BNC 41403

BY : NOR MAIZZATY BT ABDULLAH

 CHAPTER 5
BLOCK WORK SYSTEM
 Outcome of this topic
1. Construction component
2. Advantages and disadvantages
3. Interlocking Concrete Masonry Units
4. Concrete Blocks
5. Lightweight Concrete Block
6. Interlocking Concrete Blocks
7. Joining Method
8. Process and construction method
WHAT IS BLOCK WORK SYSTEM??

 Basically method of construction with concrete or

cement block that are larger than a standard clay
or concrete brick.
 To make them lighter and easier to work, it have
a hollow core that also improves their insulation
capacity.
 Available in variety densities.
 Often used to build internal partition walls and
retaining walls.
SIZE OF BLOCK

Standard size of blocks is

440mm x 100mm x 215mm

Has equivalent surface area of 6 bricks

USES OF BLOCK

Suspended Floor External Wall

(Rendered)

External Wall
(Brick Finish)

Partition

Basement Below Ground

CLASSIFICATION OF BLOCK

Solid Block • Without Form

Hollow Block • One or more formed voids

• One or more formed voids

Cellular Block

• Designed and fabricated in

Special Block desired shape and size
 Advantages Disadvantages

1. Structural Strength 1.Less resistance to rain

penetration
2. Economy
2.Load bearing properties less (one
or two storey application)
3. Sound insulation

4. Excellent thermal
insulation

5. Fire Resistance
Load Bearing Blockwork

 The blocks are precast in mould and compacted with the

aid of vibration or moulding machines involving the use
of compressed air, or a combination of both.
 These blocks are usually made of concrete comprised of
cement and aggregate.
 The cement is usually Portland cement and a variety of
aggregates are used.
Non- Load Bearing Blockwork
 These also can be precast in moulds but others are
produced in slab format and cut to size when set
 The blocks are usually made with a variety of lightweight
materials and cement such as Breeze or Clinker, waste
coke or ash cement, burnt clay.
Load Bearing Blockwork
Load Bearing Non- Load Bearing
Advantages 1. Greater strength 1. Easy to handle. Can be
2. Cheaper than drilled and chased easily
lightweight blocks 2. Good heat insulation
3. Reduced the load on
foundation

Disadvantages 1. Typical solid block 1. Absorbs a lot of moisture

2. Heavy to handle 2. Easily broken by careless
3. Difficult to cut handling
1. Interlocking Concrete Mansory Unit

 A standard size rectangular block used in building

construction.
 Usually hollow, larger than brick.
 Is an alternative to frame construction for low rise
building
 Concrete hollow block may be stretcher, corner, intel,
half, half corner and plaster block or may not be
modular.
 Produce manually/ semi mechanized/ fully mechanized.
 Two types of product cast
1. Dry Cast
2. Wet Cast
Interlocking Concrete Mansory Unit
 Dry Cast
1. Moulded with minimum of water in the concrete mix.
2. Dry concrete does not flow readily, the moulds are
vibrated with special machinery to fill them
3. Usually designed to create larger product of identical or
similar pieces of masonry.
 Wet Cast
1. Wet concrete are placing into moulds and waiting for it to
cure adequately before removing the masonry.
2. Commonly used for concrete that are made in small
quantities or differ from one another.
2. Concrete Block
 Mixture of powdered Portland cement, water,
sand and gravel.
 Has higher percentage of sand and lower
percentage of gravel and water than the
concrete mixtures.
 Produces a very dry, stiff mixture that hold its
shape when it is removed fro the block mould.
 Its commonly referred to common, facing and
special blocks
Concrete Block
 Common block
1. have a open texture
2. for general use for both load bearing and non load
bearing wall

 Facing block
1. have a closed texture
2. suitable for direct or exposed work internally
3. produce in a wide range of colour and finishes

 Special blocks
1. Produced to simplify construction include cavity, corner
and lintel blocks, as well as half and three quarters
blocks.
 Two core and three core
stretcher blocks

Facing blocks
3. Lightweight Concrete Blocks
 Is a hollow, load bearing
 Also to build non load bearing wall and partitions.
 200 x 200 x 400mm concrete blocks = weight between
10-12.7kg
 Made by replacing the sand and gravel with expanded
clay, shale, or slate.
 Expanded blast furnace slags, as well as natural volcanic
materials such as pumice and scoria also used to make
light weight blocks.
 Uses for lightweight internal partitions, inner leaf of
cavity wall
4. Interlocking Concrete Blocks

 New design concrete block system that stacks up without

mortar.
 They are fixed together by various means, such as by grouting,
post tension rods or any adhesive applied to the joints surfaces.
 Also called as mortarless block.
 Several attractions:
1. Precise hand levelling
2. Work go faster and lower labour expense
3. Need less skilled worker
4. Time of working not often be delayed or altered for bad
weather because there is no mortar to get wet or freeze
 It can be use as load bearing wall, lintels, partitions walls,
retaining n fences.
Assignment
Cretae 5 group, find a case study a project construction using
block system.