• Brick have been used all over

History Of Bricks the world in every class and

kind of building.
• At present India has the
production capacity to
manufacture over one lakh
crore brick through about
45000 local kilns in an
unorganized sector
• The brick do not required
dressing and the art of lay
bricks is so simple that the
brick work can be carried out
with the help of unskilled
labour.
•The bricks are obtained by moulding clay in rectangular block of
uniform size and then by drying and burning this blocks.
•As bricks are uniform size they can properly arranged.
•The common brick is one of the oldest building material.
•It is extensively used at present as a leading material of
construction, because of durability, strength, low cost, and easily
available, etc.
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 Qualities Of Good Bricks
• Table-moulded, well burnt in kilns, copper colored, free
from cracks, sharp and square edges, uniform and bright
color
• Uniform and standard size
• Bright, homogenous and uniform compact structure
• Should not absorb more than 20% by weight for 1st class
bricks and 22% by weight for 2nd class bricks, when soaked
in water for 24 hours
• Sufficiently hard
• Low thermal conductivity, sound proof
• Crushing strength below 5.50 N/mm sq

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 Tests For Bricks
ABSORBTION
 A brick is taken and it is weighed dry.
 It is then immersed in water for a period of 16 hours.
 It is weighed again and the difference in weight indicates the amount of
water absorbed by the brick.
 It should not, in any case, exceed 20% of weight of dry brick.

CRUSHING STRENGTH
 The crushing strength of a brick is found out by placing it in a
compression testing machine.
 It is pressed till it breaks.
 As per BIS: 1077-1957, the minimum crushing or compressive strength
of bricks is 3.50 N/mm2.
 The bricks with crushing strength of 7 to 14 N/mm2 are graded as A and
those having above 14 N/mm are graded as AA.

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HARDNESS
 In this test, a scratch is made on brick surface with the help of a
finger nail.
 If no impression is left on the surface, the brick is treated to be
sufficiently hard.
SHAPE AND SIZE
 In this test, a brick is closely inspected.
 It should be of standard size and it’s shape should be truly rectangle
with sharp edges.
SOUNDNESS
 In this test, two bricks are taken and they are struck with each other.
 The bricks should not break and a clear ringing sound should be
produce.
STRUCTURE
 A brick is broken and its structure is examined.
 It should be homogeneous, compact and free from any defects such
as holes, lumps, etc.

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 ADVANTAGES
 If plaster is to be provided on sand lime bricks, the quantity of
mortar required will be less as bricks are uniform in size and
shape.
 The calcium silicate products are available in brick, block and tile
forms. They thus permit wider uses in housing and building
construction.
 The masonry work of these bricks offer the architects considerable
flexibility to produce complex shapes, intricate designs and
different surface finishes given a pleasant visual effect.
 The raw material of these bricks do not contain any soluble salt.
Hence, trouble of efflorescence does not arise.
 These bricks are uniform in colour n texture.

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 These bricks can be prepared where clay is scare. In
other words, the adoption of these bricks relives
pressure on the agricultural land.
 These bricks have accurate size and shape with
straight edges and true rectangular faces.
 These bricks have better water repellant properties and
noise reduction coefficients and they grant protection
from fire.
 These bricks present a clean appearance and hence, the
plastering may be avoided.
 The use of coloured sand-lime bricks offer permanent
finish to the wall without extra cost.
 The wastage of calcium silicate products is less, say
within 1% or so
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 DISADVANTAGES
 These bricks are not suitable for furnace brickwork
because they will disintegrate, if exposed to heat for a
long time.
 These bricks are weak in offering resistance to the
abrasion. Hence, they cannot be used as paving
material.
 These bricks cannot be used as foundation work as they
are less water resistant than clay bricks.
 Wherever suitable clay for the manufacture of clay
bricks is available in plenty, these bricks will prove to
be un economical.
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Maintenance of brickwork
1. Mortar
Well-built clay brickwork is virtually maintenance free. The brick
color will not fade and the only obvious reparation
maybe that after many years, the joint faces may require re-pointing.
However, if the correct mix proportions are
used appropriate to the exposure factor, this will not be for many
years.
2. Graffiti
Keeping the brickwork free of graffiti can now be accomplished by the
use of a range of graffiti removing materials,
which will not harm the brick or the joint. Such materials are readily
available from most builders’ merchants, and
although they are not able to deter potential graffiti artists, they may
enable such masonry to be cleaned down
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3.Efflorescence, Algae, Lichen
•Persistent efflorescence, extensive salt staining from
within the brickwork and vegetable growth on the
brickwork are due to excessively wet conditions. In such
cases, it is necessary to overhaul faulty flashing and
damp proof courses, repair leaking rainwater down-
pipes, renew copings, etc.
•Particular areas of masonry that can encourage lichen,
moss, etc. are free standing boundary walls, adjacent to
trees. If this does occur, then the application of a
proprietary weed killer will not harm the brickwork, and
will rid those areas of masonry which are likely to
become saturated, such as below
expanses of window, parapets and copings.

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4. General Staining, i.e. dirt
Staining in brickwork is generally due to
external causes but sometimes may result
from salts in the brickwork itself.
Staining can mar the appearance of
brickwork but incorrect cleaning techniques
can cause permanent damage.
Consequently, any proposed method of
cleaning should be tried out in a small
unobtrusive area and left for as long
as possible, (at least a week or so) to judge
the results, before the whole job is tackled

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