BRICK & BRICK MASONRY - Civil Engineering short notes and previous year questions
BRICK
- Standard size / modular size : 19 x 9 x 9 cm
- Nominal size : 20 x 10 x 10
- Non modular / traditional size : 22.9 x 11.2 x 7
- Weight of 1 brick : 3 - 3.5 ( 30 - 35 N )
- Unit weight of brick : 18 KN / m3 / 1800 kg/m3
- Specific gravity of brick : 1.8 - 2
INGREDIENTS OF GOOD BRICK EARTH 
I. Alumina 
II. Silica 
III. Lime 
IV. Iron oxide 
V. Magnesia
INGREDIENTS OF BRICK 
I. ALUMINA ( 20 - 30 % ) 
• Chief ingredient 
• Imparts plasticity to the brick earth 
• Excess alumina causes warping and shrinkage 
II. SILICA ( 50 - 60 % ) 
• Major ingredient 
• Imparts durability , uniform shape to brick 
• Prevents shrinkage and warping 
• Excess amount reduces cohesiveness and makes the brick brittle 
III. LIME ( should not be greater than 5 % ) 
• Reduces the fusing temperature of silica from 1730 *c to 350 - 1100 *c 
• If excess causes melting of brick , changing shape 
• Prevents shrinkage 
IV. IRON OXIDE ( 5 - 6 % ) 
• Imparts red color to the brick 
• Helps fuse silica 
• If excess makes the brick blackish of dark blue 
V. MAGNESIUM ( 1 - 2 % / 2 - 4 % ) 
• Imparts yellow tint 
• If excess results in decaying of brick 
 HARMFUL INGREDIENTS OF BRICK 
I. LIME : Shape loss , melting 
II. IRON PIRITES / FOOLS GOLD : crystallization & disintegration due to oxidation of iron pirites 
III. LAMINATION : due to presence of entrapped air in clay 
IV. PEBBLES : causes improper mixing , makes brick porous 
V. VEGETATIVE COVER / ORGANIC MATTER : 
• during burning gasses evolve and escapes making the brick porous. 
• Emission of gasses by burning of carbonaceous matter is called BLOATING 
VI. ALKALYS 
• Mainly present in the form of soda & potash 
• Absorbs moisture and when evaporate leaves a layer of grey or white deposit - efflorescence 
• Gypsum and pirates also causes efflorescence

MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS 
- PREPERATION OF CLAY
- MOULDNG
- DRIYING
- BURNING
I. PREPERATION OF CLAY 
1. unsoiling : 20 cm depth of top soil is removed 
2. digging : soil is digged out and heaps of 0.6 -1.2 m height is formed 
3. cleaning : pebbles , vegetative maters are cleaned 
4. weathering : 
• softening or mellowing of soil 
• Exposed to atmosphere in layer of 0.6 - 1.2 m 
• Makes the earth moisture content uniform 
• Monsoon is preferred 
5. blending : ingredients checked, added or removed if needed 
6. tempering : 
• Makes the soil to the desired plasticity 
• Water is added in adequate quantity ‘ mm ‘ 
i. Pugging : pug mills are used 
ii. Kneading : pressed or kneaded under the feet of cattle

III DRYING
• To reduce dampness 
• 2 types of moisture present 
i. Free moisture : moisture in void , can be removed by drying 

CLAMPS 
• Temporary structure 
• Small scale production 
• Cheap , no skilled labor required , economical 
• Burning in clamp is called pazhwa 
KILN 
• Permanent structure 
• Burning in kiln is called Bhatta 
• Types 
i. Intermittent 
ii. Continuous
Hoffman kiln  
• Overground structure 
• Highly efficient 
• Most common 
• Circular shape , 12 chambers 
• Central chimney 
• Works throughout the year 
Bull trench kiln 
• Widely used in India 
• Partially underground 
• Movable chimney 
• 12 chambers 
• Elliptical shape 
• Cannot work all year 
Tunnel kiln
• Bricks move in trollies 
• Path moved by trollies is called Crete way
CLASSIFICATION OF BRICKS 
I. BURNT BRICKS / PAKKA BRICKS : classified into 1st class, 2nd class, 3rd class, 4th class bricks 
II. UNBURNT BRICKS / KACHA BRICKS : sun dried bricks without burning 
BURNT BRICKS classified into :

CLASSIFICATION OF BRICKS
HOLLOW BRICKS 
• Aka cellular bricks , cavity bricks 
• Weight = 1/3rd weight of standard bricks 
• Spacing between cavity - 2 - 3 cm 
PAVING BRICKS 
• Used in garden 
• High iron content 
• Water absorption : 5 % PERFORATED BRICKS 
• 30 - 45 % area is perforated • Compressive strength > 7 N/mm2 
• Water absorption should not be greater than 15 % 
FIRE BRICK / REFRACTORIES ( 5 - 10 % water absorption )
BRICK MASONRY
I. STRETCHER : brick laid with its length parallel to the direction of wall 
II. HEADER : brick laid with its width parallel to the direction of wall 
III. ARRISES : edge formed by the intersection of two surfaces (12 nos) 
IV. PERPENDS : vertical joint that separate brick with one another 
V. LAP : horizontal distance between two vertical joins in successive course (¼ th brick length=5 cm ) 
VI. BATS : piece of brick cut across the length or along the width 
VII.CLOSERS : 
• a piece of brick used to close bond at the end 
• Provided to stagger vertical joint 
• Types : 
i. King closer : removing triangular portion joining half width and half length 
ii. Queen closer : cut longitudinally at half width 
iii. Beveled closer : half width and full length 
iv. Mitered closer : full width cut making an angle 45 - 60 with length 
VIII.FROG : 
• projection of 1 - 2 cm on top face of brick 
• acts as a key for mortar 
• Stock board or lamin board used to make frog ( palette board if both not in option )
TYPE OF BONDS 
1 STRETCHER BOND 
• Used for small height 
• Half brick thick wall 
• Partition walls , parapet walls 
2 Header bond 
• Used for curved walls 
• One brick wall thickness 
• Used in arches 
3 English bond 
• Alternate courses of headers and stretchers 
• Alternate headers are placed centrally over stretcher 
• No of joints in header course is 2 times the joint in stretcher course 
• It is the strongest bond 
 FLEMISH BOND 
• More importance to appearance than strength 
• Each cource have alternate headers and stretchers 
• All headers placed centrally over the stretchers 
• All cources have equal number of joints 
• Minimum thickness is 1 ½ 
• 2 types : 
i. Single Flemish : inner face English and outer face Flemish , more strength 
ii. Double Flemish : both faces Flemish ( min thickness : 20 cm )
4 GARDEN WALL BOND 
• 2 m max height 
• Used as compound / garden wall 
ENGLISH GARDEN WALL BOND  
• One header course after 3 - 5 stretcher courses 
• Queen closer after quoin header 
• Alternate courses have quoin header 
FLEMISH GARDENWALL BOND
• One header after 3 - 5 stretcher in a single course 
• ¾ brick bat after quoin header 
• All headers placed centrally over stretcher
5 RAKING BOND 
DIAGONAL BOND  
• Inclined to one side 
• Used for flooring and ornamental works 
• 2 - 3 brick wall thick 
HERRING BOND 
• Inclined to both sides 
• Thickness > 4 brick wall thick 
• Used for flooring 
ZIG ZAG BOND
• Inclined to any direction 
• Used for flooring and ornamental works
6. DUTCH BOND : modified English bond 
7. MONK BOND : modified Flemish gardenwall bond 
8. SILVER COCKS BOND : aka brick on edge bond, bull header or bull stretcher 
9. ST. ANDREWS BOND / ENGLISH CROSSOVER BOND : modified English bond
TOOLS USED IN BRICK MASONRY 
I. TROWEL : for placing and spreading , most important tool 
II. PLUM BOB : to check verticality 
III. STRAIGHT EDGE : to check alignment 
IV. MASON SQUARE : to check right angled connections 
V. GAUGE ROD : check height of each course 
VI. LINE & PIN : to check alignment, easy construction of brickwork 
VII. FLOAT : for spreading the mortar 
VIII. WOODEN TEMPLATE : to check the inclination of surface of brick 
IX. CROW BAR : to pull out nails 
X. BOLSTER : large hammer for accurate cutting of brick 
XI. SCUTCH : hammer used for cutting brick 
XII. BRICK AXE : sharp tool used for cutting brick 
XIII. BRICK HAMMER : hammer with one sharp edge and one blunt edge 
XIV. FOUR FOLD FOOT RULE : wooden scale having 4 pieces which can be folded into small size
PREVIOUS YEAR REPEATED QUESTIONS BASED ON BRICK AND BRICK MASONRY
 
 
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