Masonry Units

CETEST24P – E25

CAHILO, YVES
MAGBANUA, KIMBERLY
SAGAWA, JENAICA
  A masonry structure is formed by combining masonry
units, such as stone, blocks, or brick, with mortar.
Masonry is one of the oldest construction materials.
Examples of ancient masonry structures include the
pyramids of Egypt, the Great Wall of China, and Greek
and Roman ruins. Bricks of nearly uniform size became
commonly used in Europe during the beginning of the
13th century. The first extensive use of bricks in the
United States was around 1600. In the last two
centuries, bricks have been used in constructing
sewers, bridge piers, tunnel linings, and multistory
buildings. Masonry units are a popular construction

Masonry
material throughout the world and competes favorably
with other materials, such as wood, steel, and concrete
for certain applications (Adams, 1979).
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 Concrete Masonry Clay Bricks Structural Clay
Masonry Units Tiles

Units
Masonry Units can be classified
into five:

Glass Blocks Stone

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  Concrete masonry units are manufactured using a
relatively dry (zero-slump) concrete mixture consisting
of portland cement, aggregates, water, and
admixtures. Type I cement is usually used to
manufacture concrete masonry units; however, Type III
is sometimes used to reduce the curing time. Air-
entrained concrete is sometimes used to increase the
resistance of the masonry structure to freeze and thaw
effects and to improve workability, compaction, and
molding characteristics of the units during
manufacturing. The units are molded under pressure,
then cured, usually using low-pressure steam curing.
Concrete After manufacturing, the units are stored under
controlled conditions so that the concrete continues
Masonry Units curing.
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Classification of Masonry Units

 Concrete
Masonry
Units
Lightweight Medium-Weight Normal-Weight
are manufactured in three
Units Units Units
classes, based on their
density:

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 Concrete
Masonry
1 2

Units Load Bearing Non Load Bearing

Can also be classified as: (ASTM C90) (ASTM C129)

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  The compressive strength of individual concrete
masonry units is determined by capping the unit and
applying load in the direction of the height of the unit
until failure (ASTM C140). A full-size unit is
recommended for testing, although a portion of a unit
can be used if the capacity of the testing machine is not
large enough. The gross area compressive strength is
calculated by dividing the load at failure by the gross
cross-sectional area of the unit. The net area
compressive strength is calculated by dividing the load
at failure by the net cross-sectional area. The net cross-
Concrete sectional area is calculated by dividing the net volume
of the unit by its average height. The net volume is
Masonry Units determined using the water displacement method
according to ASTM C140.
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Classification of Masonry Units

  Concrete masonry units are available in different sizes,
colors, shapes, and textures. Concrete masonry units
are specified by their nominal dimensions. The nominal
dimension is greater than its specified (or modular)
dimension by the thickness of the mortar joint, usually
10 mm (3/8 in.). Also, depending on the position within
the masonry wall, they are manufactured as stretcher,
single-corner, and double-corner units.

Concrete
Masonry Units
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Classification of Masonry Units

 Solid concrete masonry units (concrete bricks) are
manufactured in two types based on their exposure
properties: concrete building bricks (ASTM C55) and concrete
facing bricks (ASTM C1634).
• The concrete building bricks are manufactured for
general use in non-facing, utilitarian applications,
while the concrete facing bricks are typically used in
applications where one or more faces of the unit is
intended to be exposed.
• The concrete facing bricks have stricter requirements
than the concrete building bricks. The maximum

Concrete allowable water absorption of the concrete facing

bricks is less than that of the concrete building bricks.

Masonry Units Also, the minimum net area compressive strength of

the concrete facing bricks is higher than that of the
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concrete building bricks.

Classification of Masonry Units

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  Clay bricks are small, rectangular blocks made of fired
clay. The clays used for brick making vary widely in
composition from one place to another. Clays are
composed mainly of silica (grains of sand), alumina,
lime, iron, manganese, sulfur, and phosphates, with
different proportions. Bricks are manufactured by
grinding or crushing the clay in mills and mixing it with
water to make it plastic. The plastic clay is then
molded, textured, dried, and finally fired. Bricks are
manufactured in different colors, such as dark red,
purple, brown, gray, pink, or dull brown, depending on
the firing temperature of the clay during
manufacturing. The firing temperature for brick
Clay Bricks manufacturing varies from 900°C to 1200°C (1650°F to
2200°F). Clay bricks have an average density of (125
11
pcf).

Classification of Masonry Units

  Clay bricks are used for different purposes, including
building, facing and aesthetics, floor making, and
paving. Building bricks (common bricks) are used as a
structural material, and are typically strong and
durable. Facing bricks are used for facing and aesthetic
purposes, and are available in different sizes, colors,
and textures. Floor bricks are used on finished floor
surfaces, and are generally smooth and dense, with
high resistance to abrasion. Finally, paving bricks are
used as a paving material for roads, sidewalks, patios,
driveways, and interior floors. Paving bricks are
available in different colors, such as red, gray, or
brown, are typically abrasion resistant, and could
Clay Bricks usually be vitrified (glazed to render it impervious to
water and highly resistant to corrosion).
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Classification of Masonry Units

  Clay bricks are very durable and fire
resistant, and require very little
maintenance. They have moderate
insulating properties, which make
brick houses cooler in summer and
warmer in winter, compared with
houses built with other construction
materials. Clay bricks are also
noncombustible and poor conductors.
Clay Bricks
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Classification of Masonry Units

  Absorption is one of the important properties that
determine the durability of bricks. Highly absorptive
bricks can cause efflorescence and other problems in
the masonry. According to ASTM C67, absorption by
24-hour submersion, absorption by 5-hour boiling, and
saturation coefficient are calculated as:

Clay Bricks
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Classification of Masonry Units

  Structural clay tiles are hollow burned-clay masonry
units with parallel cells. Such units have multitude of
uses: as a facing tile for interior and exterior
unplastered walls, partitions, or columns; as load-
bearing tile in masonry constructions designed to
carry superimposed loads; as partition tile for interior
partitions carrying no superimposed load; as
fireproofing tile for protection of structural members
against fire; as furring tile for lining the inside of
exterior walls; as floor tile in floor and roof
construction; and as header tiles, which are designed

Structural Clay to provide recesses for header units in brick or stone-

Tiles
Classification of Masonry Units
faced walls. Units are available with the following
ranges in nominal dimensions: 8 to 16 in in length, 4 in
for facing tile to 12 in for load-bearing tile in height, 15
and 2 in for facing tile to 12 in for load-bearing tile in
thickness.
  Two general types of tile are available side-
construction tile, designed to receive its principal
stress at right angles to the axis of the cells, and
end-construction tile designed to receive its
principal stress parallel to the axis of the cells.
 Tiles are also available in a number of surface
finishes, such as opaque glazed tile, clear
ceramic-glazed tile, nonlustrous glazed tile, and

Structural Clay scored, combed, or roughened finishes designed

to receive mortar, plaster, or stucco.
Tiles
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Classification of Masonry Units

  Requirements of the appropriate ASTM
specifications for absorption and strength of
several types of tile are given in Table 4.9 (see
ASTM C34, C56, C57, C212, and C126 for details
pertaining to size, color, texture, defects, etc.).
Strength and absorption of tile made from similar
clays but from different sources and
manufacturers vary widely. The modulus of
elasticity of tile may range from 1,620,000 to
Structural Clay 6,059,000 psi.

Tiles
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Classification of Masonry Units

  According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, it
is a hollow translucent block usually with
ribbed exterior made by fusing two sections
of clear pressed glass at high temperature and
used as a building material chiefly for wall
panels.
 Glass block is also known as glass brick is an
architectural material made of glass that
provides visual opacity and light, it has
become an integral part of upscale interior
Glass Blocks design.
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Classification of Masonry Units

  These blocks are cast in a reinforced concrete
gridwork or set in a metal frame, from which
multiple units can be attached to openings in
basements and roofs.
 It is usually available as a single concrete
portion or as hollow glass blocks, thicker than
standard wall blocks in many colours.
 Nowadays glass block becomes a versatile
material that can be used for various
purposes.
Glass Blocks
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Classification of Masonry Units

 Types of Wavy Glass Block
Windows
Clarity Glass Blocks
Window

Glass Block

Ice Glass Blocks Window Diamond Glass Block 20

Window
 Glass blocks permit natural light gentle to
cross the window.

It provides privacy.

They are available in a wide range of options.

Advantages It also provides safety.

It provides tolerance.

It provides good thermal and sound insulation.

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They are extremely resistant.
 Glass manufacturing is a high energy
consumption process due to the high
temperatures required for processing raw
materials

Disadvantages There is corrosion due to alkali solution.

They are brittle.

Unsafe for earthquake-prone areas.

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  They are used in interior decoration for
all commercial and residential buildings.
 Glass block wall panels can also be used
in bathrooms that accept the light and
beauty of the bathroom.
Uses  These blocks can be used for wall
cladding work on the exterior of
commercial buildings that enhance the
beauty of the building.
 These blocks can be used to add light
and illusion to space in a walk-in shower.
 Glass blocks work well as windows as
they give light. 23
  Stone masonry is a type of building masonry
construction that uses stones and mortar. This
construction technique is used for building
foundations, floors, retaining walls, arches,
walls and columns. The stones used for
masonry construction are natural rocks. These
natural rocks are cut and dressed into proper
shape in order to use it in masonry
construction. Stones are one of the most
durable and strong building materials.

Stone 24

Classification of Masonry Units

 1.) Rubble Masonry
This is the stone masonry type where stones
employed are either undressed or roughly
dressed. These masonry constructions do not
Classifications have a uniform thickness. The strength of the
rubble masonry is dependent on the :
 Quality of Mortar Used
 Use of Long through stones
 Proper filling of mortar between the
stone spaces and joints

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 2.) Ashlar masonry is constructed
using accurately dressed stones
that possess uniform and fine
Classifications joints. The thickness of the joints
ranges about 3mm which is
arranged in various patterns. The
size of the stone blocks must be in
proportion with the thickness of the
walls.
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 CLASSIFICATIONS

Rubble Masonry Ashlar Masonry

o Coursed Rubble Masonry o Ashlar Fine Masonry

o Uncoarsed Rubble Masonry o Ashlar Rough Tooled Masonry
o Dry Rubble Masonry o Ashlar Block in Course
o Polygonal Masonry o Ashlar Chamfered Masonry
o Flint Masonry o Rock or Quarry Faced Masonry

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 https://constructionor.com/glass-blo
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https://theconstructor.org/building/s
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References pe,masonry%20construction%20are
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