kilns, these operations are carried out without any
interruptions

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Brick manufacturing with advanced technology

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Merits and demerits of Clamp and Kiln burning
Clamp Burning:
• Only 60% of the bricks will be of first class variety.
• Bricks can be used for temporary structure
• Initial cost is low
• Amount of fuel used is low
• Continuous supervision is not necessary
• Bricks at the bottom are over-burnt while at the top are under-burnt.
• This method can not be employed for the manufacturing of large number of bricks
• It can not be employed in monsoon season
• Firing cannot be regulated
• It takes a long time for burning and cooling the bricks (3 to 4 months).
• There is large amount of wastage of heat from the hot gases.

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Merits and demerits of Clamp and Kiln burning
Kiln Burning:
• Quality of bricks turned out is good. 90% first class bricks
• Bricks can be used for permanent structure
• Time of firing is only 24 hours and cooling is 4 days.
• It is yielding about 25,000 bricks per day
• Heat of hot gases is utilized in heating bricks to be burnt.
• Initial cost is higher
• Fuel cost is higher
• Constant supervision is necessary

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Types of Bricks
Can be broadly classified to

1. Building bricks : used for the construction of walls

2. Paving bricks : vitrified bricks and are used as pavers
3. Fire bricks : made to withstand furnace temperature. E.g.: Silica bricks
4. Special bricks
Building bricks

Paving bricks
Fire brick

A vitrified brick is fired at a higher temperature and for a longer period of time than a conventional brick used in
construction or those used for sidewalks, making it harder and impervious to the absorption of water.
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Types of Bricks
4. Special bricks : These are different from the commonly used building bricks with respect to their shape and the
purpose for which they are made

i. Specially shaped bricks : Special shapes are manufactured to meet the requirements of different situations
ii. Facing bricks : Bricks used in making of the facades, i.e. the principal front of the building; 190 × 90 × 40 mm
iii. Perforated building bricks
iv. (Burnt clay) hollow bricks
v. Sewer bricks
vi. Acid resistant bricks

Facing bricks Specially shaped bricks

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Types of Bricks Specially shaped bricks

• A bull-nose is a kind of brick that has one, some or all of its corners rounded off.
• Bull-nose bricks have been used to create a soft and attractive curve to the edge of the steps.

• Cant bricks have a corner missing

• A non-standard (special) brick with a slope or angle cut across the head of the brick.
• Sometimes used to change the direction of the brickwork

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Types of Bricks Specially shaped bricks

• Plinth bricks can be used to increase/decrease the width of wall, normally at the base of buildings

• Cornice Brick: the decorated projection at the top of a wall provided to protect the wall face

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Types of Bricks Specially shaped bricks

• Coping bricks can be placed on the tops of free standing walls to protect them.
• Wall copings and caps are essential, practical and ensure garden wall has an attractive finish while carrying out
the important job of preventing dripping rainwater off the surface of wall.

• Channel bricks are moulded to the shape of a gutter or a channel and they
are often glazed. Uses: Channel bricks are used as drains

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Types of Bricks-Perforated bricks
• These bricks are manufactured with area of perforation of 30 to 45 per cent. The area of each perforation
should not exceed 500 mm2.
• The perforation should be uniformly distributed over the surface. They are manufactured in the size 190 ×
190 × 90 mm and 290 × 90 × 90 mm.
• These bricks are light in weight and they require less quantity of clay.
• These bricks are used in light weight construction like panel walls, partitions etc.

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Types of Bricks - Hollow Bricks

• These bricks are also known as cavity or cellular bricks.

• These bricks are not solid, but hollow.
• The thickness of any shell should not be less than 11 mm and that of any web not less than 8 mm
• They are light in weight and reduce transmission of heat (Thermal insulation), and sound
• They may be used for construction brick partitions
• They are manufactured in the sizes 190 × 190 × 90 mm,
290 × 90 × 90 mm and 290 × 140 × 90 mm

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Types of Bricks - Acid Resistant Bricks
• Specially made for masonry brick that is chemically resistant and
thermally durable.
• Acid brick is created from high silica shale and fired at higher
temperatures than those used for conventional brick.
• Used to construct floorings vulnerable to acid attack, the lining of
chambers and towers in chemical plants, the lining of sewers carrying
industrial effluents, etc., to prevent deterioration of the surface by
acids

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Types of Bricks – Sewer Bricks
• These bricks are used for the construction of sewage lines.
• They are manufactured from surface clay, fire clay shale or with the combination of these. They are
manufactured in the sizes 190 × 90 × 90 mm and 190 × 90 × 40 mm.
• The average strength of these bricks should be a minimum of 17.5 N/mm2 .
• The water absorption should not be more than 10 per cent.

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Properties of Bricks
1. Colour: Colour should be uniform and bright.
2. Shape: Bricks should have plane faces. They should have sharp and
true right angled corners.
3. Size: Bricks should be of standard sizes as prescribed by codes
4. Texture: They should possess fine, dense and uniform texture. They
should not possess fissures, cavities, loose grit and unburnt lime.
5. Soundness: When struck with hammer or with another brick, it
should produce metallic sound.
6. Hardness: Finger scratching should not produce any impression on
the brick.
7. Strength: Crushing strength of brick should not be less than 3.5 MPa.
A field test for strength is that when dropped from a height of 0.9 m
to 1.0 m on a hard ground, the brick should not break into pieces.

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Properties of Bricks
• Water Absorption: After immersing the brick in water for 24 hours,
water absorption should not be more than 20 per cent by weight. For
class-I works this limit is 15 per cent.
• Efflorescence: Bricks should not show white patches when soaked in
water for 24 hours and then allowed to dry in shade. White patches
are due to the presence of sulphate of calcium, magnesium and
potassium. They keep the masonry permanently in damp and wet
conditions.
• Thermal Conductivity: Bricks should have low thermal conductivity,
so that buildings built with them are cool in summer and warm in
winter.
• Sound Insulation: Heavier bricks are poor insulators of sound while
light weight and hollow bricks provide good sound insulation.
• Fire Resistance: Fire resistance of bricks is usually good. In fact bricks
are used to encase steel columns to protect them from fire
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Classification of Bricks - Based on their Quality
1. First Class Bricks: These bricks are of standard shape and size. They are burnt in kilns. They fulfill all desirable properties
of bricks.
2. Second Class Bricks: These bricks are ground moulded and burnt in kilns. The edges may not be sharp and uniform. The
surface may be some what rough. Such bricks are commonly used for the construction of walls which are going to be
plastered.
3. Third Class Bricks: These bricks are ground moulded and burnt in clamps. Their edges are somewhat distorted. They
produce dull sound when struck together. They are used for temporary and unimportant structures.
4. Fourth Class Bricks: These are the over burnt bricks. They are dark in colour. The shape is irregular. They are used as
aggregates for concrete in foundations, floors and roads

First class Second class Third class Fourth class

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Uses of Bricks
Bricks are used in the following civil works:
• As building blocks.
• For lining of ovens, furnaces and chimneys.
• For protecting steel columns from fire.
• As aggregates in providing water proofing to R.C.C. roofs.
• For pavers for footpaths and cycle tracks.
• For lining sewer lines

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 End of Construction materials -Bricks

Next…..

Properties and uses of construction materials - cement, concrete and steel.

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