Soran University

Faculty of Engineering

Department of Civil engineering -2nd Stage

Building Material Science Report

Experiment No. 6

Compressive Strength of Clay Brick

(IQS25-1988)

Student Name: Rasty Sarwar Supervised by: Dr. Aryanfer

Yusf Ari Instructed by: Mr. Hasan

Semester: 4

Exp. Date: 28 Mar 2023

Submission Date: 2 April 2023

 Soran University | Faculty of Engineering /Civil Engineering Department

1. INTRODUCTION:

Compressive strength test on bricks is carried out to determine the load carrying

capacity of bricks under compression with the help of compression testing machine. Or

the ability of a material to resist failure in the form of crack or fissure is called

Compressive strength. Compressive strength of bricks is the capacity of brick to

withstand compression when tested in compressive testing machine. Compressive

strength of bricks is the capacity of brick to resist or withstand under compression when

tested on Compressive testing machine. The Compressive strength of a material is

determined by the ability of the material to resist failure in the form of cracks and

fissure. The brick is mounted between the machine's jaws, and compressive force is

applied to both sides of the brick. The compressive loads on the brick are gradually

raised, and the maximum load at which the crack appears on the brick is recorded.

Bricks are often used to build load-bearing masonry walls, columns, and footings.

These load-bearing masonry constructions are usually exposed to compression loads.

As a result, knowing the compressive strength of

bricks is essential for estimating their construction

suitability This test method provides a means of

evaluating the compressive strength characteristics of

concrete blocks. compressive strength test,

mechanical test measuring the maximum amount of

compressive load a material can bear before

fracturing.

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 Soran University | Faculty of Engineering /Civil Engineering Department

2. SIGNIFICANT OF THE TEST:

Basing on the IQ.S classification of the clay bricks No. 25 in 1988, the minimum

requirements for the clay brick to use in the different location (for instance, load

bearing or non-load bearing) are as follow.

The main objectives of this test are as follows:

 The objective of the compression strength test of brick is to determine the

resistance of the brick under exposed compressive load.

 To know the compressive strength of brick consequently the suitable location for

using in the construction of the building.

 To know the types of bricks according to their load resistance because each brick

can withstand the load differently.

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 Soran University | Faculty of Engineering /Civil Engineering Department

3. APPARATUS & MATERIALS:

Clay Brick Compressive machine

Water Tank Digital Vernier

Damp Cloth

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 Soran University | Faculty of Engineering /Civil Engineering Department

4. TEST PROCEDURE:

1. The bricks are immersed in water at room temperature for 24 hours.

2. These bricks are then taken out from water and wiped off with cotton or a moist
cloth and the dimensions should be measured.

3. The specimen is placed in the compression testing machine with flat faces horizontal
and mortar filled face being upwards. Load is applied at a uniform rate of 14 N/m2
per minute or 6000 N/s till failure.

4. Calculate the compressive strength which equals the maximum load at failure
divided by the average area of bed face.

Maximumload at failure ( N )
Compressive strength(N / mm2)=
Average Area of Bed Face(mm 2)

5- Calculate the average compressive strength and specify the class of brick depending

on the table below.

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 Soran University | Faculty of Engineering /Civil Engineering Department

5. TABLE OF READING:

Sample No. Brick 1 Brick 2 Brick 3

Length (mm2) 218 218 216

Width (mm2) 100.38 100.48 100.11
Diameter (mm2) 31 30.27 30.60
Maximum Load(N) 464600 457700 522800

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 Soran University | Faculty of Engineering /Civil Engineering Department

6. CALCULATIONS:

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Soran University | Faculty of Engineering /Civil Engineering Department

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 Soran University | Faculty of Engineering /Civil Engineering Department

7. TABLE OF CALCULATING:

Sample Maximum Area Of Area Of Net Area of Compressive Average

No. Load(N) Bed Face Holes Bed Face strength compressive
(mm2) (mm2) (mm2) [MPA] strength
(MPA)
Brick 1

Brick 2

Brick 3

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 Soran University | Faculty of Engineering /Civil Engineering Department

8. DISCUSSION:

Each material has its own unique properties, one of the properties is its strength of

holding the loads on it, most engineering materials are useful when they are good at

holding loads. Clay bricks are no exception, but they are not the best at holding the

loads on them, that surely doesn’t mean they can’t be used, they are used very widely

but only when it’s better than using a concrete block or other materials which can bare

more load, in our test we had three bricks, first brick failed at (464600) N, the second

brick failed at (457700)N and the third brick failed at (522800)N. which gives us an

average compression strength of (31.7635) MPa’s but note there we calculated the

average compressive strength just to the first and second brick. because the third brick

had a greater number of load than two bricks before, so we neglected the third brick

when we calculated the average compression strength. According to the table above,

which is Iraqi standards for compression strength, it shows that at least it has to be (16)

MPa for a single brick and (18) MPa for average three bricks, which proves that both

our bricks are greater than class C and B bricks, that means our bricks are strong at

holding loads. In the result of compressive strength for one brick and average

compressive strength for two bricks, we can classify our brick in class A based on the

standard Iraqi specification of compressive strength of clay brick.

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 Soran University | Faculty of Engineering /Civil Engineering Department

9. CONCLUSION:

Based on the compressive strength test conducted on the three clay bricks, the average

compressive strength was found to be (31.7635) MPa. This indicates that the bricks are

strong at holding loads and are suitable for use in load-bearing masonry walls, columns,

and footings. The results also show that the bricks meet the minimum requirements for

use in different locations as specified by the IQ.S classification of clay bricks. The

compressive strength test is an essential method for evaluating the suitability of clay

bricks for construction purposes, as it helps in determining their load-carrying capacity

and resistance to failure in the form of cracks and fissures. In conclusion, the

compressive strength test is a valuable tool for ensuring that the materials used in

construction meet the necessary standards and requirements for safety and durability.

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