Bricks

11/25/2016
CVE1412
Civil Engineering Materials
Bricks
Introduction
• Brick is the basic unit of building and other
constructions.
• Bricks are blocks of tempered clay molded to suitable

shapes and sizes while it is still in plastic conditions, dried in
the sun OR burnt , if desired so as to make them more
strong, hard and durable.
Brick
Engr. Muhammad Usman
Farooqi
• Common building brick is not only one of the oldest but also
the most extensively used material of construction.
• Popularity of bricks as a material of construction is because

of their local and cheap availability, strength, durability,
reliability and insulating property against heat and sound.
• Depending upon the nature of soil from which the bricks are
made, the molded finish and the quality of burning, the 2
bricks are classified into different categories.
1
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Brick
Frog
Length 9 inch
Brick
Stretcher
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Height 3 inch
Riser
4
Width 4.5 inch
Header
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Brick Mold
Brick
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Classification of Bricks
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Bricks are broadly classified into two
categories:
Brick
• Sun dried, katcha or un - brunt brick

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• Burnt or Pucca brick
Burnt bricks can further be classified as:

• First class bricks
• Second class bricks
• Third class bricks 7
• Over brunt bricks
Sun Dried bricks/Un-burnt Bricks
} These bricks after molding have been dried in the sun.
} These are used only for temporary and light structures.
Brick
When exposed to rain or other climatic conditions, these are

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readily disintegrated.
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Brick
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Burnt Bricks
• After sun drying, these bricks are burnt in Kiln for
certain period then cooled and removed from kiln and
supplied to markets.
Brick
• These bricks are stronger and have larger

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compressive strength than un-burnt bricks.
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First Class Bricks

• These are sound well brunt bricks of uniform
color
• All the faces are uniform and smooth
• All the edges are sharp
Brick
• Free from cracks or flaws

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• A broken surface shows a uniform compact
texture
• Scratch with finger nails leaves no mark
• These may have slight presence of
efflorescence
• Used in the face work of structures not to be 11
plastered.
First Class Bricks

Brick
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First Class Bricks
Brick
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Second Class Bricks

• These are hard and well burnt bricks as first
class bricks
Brick
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• May have some what irregular in shape or size

and may have slight uneven surface.
• May have slight presence of efflorescence.
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• Used in brick masonry or brick ballast in R.C.C.
works
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Brick
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Second class bricks

Brick
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Third Class Bricks

• Little under brunt
• Less uniformity and smoothness as other types.
Brick
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• All edges are not sharp
• These are used in temporary structures, not subject

to heavy load
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Brick
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Brick
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Over burnt bricks

• Over burnt bricks being near the fire in
the kiln get fused and loose their shape
Brick
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• These are used for constructing inferior

structure
• May be used under foundations

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• As aggregate for plum concrete
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Brick
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Brick
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Water absorption
Ø Brick is a porous material and absorb much
water, when in contact to it. Water absorption
of brick should not be more than given
specified limit for each class brick.
Classes of bricks Water absorption

(%)
First class brick 13-15
Second class brick 15-20
Third class brick More than 20 23
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Brick Earth
• A good earth should be such that when
prepared with a water it can be easily
molded, dried and burnt with out cracking
or warping.
• It should contain a small quantity of finely

divided lime to help in binding the particles
of brick together by melting the particles
of sand.
• A little oxide of iron should also be present 25

which would give the brick its red color and
act in the same manner as lime.
Composition of brick earth

A good brick earth should preferably confirm
to the following compositions.
• Clay (alumina) 20 to 30% by weight

• Silt 20 to 35% by weight
• Sand 35 to 50% by weight
The total content of clay and silt should not

as far as possible be less then 50% by weight. 26
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Functions of constituents
• Silica and sand: it is present either free as
sand or in combination as silicate of alumina.
• Silica is infusible except at very high
temperature but in the presence of alumina
in nearly equal proportions and the oxide of
iron it fuses at lower temperature.
• Unlike silicate of alumina its presence in clay
produces hardness, resistance to heat,
durability and prevent shrinkage and
warping.
• Excess of it makes the bricks brittle. 27
Functions of constituents cont.

• Alumina: it is a tenacious finely-grained
mineral compound present in brick earth.
• It is plastic when wet and is capable of

being molded to any shape.
• On drying it loses its plasticity and become

hard, shrinks warps and cracks.
• Burning cause the fusion of its constituents

thereby making it homogenous, harder and
stronger. 28
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• Magnesia: in the presence of iron it gives a
yellowish tint to the bricks.
• It should not be present in excess.
• However, the presence of small quantity of

manganese with iron will give the brick
darker or even black color.
• Total lime and magnesia in case of alluvial soil

shall not be more than 1% and in other case 29
it will preferably not exceed 15%.

• Oxide of iron: in the presence of silica and alumina,
it helped the fusion of brick particles.
• Also it influences the color of bricks.
• It produces a tint varying from light yellow to red

depending upon the percentage of iron present in
clay.
• Excess of it makes the color dark blue.
• It should not be present in the form of iron pyrite. 30
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Harmful Ingredients
• Lime
• Iron pyrites
• Pebbles of stone & gravel
• Alkalies
• kallar 32
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Harmful Ingredients cont..

• Lime: if present in excess, it melts the brick
particles as a result of which brick looses its
shape.
• Lime should also be not present in brick

earth in the form of lime stone or kankar
modules.
• On the burning of bricks, these get

converted to quick-lime which expands on
absorption of moisture and causes the 33
cracking and disintegration of bricks.

• Iron pyrites: iron pyrites get oxidized in the
brick, crystallize and split the brick to
pieces. These should be carefully removed
from brick earth.
• Pebbles of stone & Gravel: their presence

make it difficult to mix the brick-earth
thoroughly as a result of which the bricks
are not homogenous. It gives weak and
porous bricks. Also such bricks can not 34
readily cut or worked.
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• Kallar: it is the sulphate of soda mixed with
a little carbonate of soda and common salt.
• Its presence in brick-earth prevents bricks
from being properly burnt. After the brick
have been burnt, these salts recrystallize
and appear as irregular and unsightly white
patches on the surface of bricks.
• They cause the plaster and the surface of
bricks to peel off layer by layer and to
ultimately crumble away.
• Presence of kallar in soil could be easily
detected by the presence of efflorescence
on the sides of fresh excavation, if the soil
is moist. 35
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Preparation of brick earth

Following are the various operations involved in
preparing brick earth.
• Digging: soil free from gravel, coarse sand,

lime and kankar particles, vegetation should
be dig at certain depth.
• Weathering: to improve plasticity and
strength, heap of broken lump soil, mixed with
water should be weathered for few weeks.
• Blending: thoroughly mixing with sandy clay
and water.
• Tempering: for homogenous and plastic soil, it
should be kneaded. Pug mills may be used for 37
superior quality.
Digging
Brick
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Blending Brick Earth
Brick
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Pug Mill
• Pug mill consists of a conical
iron tube.
• The mill is sunk 60 cm into the

Brick
earth. A vertical shaft, with a

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number of horizontal arms

fitted with knives, is provided
at the center of the tube.
• This central shaft is rotated

with the help of bullocks or
steam, diesel or electric power. 40
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Pug Mill
• Blended earth along with required water, is
fed into the pug mill from the top. The knives
cut through the clay and break all the clods
Brick
or lump-clays when the shaft rotates.

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• The thoroughly pugged clay is then taken out
from opening provided in the side near the
bottom.
• The yield from a pug mill is about 1500 41

bricks/Day.
Brick Mould
• Moulds are rectangular boxes, made of
timber or steel, without any top and
bottom.
• Longer sides are kept in projecting on both

ends to act as handles for lifting the mould.
• Moulds are made in size slightly greater

(about 10%) than the standard size of the
brick. It is because on drying and burning 42
bricks shrink.
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Brick Mould
Brick
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Hand Moulding
The bricks moulded by hands
may be of two types:
•Ground moulded bricks

•Table moulded bricks
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Capacity: 500-1000 Bricks/Day
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Ground moulding
Molded on sand. No frog in bricks
To prevent the moulded bricks from
Brick
sticking to the side of the mould, sand is
sprinkled on the inner sides of the mould, or

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mould may be dipped in water every time
before moulding is done. The bricks so
produced are respectively called sand
moulded bricks, the former being better
since they provide sufficient rough surface
necessary for achieving a good bond 45
between bricks and mortar.
Hand moulding of bricks

Brick
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Table Moulding
• The bricks are moulded on stock boards nailed on the
moulding table.
• Stock boards have the projection for forming the frog.
• The process of filling clay in the mould is the same as
Brick
explained in ground moulding.

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• After this, a thin board called pallet is placed over the
mould.
• The mould containing the brick is then smartly lifted off
the stock board and inverted so that the moulded clay
along with the mould rests on the pallet.
• The mould is then removed as explained before and the
brick is carried to the drying site.
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Table Moulding
Brick
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Table Moulding
Brick
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Strikes
Brick
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Machine Moulding
In Machine moulding, the pugged, stiffer clay is forced
through a rectangular opening of brick size by means of an
auger. Clay comes out of the opening in the form of a bar. The
bricks are cut from the bar by a frame consisting of several
wires at a distance of brick size. This is a quick and economical
Brick
process.

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Plastic Moulding
Brick
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Machine moulding
Brick
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Drying
• Green bricks contain about 7–30% moisture depending
upon the method of manufacture.
• The object of drying is to remove the moisture to control
the shrinkage and save fuel and time during burning.
Brick
• The moisture content is brought down to about 3 per cent

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under exposed conditions within three to four days. Thus,

the strength of the green bricks is increased and the
bricks can be handled safely.
Natural drying: also known as hack drying, bricks are dried

in open air and sunlight.
Artificial drying: bricks are dried in Kiln chamber or tunnel. 54
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of
Bricks
Drying
Method
Drying of bricks
Engr. Muhammad Usman Engr. Muhammad Usman
Brick Brick
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Drying of bricks
Protecting dry bricks

Engr. Muhammad Usman Engr. Muhammad Usman
Brick Brick
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Farooqi Farooqi
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Brick Burning
After bricks have dried in sun these are burnt
in kilns to make them harder, stronger,
denser, less absorbent and consequently more
durable. These are burnt in
Dept of Mat Eng

• Clamp or Pazawah
• Kiln (intermittent, continuous)

Bull’s trench kiln 59
Hoffman’s kiln
Brick Burning
• Burning Stages
• Dehydration: - (400-650 °C). Also known as

Brick
Water smoking stage. Water from pores is

driven off
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• Oxidation: - (650-900 °C). Carbon is

eliminated and ferrous iron is oxidized to
ferric form. Sulphur is removed.
• Vitrification: - (900-1250 °C). Mass
converted into glass like substance
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Brick Burning
} Clamp or Pazawah Burning
Alternate layers of bricks and fuel encased in mud
plaster.
Fuel consists of grass, cow dung, litter, wood, coal
Brick
dust

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Brick layer consists of four to five courses of brick
25,000 to 100,000 bricks in three months cycle
} Kiln Burning
Intermittent kiln: Loaded, fired, cooled and
unloaded before next loading
Continuous kiln: Bricks are loaded, fired, dried and
cooled simultaneously in different chambers. 61
Example: Bull’s trench kiln and Hoffman’s kiln
Clamp
Brick
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Burning
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Burning of bricks in kilns
Brick
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Burning fuel
Brick
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Hoffman’s
Continuous
Kiln
Brick
Preheating
Fuel

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supply
Hot air leaving
Loading raw bricks
Cool air entering
Removing cooled bricks

Cooling 65
bricks
Preheating bricks
Loading raw bricks
Unloading cooled Cooling bricks

bricks
Bull’s
Brick
Trench
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Kiln
66
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Frogs and Impressions
• Identification marks left on bricks during

process of molding to indicate the name of
manufacturer are known as frogs.
• It also provide key for mortar, which

gives a grip between the successive
bricks.
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Dept of Mat Eng
68
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Test for Bricks

[AASHTO T 32-03, ASTM C 67-02a]
Following test are recommended:
• Sampling of bricks
• Determination of weight, size
Dept of Mat Eng

• Water absorption and saturation
coefficient
• Compressive strength
• Modulus of rupture
• Effect of freeze and thaw
• Efflorescence 69
• Initial rate of absorption
Sampling of bricks
• Brick should be full size
• Representative of whole lot in color, texture and

size.
Dept of Mat Eng
• Free of dirt, mud, mortar or other foreign

materials
• Each specimen should be marked
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• At least 10 samples for 1,000,000 lot
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Absorption
• The test specimen shall consists of half
brick, oven dried for 24 hours.
• Five specimen shall be tested.
Dept of Mat Eng

• Submerge the dry cooled specimen, without
preliminary partial immersion, in clean water
at 15.5 to 300C for specified time.
• Remove the specimen, wipe off the surface

water with a damp cloth and weigh the 71
specimen.
Absorption cont.
Calculate the absorption of each specimen

as follows:
• Absorption (%)= 100* (Ws-Wd)/Wd

Dept of Mat Eng
Where
• Wd = dry weight of the specimen, and
• Ws = saturated weight of the specimen
after each specimen, rounded to the
nearest 0.1%. 72
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Compressive strength test

• All specimen should be dry and cool
• Cap the test specimen with:
• Gypsum capping
• Sulfur-filler capping
• Age the cap at least 24 hours for gypsum and 2
Dept of Mat Eng

hours for sulfur
• Place the brick in depth wise
• Apply the load upto one half of the expected
maximum load at any convenient rate, after
which, adjust the controls of the machine so
that remaining load is applied at a uniform rate 73
in less than 1 nor more than 2 min.
Compressive strength test

Calculate the compressive strength of each
specimen as follows:
• compressive strength, C= W/A
• Where
• C = Compressive strength (psi)
• W= Maximum load (lb)
• A= Average of gross area (in2)
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Efflorescence
• The sample shall consists of ten full size bricks.
• Remove by brushing any adhering dirt that might
be mistaken for efflorescence.
• Dry the specimens and cool them.
• Set one specimen from each of the five pairs, on
end, partially immersed in distilled water to a
Dept of Mat Eng

depth of app. 1” for seven days in dry room.
• Store the second specimen from each of the five
pairs in the drying room without contact with
water.
• After drying, examine and compare each pair of
specimen from a distance of 10 ft and decide
“effloresced” or “not effloresced” in comparison 75
with each pair.
Dept of Mat Eng
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Qualities of Good Bricks

1. Good quality brick should have rectangular plane surface
with parallel sides and sharp, straight, right angled edges.
2. Uniform in size: variation should not be more than 1/8” for
first class & 1/16” for superior class.
3. Uniformity in color: usually red color
4. Texture should be compact and fine.
5. Free of lumps of lime and bubbles, when broken.
Dept of Mat Eng

6. Metallic sound is an indicator of hardened brick. Dull
sound indicates soft brick.
7. Stronger bricks has less water absorption.
8. Crushing strength of first & second class brick may be
1500 & 1000 psi respectively. It may be as high as
2350psi.
9. Brick masonry can take safe tensile strength up to 1 ton
per sq. ft. or 1:6 c/s mortar. 77
10. Resistant to fire (due to presence of silica)
Dept of Mat Eng
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Sizes of Bricks
Principal for sizes are
• Length = 2x width+ mortar joint
Dept of Mat Eng

• Length = 3x Height+ mortar joint
• Easy to handle, can be gripped in one hand
• Weight should not be more than 4 kg.
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Sizes of Bricks
Sizes may be measured as
• Actual size (without any attachment)
• Nominal size (with mortar thickness)
Dept of Mat Eng
Sizes is always written in following order:

• Length x Width x Height
Typical size of brick is:

• 9” x 4-1/2” x 3” 80
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Dept of Mat Eng

81
Different types of bricks

Based on its uses, bricks have different
types:
1. Paving bricks or Tuff Tiles

2. Jamb Bricks
Dept of Mat Eng
3. Side wedge bricks

4. Cornice bricks
5. Plinth bricks
6. Hollow bricks
7. Corbels
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8. Coping bricks
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Paving Bricks
• Paving bricks or tuff tiles are commonly used
for approaches to entrance.
• May have different sizes depending upon shape:
• High compressive strength and resistance to

abrasion.
• Made by fine aggregate concrete
Dept of Mat Eng

• Some are made of higher iron percentage and
higher burning temperature.
• High compressive strength and resistance to

abrasion.
• Made by fine aggregate concrete.

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• Some are made of higher iron percentage and
higher burning temperature.
PAVING BRICKS
Dept of Mat Eng
84
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PAVING BRICKS
Dept of Mat Eng

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Jamb Bricks
• These bricks are chamfered and
rounded to the desired shape at one
corner.
Dept of Mat Eng
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Different types of
bricks
• Culvert or side wedge bricks are
taper in thickness and used for
arches.
Dept of Mat Eng

• Cornice bricks are used for cornice
(projecting horizontal members
that crown an architectural
composite)
• Corbels are used for corbelling the 87

projections.

• Plinth bricks are used on plinth
Dept of Mat Eng
88
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• Copping bricks with

different shapes
and sizes depending
Dept of Mat Eng

upon there
functions are used
for coping. e.g.
chamfered, half
round or saddle
89
back etc.
Hollow bricks
• They are also known as cavity
or cellular bricks.
• These are not solid but hollow
inside.
• Volume of solid material
Dept of Mat Eng
should not be less than one

half of its gross over all
volume.
• No web should be less than
1.5cm thick.
• They are only one third of the
weight of the same size of 90
ordinary bricks.
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Hollow bricks
• These can be laid almost four times as
fast as the ordinary bricks.
• These provides the advantages of hollow

walls e.g. insulation against heat and
sound.
• These are sufficiently strong for all

purposes except for concentrated loads.
These are ideally suited for the
construction of non-load bearing
(partition) walls. 91
Dept of Mat Eng
92
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Specially Shaped Bricks
Brick
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93
} Over-burning: Burnt beyond complete

vitrification
Brick
} Under-burning: Burnt less not to cause complete

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vitrification
} Bloating: Spongy swollen mass over the surface

due to excess carbonaceous matter and sulphur
} Black Core: Due to bituminous matter or carbon 94
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} Efflorescence: Grey or white crystallization

of alkalis on the surface, due to water
absorption
Brick
} Spots: Dark sulphur spots due to iron
sulphides

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} Blisters: Broken blisters due to air entrapped
during molding
} Laminations: Thin lamina produced due to air

entrapped in voids of clay 95
That’s All
Brick
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Questions please
96
48

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11/25/2016

• Bricks are blocks of tempered clay molded to suitable

• Popularity of bricks as a material of construction is because

Engr. Muhammad Usman

Burnt bricks can further be classified as:

• Over brunt bricks

When exposed to rain or other climatic conditions, these are

• These bricks are stronger and have larger

compressive strength than un-burnt bricks.

First Class Bricks

Engr. Muhammad Usman

First Class Bricks

First Class Bricks

Second Class Bricks

• May have some what irregular in shape or size

• May have slight presence of efflorescence.

Second class bricks

Third Class Bricks

• Less uniformity and smoothness as other types.

• These are used in temporary structures, not subject

Over burnt bricks

• These are used for constructing inferior

• May be used under foundations

• As aggregate for plum concrete

Classes of bricks Water absorption

Second class brick 15-20

Third class brick More than 20 23

• It should contain a small quantity of finely

• A little oxide of iron should also be present 25

Composition of brick earth

• Clay (alumina) 20 to 30% by weight

The total content of clay and silt should not

Functions of constituents cont.

• It is plastic when wet and is capable of

• On drying it loses its plasticity and become

• Burning cause the fusion of its constituents

Functions of constituents cont.

• It should not be present in excess.

• However, the presence of small quantity of

• Total lime and magnesia in case of alluvial soil

Functions of constituents cont.

• Also it influences the color of bricks.

• It produces a tint varying from light yellow to red

• Excess of it makes the color dark blue.

• It should not be present in the form of iron pyrite. 30

• Pebbles of stone & gravel

Harmful Ingredients cont..

• Lime should also be not present in brick

• On the burning of bricks, these get

cracking and disintegration of bricks.

Harmful Ingredients cont..

• Pebbles of stone & Gravel: their presence

Harmful Ingredients cont..

Preparation of brick earth

• Digging: soil free from gravel, coarse sand,

Blending Brick Earth

• The mill is sunk 60 cm into the

earth. A vertical shaft, with a

number of horizontal arms

• This central shaft is rotated

Engr. Muhammad Usman

• The yield from a pug mill is about 1500 41

• Longer sides are kept in projecting on both