UNIVERSITY OF DUHOK

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
CIVIL DEPARTMENT

MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY AND TESTING

By:
Youkhanna Z. Dinkha
M.Sc. Construction Materials
youkhanna.zayia@uod.ac

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CHAPTER THREE
CLAY BRICKS

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 1. Clay Bricks: May be defined as a small (commonly rectangular)
building units, solid or pored not in excess of 25%.
• Clay bricks are small, rectangular standard-sized
weight-bearing building units made of fired clays. Brick
composition differs from one place to another. Clays are
composed mainly of silica (grain of sand) , alumina,
lime, iron, manganese, sulfer, and phosphates, with
different proportions.
• Bricks are manufactured by 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 with different colors, such as
yellow, dark red, purple, brown, gray, pink or dull
brown, depending on the firing temperature of the clay
during manufacturing . The firing temperature for brick
manufacturing varies from 900 to 1200 oC . Clay bricks
have an average density of 19 kN/m3 3
Ingredients of Good Brick Earth:
For the preparation of bricks, clay or other suitable earth is molded to the desired shape after subjecting
it to several processes. After drying, it should not shrink and no crack should develop.
The clay used for brick making consists mainly of silica and alumina mixed in such a proportion that
the clay becomes plastic when water is added to it. It also consists of small proportions of lime, iron,
manganese, Sulphur, etc. The proportions of various ingredients are as follows:
Silica 50–60%
Alumina 20–30%
Lime 10%
Magnesia < 1%
Ferric oxide < 7%
Less than 20%
Alkalis < 10%
Carbon dioxide
Sulphur trioxide Very small percentage

Water
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Functions of Various Ingredients:
Silica: It enables the brick to retain its shape and imparts durability, prevents shrinkage and
warping. Excess of silica makes the brick brittle and weak on burning. A large percentage of
sand or uncombined silica in clay is undesirable. However, it is added to decrease shrinkage in
burning and to increase the refractoriness of low alumina clays.
Alumina: absorbs water and renders the clay plastic. If alumina is present in excess of the
specified quantity, it produces cracks in brick on drying. Clays having exceedingly high alumina
content are likely to be very refractory.
Lime: normally constitutes less than 10 per cent of clay. Lime in brick clay has the following
effects:
1. Reduces the shrinkage on drying.
2. Causes silica in clay to melt on burning and thus helps to bind it.
3. In carbonated form, lime lowers the fusion point.
4. Excess of lime causes the brick to melt and the brick looses its shape.
5. Red bricks are obtained on burning at considerably high temperature (more than 800°C) and
buff-burning bricks are made by increasing the lime content. 5
Functions of Various Ingredients:
Magnesia: rarely exceeding 1 per cent, affects the colour and makes the brick yellow, in
burning; it causes the clay to soften at slower rate than in most case is lime and reduces
warping.

Iron: ( Iron oxide constituting less than 7 per cent of clay, imparts the following properties:
1. Gives red color on burning when excess of oxygen is available and dark brown or even black
color when oxygen available is insufficient, however, excess of ferric oxide makes the brick
dark blue.
2. Improves impermeability and durability.
3. Tends to lower the fusion point of the clay, especially if present as ferrous oxide.
4. Gives strength and hardness.

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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 typically are strong and
durable.
Facing bricks are used for facing and aesthetic
purposes and are available in different sizes ,
colors, and texture.

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Floor bricks are used on finished
floor surfaces. They are generally
smooth, dense and have high
resistance to abrasion.

Finally paving bricks are used as

a paving material for roads, side
walks, patios, drive ways, and
interior floors. Paving bricks
available in different colors such as
red, gray, or brown and typically
they are abrasion resistance and
could be vitrified. 8
 A brick earth quarry should contain clay which is suitable for brick making or which
can be made suitable by mixing with other soils. Laboratory tests like liquid limit,
plastic limit, and shrinkage limit may also be used to determine the suitability of the
soil for brick making. Alternately the suitability may be judged by an experienced
person by the feel on kneading it between the fingers.
Preparation of Bricks:
The following are the steps for the preparation of common brick :
1.Preparation of clay: after removal of vegetation, the clay deposit is excavated in steps.
Processing of the clay depends on the type of bricks to be made. For ordinary bricks ,
very little preparation is required. For superior bricks , the clay is washed and processed
before molding into bricks.
2.Molding of Bricks: usually carried out by hands or by machines. The process of
molding of bricks may include soft-mud (hand molding) , stiff-mud (machine molding)
or the dry-press method ( molding using max. 10% water and forming bricks at higher
pressure). Fire brick is made by the soft mud process. Roofing, flooring, and wall tiles
are made by dry-press method.
3.Burning of Bricks: burning of bricks is carried out in kilns. It is then fired slowly for
many days. 9
Preparation of Bricks 10
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Bricks can be classified into 3 types according to their manufacturing process:
1.Ground-molded bricks usually fired temporary clamps, the dimensions of these
bricks are not regular.
2.Machine-molded bricks fired in continues kilns.
3.Pressed bricks made under pressure, these frequently used for decorative works.

Chemical Changes in Burning of Bricks :

Heating clay up to about 640 oC leads to only physical changes. The moisture is
driven out, the organic matter is burnt out . If the heat is increased to 700-1000 oC
chemical changes take place by which alumina and silica in the clay fuse together
resulting in a compound which is strong and stable. At that time, brick does not
crumble down like clay when immersed in water and now it is a product different
from the original clay. If we heat the clay beyond 1300 oC , the above materials get
vitrified , bricks begin to loose their shape. Vitrified tiles are nowadays extensively
used as floor tiles. 12
Dimensions :
The normal size of the building bricks is 23x11x7 cm. allowing for 1 cm mortar
joints.
Brick shapes: Five types are defined:
1. Solid: having no designed voids (holes or depressions) other than those
inherent in the material. (Used for foundation and other load bearing
structures).
2. Perforated: having holes, passing from one face to the opposite, up to
25% of the brick’s volume. (used for general use in exterior and interior
walls and partition)
3. Hollow: one or more holes or cavities which pass through the units.
4. Frogged: with depressions in one or more bed faces total not exceed
20% of the brick’s volume. The size of the frog in a brick 10x4x1 to 2
cm deep.
5. Cellular: having no holes but cavities, closed at one end, may exceed
25% of the gross volume. 13
The importance of the holes or frog in the bricks are:

1. To increase the lateral strength.

2. The bond between the mortar and brick.
3. To reduce the weight of bricks.

Light Weight Clay Bricks: In tall building , Light Weight Clay Bricks are
usually used to reduce the dead weight of partition walls, and hence, reduce the
load on the foundation. They are available in different sizes. A hollow bricks in
which the brick contains hollow with ribs. The weight of this type as one-third the
weight of the solid (ordinary brick). The hollow also reduce the transmission of
heat, sound, and dampness.

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Sampling :
For testing of bricks selecting not less than 10 bricks from 50 000 bricks. 5 for
each additional 10 000 bricks..

Testing of Brick :
1.Compressive strength:
Is dependent on raw material and the degree of burning. The Iraqi Specification
24 divides bricks according to their compressive strength and other properties into
three grades A, B, C as given in the following Table.

2.Suction or Absorption Rate:

This has an important effect on adhesion of brick and mortar. With high
absorption rate the mortar will set too soon and adhesion will be poor. Bricks
with suction of more than 20 gm/min should be wetted prior to laying. 15
3.Efflorescence ( soluble salt content ).
Defined as a whitish powder of soluble salts on the bricks walls. There are two conditions
necessary to produce efflorescence these are, soluble salts and moisture to carry salts to
the surface.
4.Dimensional tolerance :
These dimensions are to be measured in one or two lots of ten each. Allowable within 3%
for length and width, 4% for thickness.
5.Hardness :
a Scratch is made on the surface of the brick with finger nail. No impression will be left on
the surface.
6.Soundness :
two bricks are taken , one in each hand , and they are struck with each other lightly . a
clear ring sound should be produce and the brick should not get break.
7.Thermal expansion:
For clay brick a value of 0.6x10-5 per oC may be taken. 16
 Summary of Iraqi Specification
Note:
A: for foundation and other load bearing structure in sever exposure condition
B: Ditto but with less sever (mild) exposure condition
C: Non-bearing structures and mild exposure condition
PROPERTIES

Compressive strength Absorption

N/mm2 % by weight
Grades
Efflorescence
Avg. of 10 individual Avg. of 10 individual
bricks bricks

A 18 16 17 20 Non-light

B 13 11 22 26 Light-moderate

C 9 7 25 28 Light-moderate
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2. Sand-lime brick
Sand-lime brick are not made from clays, the raw materials used are:
very fine siliceous aggregate (passing 1.15 mm sieve)
high calcium lime
water
The ratio, by weight, of fine aggregate/lime = 10-20, i.e. fine aggregate is
generally 90% of the total wt.
Size: standard brick dimensions are 215x102.5x65 mm
Other dimensions 190x90x90 or 65 mm
290x90x90 or 65 mm
H.W: manufacturing process and other Properties???

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3. Glass Brick
Glass building bricks are inserted in walls and partitions to transmit light. They
are not used to withstand load in bearing walls. Glass blocks are manufactured
by a process which causes a partial vacuum to be produced in the interior of the
brick. The top and bottom outside surface and the ends frequently have a rough
surfacing material bonded to the glass for the purpose of obtaining good
adherence with mortar. The glass is ¼ inch or more thick.
The dimensions are 146x146 mm
197x197 mm
the thickness ranged between 80-120 mm.

H.W: manufacturing process and other Properties???

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4. Concrete Building Brick:

The raw materials used are cement, sand, aggregate and additives. Concrete
bricks have similar size and shape to clay and calcium silicate bricks.

H.W: manufacturing process and other Properties???

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Example-1: Samples of brick have been tested the results are as follow

Compressive strength: 18, 17, 16, 19, 18.5, 15, 16.5, 18, 19, 22 N/mm2
Absorption: 22, 24, 23, 22, 26, 21, 20, 20, 21, 24 %
Efflorescence: Light for all specimens

What is the grade of this brick & can be used in foundation?

Solution:
Average compressive strength = 17.9 N/mm2 and less value = 15 N/mm2
Absorption (avg.) = 22.3% and large value 26%
Efflorescence: Light for all specimens

The brick according to Iraqi Specification was grade B and can not be used for
foundation.
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Example-2: Brick tested and the results are as follow

Dry weight of the oven dry brick (A) = 3260 gm

Saturated weight (B) = 3520 gm
Compressive strength at failure = 550 kN
Brick dimension = 236x112x75 mm
Calculate: compressive strength & absorption

Solution:
Compressive strength = load/area = (550x1000)/(112x236) = 20.6 N/mm2
Water absorption = (B-A)/A = (3520-3260) x 100 / 3260 = 7.9%

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