Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
AN IMPORTANT
BUILDING MATERIAL
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Table of Contents
Acknowledgement....................................................................................................... 1
What is Brick?.............................................................................................................. 2
Brick earth................................................................................................................... 3
Qualities of good bricks................................................................................................ 4
Manufacturing of Bricks............................................................................................... 5
Classification of bricks................................................................................................. 6
Uses of Bricks.............................................................................................................. 8
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
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What is Brick?
Brick is a small rectangular block typically made of fire or sun-dried
clay, used as a building material. Bricks are one of the oldest types of
building blocks.
Bricks have been produced since the dawn of civilisation in the sundried form. The Great Wall of China was made of brick. Bricks have
been used all over the world in every kind of building.
Bricks are obtained by moulding clay in rectangular blocks of uniform
size and then by drying and burning these blocks. Bricks are very
popular as they are easily available, economical, strong, durable and
reliable.
Examples of the civilizations who used mud brick are the ancient
Egyptians and the Indus Valley Civilization, where it was used
exclusively. In particular, it is evident from the ruins of Buhen,
Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa. The first sun-dried bricks were made in
Mesopotamia (what is now Iraq) in about 4000 BC.
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Brick Earth
A good brick earth should fulfill the following requirements:
20-30% by weight
Silica or Sand
35-50% by weight
Silt
20-25% by weight
1-2% by weight
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Manufacturing of Bricks
The manufacturing of bricks is done in the following 4(four) steps:
Preparation of clay:
1. Unsoiling: The top layer of soil, about 20cm in depth, is
taken out and thrown away.
2. Digging: Clay is then dug out from the ground. It is spread
on the levelled ground.
3. Cleaning: Should be cleaned of stones, pebbles, vegetable
matter, etc.
4. Weathering: Clay is then exposed to atmosphere for
softening or mellowing. The period of exposure varies from
few weeks to full season.
5. Blending: Clay is made loose and any ingredients to be
added to it, is spread out at its top. It is carried out by
taking small portion of clay every time and turning it up
and down in vertical direction.
6. Tempering: In the process of tempering, clay is brought to
proper degree of hardness and it is made fit for moulding.
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Classification of Bricks
Bricks are generally classified in the following two types:
1. Sun dried bricks or katcha bricks: The bricks are which are
dried with the help of heat received from the sun after the
process of moulding are known as Sun-dried bricks. These bricks
are only used in the construction of temporary and cheap
structures.
2. Burnt bricks or pacca bricks: The bricks are burned in a clamp
or kilns after moulding and drying are called Burnt bricks or
pacca bricks. These are hard, strong and durable and are used in
permanent structures.
These bricks are further classified into following 4(four) types:
I. First class bricks.
II.
Second class bricks
III.
Third class bricks
IV.
Fourth class bricks
First class bricks: These bricks are table-moulded and they are
burned in kilns. The characteristics of first class bricks are:
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Water absorption shall not be more than 20% of its dry weight
when kept immersed for 24 hours.
When two bricks are struck against each other a metallic ringing
sound is produced.
When soaked in water for 24 hours and dried in shade doesnt
show efflorescence.
It doesnt break when dropped from a height of 1-2m.
It has specific gravity of 1.8.
It has a minimum crushing strength of 10.5 MPa.
Uses: They are used for flooring and walling purpose. Also used
as ballast for RC work. The shaped bricks are used in curving and
arches.
Second class bricks: These bricks are ground-moulded and they are
burned in kilns. The characteristics of second class bricks are:
A second class brick is well burnt but irregular in shape and size.
It has a rough surface.
Its edges are neither straight nor well defined.
It doesnt have a uniform colour.
It has fine compact and uniform texture.
It is not free from cracks.
It shall produce a ringing sound when struck with one another.
It shall have a minimum crushing strength of 7MPa.
Uses: these bricks are used for internal walls, where the bricks
are generally hidden from view.
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Uses of Bricks
Bricks are extensively used as a leading material of construction.
Bricks are used for construction of load-bearing walls and partition
walls. A fire brick is used for lining the interiors of oven, chimneys and
furnaces. Bricks are used as coarse aggregate for concrete work in
foundations, floors, roofs, etc. Broken bricks are used as a ballast
material for railway tracks, and also as a road metal. Bricks are also
used for face-work when artistic effect is required.
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