Brick

Brick wall

 Brick

•  Brick is a material made of clay that is used in a large area. 

•  It is the core of almost all construction work. 

•  It is a building material which is used to construct super structure like wall, column, slab, etc. Uses of brick 

Sizes of brick 

Traditional brick     230 × 114 × 76 cm

Nominal / Standard brick   19 × 9 × 9 cm

Modular brick      20 × 10 × 10 cm

Frog 

It is an impression made on the top of the brick. The dimension of frog is 100 mm in length,  40 mm in width, and 10-20 mm in depth. 

The purpose of providing a frog is to create good bond between mortars, and bricks on the adjacent layer of course. 

Constituents of brick soil

1. Silica 

•  The brick clay consists silica in 50-60 %.

Function 

•  Responsible for providing strength and hardness. 

•  Prevent from shrinkage and cracking. 

If it is excess

•  Brick becomes hard and brittle in nature. 

2. Alumina

•  Percentage of alumina present in brick clay is 20-30 %.

Function 

•  It imparts the plasticity property, so that brick can be easily moulded. 

•  If it is present in high quantity, makes the brick refractory. 

If it is excess 

•  Cause crack of brick and become to hard on burning. 

3. Lime

•  The brick clay consists lime in less than 5 %.

Function 

•  It acts as flux. 

•  Cause silica to fuse during burning, and bind the brick particles together. 

If it is excess 

•  It forms lumps cause bricks to distort shape.

4. Iron oxide

•  The brick clay consists iron oxide in 5 % - 6 %.

Function 

•  Provide colour

      a.) Red cherry  - Presence of O2
      b.)  Dark cherry - Absence of O2

•  Improve durability and impermiability 

If it is excess 

•  Change in colour 

•  Cause efflorescence 

5. Magnesia 

The brick clay consists magnesia  in 1 %.

Function 

•  Decrease shrinkage 
•  Impart yellow colour to the brick, when it is in small quantity.

If it is excess 

•  Causes decay of brick.

6. Other components 

•  There are some other components of brick clay like CaCO3, mgCO3, etc. present in it. What materials are used to make bricks

Manufacturing of brick 

1. Preparation of clay
2. Moulding of brick 
3. Drying of brick 
4. Burning of brick

1. Preparation of clay

The manufacturing of How are clay brick made brick is done with the help of soil. First of all, soil is dug out to a depth of 20 cm, and thrown. Now soil is excavated to require depth, and spread on the ground. It is cleared of from stone, pebbles, plastic, roots of vegetation, etc. 

The excavated soil is left to the ground for weathering for two, or four weeks. Now the soil is mixed with other ingredients of brick if it is in less quantity with water. In pug mil or by human or cattle. 

The process of Kneading of brick mixing clay, water, and other ingredients is known as kneading. And the whole process is called as tempering.

2. Moulding of brick 

After preparation of clay moulding of brick is done. 

There are two methods of moulding of brick 

A. Hand moulding 

B. Machine moulding 

In hand moulding a mould is made up of wood or steel is used. The size of mould is generally 12% greater than the size of brick. Tempered clay Brick manufacturing process in India  is forced into the mould such that it fill the corners of mould and excesses clay is removed. The mould is then lifted, and row of bricks are left on the ground.

When a large number of brick is to be prepare, then machine mould is used.

3. Drying of brick 

After moulding of brick drying of brick is done either naturally or artificially. 

In natural process the bricks are placed in the sunlight 1 to 2 days for becoming a sufficient hard so that it can handle from one place to another place.

Drying of bricks are also done by placing the brick into the shed with open side. 

So that it ensure a free circulation of air. The drying period of bricks varies from 7 to 14 days.

4. Burning of bricks

After drying of bricks burning of bricks is done by using either clamp or kilns. 

There are two methods of burning of bricks. Burning process of brick 

A. Kilns burning 

B. Clamp burning 

A. Kilns burning 

In this, the temperature is maintained 900 °C  to  1100 °C to burn the brick. The efficiency of kilns burning is 90%. In kilns burning brick was burnt for 24 hours, and left 12 days for cooling. These burning is used for mass production of bricks.

B. Clamp burning 

In clamp burning the bricks where burnt for 2 to 3 weeks as per requirement. The efficiency of clamp burning is a 60% . The loading period of clamp burning is about 6 months.

Classification of bricks

There are four What are types of bricks types of bricks based on water absorbent at 27 °C in 24 hours. 

1. First class of brick 
2. Second class of brick 
3. Third class of brick 
4. Fourth class of brick 

1. First class of brick 

These bricks are uniform in shape and size and also uniformly red in colour.

•  These bricks have minimum compressive strength 10.5 MPa. 

•  It should not have a water absorbent more than 20% .

•  When bricks are strucked,  it produces ringing sound (metallic).

•  When it is scratching Types of brick with our nails, it does not produce any mark on the surface of brick.

•  Reddish in colour.

2. Second class brick

•  These bricks are slightly over burn.

•  These bricks have rough surface and generally hard.

•  The compressive strength of these bricks are greater than 7 MPa. 

•  Reddish orange in colour. 

•  The moisture absorbent of these bricks are less than 22 % .

•  When it is strucked together it produces ringing sound (less metallic).

3. Third class brick 

•  These bricks are slightly under burnt 

•  The minimum compressive strength of these bricks are 5 MPa. Properties of brick 

•  The moisture absorbent of these bricks are less than 25% .

•  It does not produce metallic ringing sound when strucked together.

•  When it is scratching with nail produce mark on the surface of bricks.

•  It is light red in colour or reddish yellow. 

•  It is soft, so that it can break easily.

4. Fourth class brick /Jhamma brick

•  These bricks are over burnt, and irregular in shape. 

•  It gets twisted due to excess fusion & temperature.

•  It is dark bluish, and reddish brown in colour. 

•  These bricks are used as aggregate in construction of flour, road, foundation, etc. 

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Accessories of linear measurement

Interpolation of contour

Principle of surveying

Classification of surveying

Special bricks

1. Squoint brick 
2. Bull nose brick 
3. Pavement brick 
4. Hollow brick
5. Fly ash brick 

1. Squoint brick

•  These bricks are manufactured with angular corner. 

•  It is commonly used in construction of Squoint quions or corner. 

 

2. Bull nose brick 

•  These bricks are manufactured with rounded corner.

•  It is used in construction of circular columns, wall, etc. 

3. Pavement brick 

•  This types of bricks are used in construction of pavement, garden, floor, workshop flour, etc.  

•  The brick clay consists higher percentage of iron oxide which is responsible for providing  strength, and it is sufficient hard.

Pavement brick 

4. Hollow / Perforated bricks 

•  These bricks are also known as cavity bricks. 

•  It is light in weight and generally one-third weight of normal bricks ,whereas, weight of normal brick is about (3-3.5)kg. 

•  It is used in partition wall to reduce transmission of heat, dampness, sound, etc. 

Hollow bricks 

5. Fly ash brick 

•  Fly ash is the residue which is obtained from combustion of coal.What are constituents of good brick

•  Fly ash brick contains fly ash, lime or cement, silica, water, etc. compressed at 28 MPa, and cured with steam for 24 hours.