Contents

Comparison of brickwork and stonework. Compositions of a good brick Manufacturing of bricks Classification of brick

Properties and uses of bricks.

Substitute for bricks

Introduction
Brick is one of the oldest building material and it is extensively used at present as a leading material of construction. Bricks are durable , strength, realibility, low cost, easily available. The houses of medieval cities of europe were built mostly of wood until bricks replaced wood over the years. The great fire of london in 1666 is one of the reason for this change.

In india the process of brick making has not changed since centuries except minor refinements. This is mainly due to production of bricks is confined to unorganized sector.

Comparison of brickwork and stonework

Brick is superior to stone in following aspects..

When clay is available in plenty at site, it is better to go for bricks instead of stones.
Less skilled labour required for construction using bricks.

No complicated lifting devices required to lift the bricks.

The mortar joints for brick is thin and uniform which resists load in better way. Its easy to construct openings in brickwork then in stone

Comparison of brickwork and stonework

Stones are superior to bricks in following aspects.

Brick work is less watertight than stonework. It absorbs moisture

The architectural features of stones are better than uniform bricks stonework are cheaper at places where stones are readily available. Brickwork does not create a solid appearance.

Composition of good brick

Silica -Brick contains 50 to 60% silica. - The presence of silica prevents cracking , shrinking.It thus helps to maintain uniform shape of bricks - Excess of silica leads to uncohesion between particles of bricks. Lime -Brick contains not more than 5% lime - Excess of lime in brick will lead to flaking. -Lime fuses at klin temperature working as hard cementing material for brick particles.

The major ingredients of brick are: Alumina, silica, lime , iron oxide, magnesia

Alumia: . -Chief constituent - Brick contains 20 to 30% alumina - Imparts plasticity to clay so that it can be moulded. - Excess of alumina in brick leads to shrinkage during Oxide of iron drying - 5 to 6% of iron oxide is desirable for bricks - It helps lime to fuse sand - It also imparts red color to bricks.

Magnesia - 1 to 2% added to bricks to give yelllow tint and to decrease shrinkage. - Excess of magnesia leads to decay of bricks

Manufacturing of brick
Preparation of clay 1. Unsoling 2. Digging 3. Cleaning 4. Weathering 5. Blending 6. Tempering
Unsoling The top layer of soil is avoided in order to avoid impurities in present in soil. Digging The clay is dug out from ground and is spread out on levelled surface. Cleaning Clay obtained from digging should be clear from impurities such as stones, pebbles etc. Weathering The clay is exposed to atmosphere for softening. The period varies From few weeks to full season. Blending The clay is made loose and any ingredient to be added is done at this Stage. Tempering Clay is brought to a proper degree of hardness and it is made fit for Next method of moulding. Water is added to make it workable.

Manufacturing of brick
Moulding 1. Hand moulding 2. Machine moulding
Hand moulding In hand moulding the bricks are moulded in hands. It is adopted when manpower is cheap and readily available. Moulds are rectangular boxes which are open at top and bottom. They made be made up of steel or wood. Bricks shrink during drying and burning. Hence moulds are to be made larger than normal size of brick. Bricks prepared by handmoulding are of two types 1 Ground moulded bricks 2 Table moulded bricks Ground moulded bricks 1)Mould is dipped in water and placed over the ground and clay is pressed or forced in to the mould so that it fills all corners of mould. 2) Mould is then lifted and raw brick is left on the ground. Table moulded bricks The process of moulding these bricks is just similar to ground mould but the moulder stands near a table and moulds brick on table. The bricks are moulded on table and sent to further process of drying.

Manufacturing of brick
Moulding 1. Hand moulding 2. Machine moulding
Machine Moulding Moulding may also be achieved by machines. It proves to be economical when bricks in huge quantity are to be prepared at the same spot in short time. It is also helpful in moulding hard and strong clay. Machines are broadly classified into 1) Plastic clay machines 2) Dry clay machines Plastic clay machines These machines contain rectangular openings of size equal to length and width of brick. Clay is placed in the machine and as it comes out through the opening it is cut into strips of thickness equal to that of bricks. Dry clay machines 1)Clay is first converted into powder form. A small quantity of water is added to form stiff plastic. such paste is placed in mould and pressed by machine to form hard well shaped bricks . 2) These bricks do not requre drying and can be directly sent for burning.

Manufacturing of brick
Drying
-Damp bricks if burnt are likely to be cracked and distorted. Hence moulded bricks are dried before they are taken for burning. -For drying bricks are laid out in stacks. Bricks are allowed to dry till they become bone dry. - The time required for drying depends on prevailing weather conditions . Generally it will take 3 to 10 days for bricks to become dry.

Burning
- Burning imparts hardness and strength to the bricks and makes them dense and durable. -Bricks should be burnt properrly . If bricks are overburnt they will be brittle and hence break easily. - Burning of bricks can be done either in clamps or klins. - Clamps - A piece of ground is selected. The floor of clamp is prepared in such a way that short end is slightly in the excavation and wider end is raised at an angle of 15 degrees from ground level. -Brick wall in mud is constructed on shorter end and a layer of fuel is laid on prepared floor. -A layer consisting of 4 to 5 courses of brick is put up. A second layer of fuel is then placed over it. Like this arrangement is followed for 3 to 4 courses. -When nearly one third height is reached the lower portion is ignited. The objective is to burn bricks in lower part when construction of upper part of clamp is in progress.

Manufacturing of brick
Klins
-A klin is a large oven which is used to burn bricks -Klins are of two types 1) Intermittent klins 2) Continous Klins Intermittent klins -These klins are intermittent in operation which means that they are loaded, fired, cooled and unloaded. - These klins are either rectangular or circular in plan. -- In termittent klins are further classified into -1) Intermittent up draught klin -2) Intermittent down draught klin. -Intermittent up draught klinn -These klins are in form of rectangular structures whith thick outside walls. Wide doors are provided at each end for loading and unloading of klins. Flues are provided as passages to carry flames through body of klin. -A temporary roof may be installed to give protection against rain. -Intermittent down draught klin - Klins are rectangular or circular in shape. -They are provided with permanenet walls and closed tight roof. -The floor of klin has openings which are connected to a common chimney stack through flues. - Hot gases move downward by the chimney draught and doing so they burn bricks .

Manufacturing of brick
Klins

Intermittent up draught klin

Intermittent down draught klin

Uses of bricks & Shapes of bricks

Uses of bricks
First and second class bricks are widely ued for all sorts of construction work. Structures
include buildings, dams , roads, bridge piers, sewers e.t.c First class bricks is specified for elevation purposes where treatement is to be kept exposed Masonry with second class bricks is generally plastered to make smooth surface obtained due to irregular shape and size of bricks. Third class bricks are generally used for construction work of temporary structures Fourth class bricks are used as aggregates in foundations.

Shapes of bricks
1. Bullnose bricks- A brick moulded with rounded angle is termed as bullnose. It is used in rounded quoin.

Bull nose brick Coping bricks

2.

Channel bricks- These bricks are moulded to the shape of gutter or channel and they are often glazed.

Uses of bricks & Shapes of bricks

Shapes of bricks
3. Coping bricks- These bricks are made to suit the thickness of walls on which coping is to be provided. Such bricks take various forms such as chamfered, saddle back and half round. Hollow brick- These are known as cellular or cavity bricks. They are light weight about one third weight of ordinary brick. These bricks can be laid almost four times as fast as ordinary bricks. They reduce transmission of heat, sound and dampness. Paving bricks- These bricks are prepared from clay containing iron. Excess iron vitrifies bricks at lower temperrature. Such bricks resist abrasive action of vehicles. These bricks may be plain or chequered. Perforated bricks- These bricks contain cylindrical holes throughout their thickness. These bricks are lightweight . Drying and burning of these bricks are easy.

4.

5.

6.

Perforated bricks

Paving bricks Hollow blocks

Uses of bricks & Shapes of bricks

Properties of bricks - Colour: Colour should be uniform and bright.
Shape: Bricks should have plane faces. They should have sharp and true right angled corners. Size: Bricks should be of standard sizes as prescribed by codes. Texture: They should possess fine, dense and uniform texture. They should not possess fissures, cavities, loose grit unburnt lime. Soundness: When struck with hammer or with another brick, it should produce metallic sound

Water Absorption: After immercing the brick in water for 24 hours, water absorption should not be more than 20 pe

cent by weight. Thermal Conductivity: Bricks should have low thermal conductivity, so that buildings built with them are cool in summ and warm in winter.

Sound Insulation: Heavier bricks are poor insulators of sound while light weight and hollow bricks provide good sou insulation. Fire Resistance: Fire resistance of bricks is usually good. In fact bricks are used to encase steel columns to protect t from fire.

Substitute for bricks

Indian construction industry has felt the need to search for an appropriate
mainly for the following reasons. 1. 2. 3. 4. High wastage of transportation cost High water absorption of bricks Inconsistency in size of bricks Unavailability of skilled labour. It is possible to produce a variety of bricks from the materials other than clay . Some available options are. alternative to the bricks

1. Concrete blocks 2. Fly ash bricks

Substitute for bricks

Fly Ash Bricks Thermal power generation through coal combustion produces minute particles of ash,
Commonly known as fly ash.

These ash particles consist of silica, alumina, oxides of iron, calcium, and magnesium and toxic heavy metals like lead, arsenic, cobalt, and copper that causes serious environmental problems.
Fly ash bricks are extensively used in all building construction activites similar to that of common burnt clay. Fly ash bricks are comparitively light in weight and stronger than conventional bricks. Since fly ash is accumulated as waste material in large quantity near thermal plants causing serios health problems , its utilization in manufacturing of fly ash bricks not only helps in useful disposal but also helps in environmental pollution control.

Substitute for bricks

Fly Ash Bricks Thermal power generation through coal combustion produces minute particles of ash,
Commonly known as fly ash.

These ash particles consist of silica, alumina, oxides of iron, calcium, and magnesium and toxic heavy metals like lead, arsenic, cobalt, and copper that causes serious environmental problems.

Substitute for bricks

Fly Ash Bricks Thermal power generation through coal combustion produces minute particles of ash,
Commonly known as fly ash.

These ash particles consist of silica, alumina, oxides of iron, calcium, and magnesium and toxic heavy metals like lead, arsenic, cobalt, and copper that causes serious environmental problems.
Raw materials Fly ash Proportion in ratio of 60- 80 % Sand/ Stone dust Clay and silt in sland , shall preferably be less than 5% Lime Quick lime or hydrated lime or both can be mixed. Lime should have minimum 40% cao content. Gypsum Gypsum should have minimum 35% purity.

Advantages: Appearance These bricks have pleasing color,uniform shape and smooth finish. They require no plastering for building work. They are lighter in weight and less porous. Thermal properties- These bricks do not absorb heat, they reflect heat and gives maximum light reflection withou glare. Sound insulation- It provides acceptable degree of sound insulation. Durability and Moisture resistance- These blocks are highly durable after proper pointing of joints, bricks can be directly painted in dry distemper without backing coat of plaster. Rectangular Faced with sharp corners , solid reduces dampness of the walls.

Substitute for bricks

Aerocon blocks Advantages

1)Eco+friendly 2)Fasterconstruction,No wet plastering . 3)Light weight 4)High thermalinsulation 5)Fire resistant 6)Excellent sound reduction properties 7)Water,termite and weather resistant 8)Suitable for Seismic and Cyclone prone zones 10)Thin walls (space saving) 11)Smooth finish 12)Construction of houses/shelter is possible where sand, water and cement are not available like high Mountain regions 13)Minimum foundation or ground preparation required 14)Easy workability. 15) These blocks are also light weight with high thermal insulation and fire resistance. 16)Buildings constructed out of these blocks ensure long term sustainability and save a lot of water during the con 17)They are easy to install and can complete the construction procedure in a shorter span in case of scarcity of la and in the usage of mortars.

Substitute for bricks

Concrete blocks Raw materials: The raw materials required are cement, aggregates, cement and water. The process involved in manufacturing of concrete blocks are 1. Selection and proportion of ingredients 2. Mixing of ingredients 3. Placing and vibration 4. Curing. Advantages: It increases carpet area of building because of small width of of concrete block It provides better thermal insulation The construction of concrete block masonry are easier, faster and stronger than brick masonry. The perfect shape and size of concrete block makes work of a mason much simpler.