The properties of good quality bricks

Due to cost-effectiveness, longevity and easy to handle nature, clay bricks are considered as most recognized building materials. Clay bricks are extensively utilized for exterior walls, partitions, piers, footings and other load bearing structures.

Standard quality bricks contain the following properties :-

01. Brick Earth: Brick earth does not contain stones, kankars, organic matter, saltpetre and damaging chemical etc.

02. Size: The bricks should be made with consistent size as well as plain, rectangular surfaces containing parallel sides and sharp straight edges. The bricks with standard and consistent size are recommended for building construction. Good bricks should maintain tolerances in length under 3 mm and 1.5 mm tolerances in width and height.

Standard size of brick is 190 x 90 x 90 mm.

03. Shape: Good bricks should have consistency in shape. Edges of bricks should have been sharp, straight and at a right angle.

04. Colour of Brick: Good quality brick should have been burnt perfectly and should contain homogeneous copper colour. If the bricks are burnt excessively or under burnt, they loss equality of colour on the surface and strength.

05. Soundness: I a brick is burnt properly, it will provide a metallic sound if it is hit by a hammer or another brick.

06. Hardness: The brick should have been so firm that if it is scratched with a finger nail no effect occurs.

07. Strength: The Compressive strength of brick should have been lowest 35 N/mm2 as stated by IS code.

08. Texture and Compactness: The surfaces of brick should not be so smooth so that slipping of mortar may happen. The brick should contain pre-compacted and homogeneous texture. A fractured surface will not demonstrate cracks, holes, grits or lumps of lime.

09. Water Absorption: Water engrossment capacity of good brick should not be over 20 percent of its dry weight if it is absorbed in water for 24 hours.

10. Frog in Brick: Brick should contain an exact frog so that the mortar is filled in the frog in a perfect manner. The size of frog should be 100 mm in length, 40 mm in width and 10 mm depth.

Good quality bricks have strong resistance power against atmospheric effects. In areas where sufficient clay is found, brickwork is inexpensive. But these days natural soil is unavailable in sufficient amount and therefore the demand for substitute building materials like fly ash brick, AAC block, drywall etc. is increasing rather than clay bricks like.

Article Source: gharpedia.com