FKA – UTM

JSB
BRICKS

BRICKS, BUILDING BLOCKS AND

MORTARS
Lecturer:
Prof. Dr. Mohammad Ismail
Faculty of Civil Engineering, UTM-Skudai,
Johor Darul Ta’zim,
MALAYSIA

1 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering

UTM
December 6, 2013
 FKA – UTM
BRICKS, BUILDING BLOCKS AND
JSB MORTARS

2 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering

UTM
 FKA – UTM
PROPERTIES OF CLAY BRICKS
JSB
AND THEIR MEASUREMENT
STRENGTH
• Standard method test for strength involves crushing the
bricks – normally perpendicular to their largest face
• Bricks should be saturated for 24 hours before testing
• 10 bricks should be tested, sandwiched between 4mm
plywood
• Bricks may be designated as class 1,2,3,4,5,7,10 or 15
according to their compressive strength (imperial units).
For metric unit, the number multiply by 6.9. hence a class
10 bricks has a minimum strength 69N/mm2
3 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering
UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB

• A masonry unit is a brick, tile stone, glass block,

or concrete block

4 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering

UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB Defect of brick wall

5
 FKA – UTM
JSB TESTING
WATER ABSORPTION (ASTM C140-Concrete,
ASTM C67-Clay)
• Important property of clay bricks
• Oven dried brick are either boiled for 5h or subject to
vacuum test
• Alternatively soak brick in water for 24 h
massofwaterabsorbed
• Water absorption = massofoven − driedbrick

6 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering

UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB

Example (Clay bricks - ASTM C67)

• Absorption by 24 h submersion (%) = (Ws24 –Wd)/Wd x 100

• Absorption by 5h boiling (%) = (Wb5 – Wd)/Wd x 100

• Saturation coefficient = (Ws24 –Wd)/ (Wb5 – Wd)

Where Wd = dry weight specimen

Ws24 = saturated weight after 24-h submersion in cold water
Wb5 = saturated weight after 5-h submersion in boiling water
7 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering
UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB

Example (Clay bricks)

The 5 h boiling test was performed on a medium weathering clay
bricks according to ASTM C67 and produced the following
results
Dry mass of specimen =1.788kg
Saturated mass after 5h submersion in boiling water = 2.262

Absorption by 5h boiling = (2.262 – 1.788)/1.788 = 26.5%

8 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering

UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB

Example (Concrete bricks – ASTM C140)

The absorption of concrete masonry units is determined by
immersing the unit in water for 24 h

Absorption (%) = (Ws – Wd)/Wd x 100

Moisture content as a (%) of total absorption =

(Wr – Wd)/(Ws – Wd) x 100

Ws = saturated weight of specimen, Wd oven-dry weight

Wr = weight as received
Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering
UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB

Example (Concrete bricks – ASTM C140)

A concrete masonry unit was tested according to ASTM C140 and
produced the following results:
Mass as received = 10,354g
Saturated mass of unit = 11,089
Oven-dry mass of unit = 9893g

Absorption (%) = (11,089 – 9893)/9893 x 100 = 12.1%

Moisture content as a percent of total absorption =
(10,354-9893)/(11,098-9893) = 38.5%

Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering

UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB TESTING
EFFLORESCENCE (BS 3291: 1985)
• Built-up of white surface deposits on drying, results from dissolved
salts in the bricks. Spoil appearance of new brickwork
• Bricks are saturated with distilled water to dissolve any salts
present

11 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering

UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB TESTING
EFFLORESCENCE
• The efflorescence is assessed

Nil – no perceptible deposit of efflorescence

Slight – not more than 10% of area covered with thin deposit

Moderate – heavier deposit covering up to 50%

Heavy – a deposit salts covering more than 50%

12 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering

UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB TESTING
SOLUBLE SALT CONTENT
• Bricks are classified as low (L) soluble salt content
if the percentages of the following ions do not
exceed the level stated. Higher value (N)

Sulphate 0.5%

Calcium 0.3%

Magnesium 0.03%

Potassium 0.03%

Sodium 0.03%
13 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering
UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB DURABILITY
• Durability problems are associated with moisture
penetration
• Requirement for engineering bricks

Class Compressive Water absorption

strength (%)
(N/mm2)
Engineering A 70 4.5
Engineering B 50 7.0
14 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering
UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB

15 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering

UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB MASONRY MORTARS
• BS 5628: Part 3
• Mortar is cement + lime + sand + water
• Lime Mortar = lime + sand + water
• Cement mortar = cement + lime + sand + water
• Prime function in masonry is to take up tolerances
between building units such as bricks or blocks.

16 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering

UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB

Some other requirement

a. Impart sufficient strength to the complete unit
b. Should permit movement
c. Should be durable
d. Should resist penetration of water through the unit
e. Contribute to the aesthetic appearance of the wall
Mortar should be workable yet cohesive in fresh state

17 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering

UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB

• Mortar must be stronger than the units it is

bonding
• Type (i) for high strength unit. This mortars give
great strength and durability and can be used in
situations of high exposure and high stress
• Type (ii) and (iii) are suitable for general masonry
work
• Refer to Table 3.2
18 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering
UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB

• Types (iii), (iv) and (v) mortars contain

progressively more lime to compensate for the
reduced cement content
• Type (v) restricted for internal use
• To achieve mixes the use of gauging boxes or
machine is recommended
• A further option is ready to use mortar

19 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering

UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB Recommended mortar mixes

Type of mortar Mix proportions by volume

Cement: Lime: sand 1:0to1/4:3 1:1/2:4 to41/2 1:1:5 to 6 1:2:8 to 9

Masonry cement: sand - 1:21/2 to 31/2 1:4 to 5 1:51/2 to61/2
Cement: sand with plasticizer - 1:3 to 4 1:5 to 6 1:7 to 8

Mortar designation (i) (ii) (iii) (iv)

Increasing strength
Decreasing ability to accommodate movement

20 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering

UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB RENDERINGS/PLASTER
• Plaster is a fluid mixture of portland cement, lime
and sand

used as finishing material for exterior or interior wall
• The functions

To provide an aesthetically pleasing, easily maintained
surface finish

To resist rain or damp penetration

21 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering

UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB

• Rendering must adhere well to the background and

be reasonable impermeable and free of cracks
• Mortar used for rendering basically same as those
for brickwork
• The mortar should be stronger than the
background

22 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering

UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB

• The technique of application at least two coats

First coat (15 mm)– level the ground and even out its
suction

Curing for at least 3 days is necessary

Final coat – is applied after the first coat has cured and
dried

23 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering

UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB

24 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering

UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB

25 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering

UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB

26 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering

UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB

27 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering

UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB

28 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering

UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB

29 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering

UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB

30 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering

UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB
1. Name the two types of masonry units
2. What are the raw materials in the manufacture of clay brick
3. Name the three grades of clay brick
4. Name the three types of concrete block
5. What are the different between masonry cement and portland
cement
6. What are the advantages of adding lime to mortar
7. What is efflorescence

31 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering

UTM
 FKA – UTM
JSB

32 Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering

UTM