CLAY BRICKS
The bricks are obtained by moulding clay in rectangular
blocks of uniform size and then by drying and burning
these blocks
CHARACTERISTICS
Uniform size
Light in weight
Art of brick laying is simple
Durable
Strength
Reliability
Low cost
Easy availability
COMPOSITION OF GOOD BRICK EARTH
The constituents of good brick earth
ALUMINA
Chief constituent
20-30%
Imparts plasticity to earth so it can be moulded.
If alumina in excess with inadequate quantity of sand, the raw
bricks shrink and warp during drying and burning and become
too hard when burnt
SILICA
Exists in good composition with alumina
50-60%
Prevents cracking, shrinking and warping of raw bricks
Imparts uniform shape to the bricks, durability
Excess makes brick brittle
LIME
Small quantity- not more than 5%
Prevents shrinkage
Excess lime causes the brick to break
COMPOSITION OF GOOD BRICK EARTH
OXIDES OF IRON
5-6%
Imparts red color to bricks
Excess leads to change in color
MAGNESIA
Imparts a yellow tint
Decreases shrinkage
UNDESIRABLE INGREDIENTS
Lime
Iron pyrites
Alkalis
Pebbles
Vegetation and organic matter
COMPOSITION OF GOOD BRICK EARTH
CATEGORIES OF BRICK EARTH
Loamy, mild and sandy clay
Alumina-27%
Silica-66%
Lime and magnesia-1%
Oxides ofiron-1%
Organic matter-1%
Marls, chalky and calcareous clay
Alumina-10%
Silica-35%
Lime and magnesia-48%
Oxides ofiron-3%
Organic matter-4%
Plastic, strong and pure clay
Alumina-34%
Silica-50%
Lime and magnesia-6%
Oxides ofiron-8%
Organic matter-2%
Manufacturing of bricks
Four steps involved in the process of manufacturing of
bricks
Preparation of clay
Un-soiling
Digging
Cleaning
Weathering
Blending
Tempering
Moulding
Drying
Burning
Moulding
hand moulding
machine moulding
Drying
Natural/artificial dryers-in form of hot tunnels or hot channels
or floors
Drying yard
Drying period: 3-10days
Burning
Bricks should be burned properly
Over burnt- makes brick brittle
Under burnt- makes brick soft
Burning done using
Clamp burning
Kiln Burning
MANUFACTURING OF BRICKS
Preparation of brick earth
Moulding of bricks
Drying of bricks
Burning of bricks
PREPARATION OF BRICK EARTH
Removal of loose soil
The top layer of the loose soil about 30 cm depth contains a lot of impurities
like organic matter and hence it should be taken out and thrown away.
Digging, spreading and cleaning
The earth is then dug out from the ground. This earth is spread into heaps
about 50 to 150 cm height.
Weathering
The earth is then exposed to atmosphere for softening. The period may be Of
few weeks to a season.
Blending and tempering
The clay is then mixed with suitable [Link] is carried out by taking a
small portion of clay every time and by turning it up and down in vertical
direction
MATERIAL PREPARATION
MOULDING
Hand moulding
When moulding is done with hand it is called hand moulding.
A wooden rectangular mould made in the shape of a brick is normally used for
this purpose.
Machine moulding
The clay is placed in the machine, it comes out through the opening under
pressure.
It is cut to bricks by steel wires fixed into frames.
These bricks are also called wire cut bricks.
Manufacturing
( HAND MOULDING)
Manufacturing
( MACHINE MOULDING)
DRYING OF BRICKS
Wet brick from molding or cutting machines contain 7 to 30 percent moisture,
depending upon the
forming method.
Before the firing process begins, most of this water is evaporated in dryer
chambers at
temperatures ranging from about 100 F to 400 F (38 C to 204 C).
The extent of drying time, which varies with different clays, usually is between
24 to 48 hours.
Heat and humidity must be carefully regulated to avoid cracking in the brick.
After Mining, Clay is Extruded Through a Die and Trimmed to Specified
Dimension Before Firing
BURNING OF BRICKS
INTERMITTENT KILN - CLAMP , SCOVE & SCOTCH
Highly inefficient & labor-intensive.
Use coal + scavenged fuels
Most common, most primitive, most polluting
Temporary Structures
A typical clamp kiln.
A typical scotch kiln.
A typical scove kiln.
BURNING OF BRICKS
A typical clamp kiln.
CONTINOUS KILN BURNING HOFFMAN, BULLS TRENCH,
VERTICAL SHAFT & HABLA
These are permanent structures.
Burning is done continuously in kilns.
Bricks from kilns are of correct size, perfect shape and good quality.
Rate of burning is also high in kilns.
But initial investment for kiln is very high.
Efficient and potentially clean
Hybrid Hoffman
VSBK
Habla
Tunnel (modern several variations)
HOFFMANN KILN ORIGINAL
HOFFMANN KILN MODERN & HYBRID
Widely used in China
= 90% of bricks
Can use coal or
natural gas
BULLS TRENCH KILN
Used in India, Pakistan,Nepal, Bangladesh
Uses coal and scavenged fuels
Movable chimney (MC) and Fixed Fixed (FC)
MCBTK banned (but still used) in India, parts of
Nepal & Pakistan due to very high emissions
KILN with
Movable chimney
KILN with
Fixed Chimney
HABLA ZIGZAG KILN
Effective tunnel length of Hoffmann increased
with zigzags made of green bricks
Larger capacity and more efficient than
other kilns
Needs fan to draw air through = needs
source of electricity
VERTICAL SHAFT BRICK KILN (VSBK)
Loaded at top, bricks removed from bottom
High efficiency, low emissions
Kiln of choice for aid agencies
India, Nepal, Pakistan, Vietnam
CLASSIFICATION OF BRICKS
Unburnt or sun dried bricks
These are dried under sunlight.
These are used for temporary and cheap construction.
It is also used for filling works.
Burnt bricks
First class bricks
Second class bricks
Third class bricks
Fourth class bricks
FIRST CLASS BRICKS
Made of good earth which is free from saline deposits and are sand molded.
Burnt thoroughly without being vitrified and have deep red, cherry and
copper color.
Regular and uniform in shape and size with sharp and square edges and
parallel faces.
Must be homogeneous in texture and emit a clear ringing sound on being
struck together.
Free from flaws, cracks, chops, stones and lime.
Have a minimum crushing strength of 105 kg per sq. cm when tested
according to the test
SECOND CLASS BRICKS
They shall be well burnt or slightly over burnt.
They must give clear ringing sound when struck.
The may have slight irregularities in size, shape and color.
They may have slight chips, flaws or surface crack but must be free from lime or
kankar.
The minimum crushing strength of second class brick should be 70 kg per sq cm.
THIRD CLASS BRICKS
These bricks are slightly under burnt or over burnt.
They are not uniform in shape, size and edges.
They shall not observe water more than 25% of their own dry weight
after 24 hours, immersion in cold water.
They have some signs of efflorescence
FOURTH CLASS BRICKS
These are over burnt bricks which are dark in colour and are irregular in
size and shape.
These are used as aggregate in concrete and for flooring.
Over burnt bricks are not used for building construction.
Quality of good bricks
Brick should be table moulded, well burnt in kilns, copper
coloured, free from cracks with sharp and square edges
Colour should be uniform and bright
Uniform in shape and should be of standard size
Should give a clear metallic ringing when struck with another
Bricks when broken should show a bright, homogenous and
uniform compact structure free from voids
Should not absorb water more than 20percent of water
Brick should be sufficiently hard. No impression should be left
on brick surface when it is scratched with finger nail
Bricks should not break into pieces when dropped flat on hard
of about one meter
Should have low thermal conductivity and should be sound
proof
Should not show deposits of white salts when soaked in water
for 24 hours and allowed to dry in shade
The crushing strength shouldnt be below 5.50N/[Link]
Strength of bricks
Composition of brick earth
Preparation of clay and blending of ingredients
Nature of moulding adopted
Care taken in drying and stacking of raw bricks
Type of kiln used including type of fuel and feeding
Burning and cooling processes
Care taken in unloading
Test for bricks
Absorption-should not exceed more than 20%
Crushing strength min. compressive strength should be
3.50N/[Link]
Hardness
Presence of soluble salts
Shape and size
Soundness-bricks stuck with each other/ shouldnt break/ a
clear ringing sound
Structure- homogenous/ compact/ and free from any defects
Uses of bricks
What are Aggregates?
Aggregates are agranular material used inconstruction.
The most common natural aggregates of mineral origin are sand,
gravel and crushed rock.
An end-product in themselves as railway ballast ,aggregates are
also a raw material used in the manufacture of other vital
constructionproducts such as ready-mixed concrete (made of 80%
aggregates), pre-cast products, asphalt (made of 95% aggregates),
lime and cement.
Aggregates are produced fromnatural sourcesextracted from
quarries and gravel pits and in some countries from sea-dredged
materials (marine aggregates).
Secondary
aggregates
are
usuallyby-productsfrom
otherindustrialprocesses, like blast or electricfurnaceslags or
china clay residues.
Recycled
aggregates
derive
from
reprocessing
materials
