HOLLOW BLOCK

SUSTAINABLE BUILDING TECHNOLOGY

BHAVESH PETHANI (13BCL083)

DHRUV PRAJAPATI (13BCL084)
HITESH PRAJAPATI (13BCL085)

ABHISHEK SHARMA (13BCL104)

History
The first hollow concrete block was designed in
1890 by Harmon S. Palmer in the United
States. After 10 years of experimenting, Palmer
patented the design in 1900. Palmer's blocks
were 8 in (20.3 cm) by 10 in (25.4 cm) by 30 in
(76.2 cm), and they were so heavy they had to
be lifted into place with a small crane. By 1905,
an
estimated
1,500
companies
were
manufacturing concrete blocks in the United
States.

These early blocks were usually cast by hand,

and the average output was about 10 blocks
per person per hour. Today, concrete block
manufacturing is a highly automated process
that can produce up to 2,000 blocks per hour.

DEFINITION
A hollow masonry unit is
defined as having a net
cross-sectional area in every
plane, parallel to the bearing
surface,
less
than
75
percent of the gross crosssectional area in the same
plane
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MATERIALS USED

(2)Mixing

(1)Proportioning

(4)Curing

(3)Compacting

(5)Drying

Types of machinery used

Type of machinery used

Type of machinery used

Type of machinery used

SIZE

Quality Specifications

Cavities

1. 100 200 400

2. 200 200 400

Shell Thickness
The shell thickness of blocks shall not be less
than 40 mm for sizes A & B and 20 mm for other
sizes.

Aggregates
Passes through IS sieve 1285mm
15% should retained on IS sieve 10 mm and 1040% on IS sieve 4.75 mm

The total width of the cavity in a block right angle to

the face of the block as laid in wall (i.e. the bedding
surface will be at right angles to the face of the block
shall not exceed 65% of the total breadth of the block.

Joints

The end of the blocks, which form the vertical joints,

may be plain rectangle and grooved or double
grooved.

Density

The block density hollow concrete block shall

not be richer than 1600 kgs. Per cubic meter of
gross volume.

Drying Shrinkage
The drying shrinkage of average of three blocks
when unrestrained shall not exceed 0.004 per
cent.

Water Absorption
The water absorption (av. 3 blocks)
shall not exceed 240 kg per cu meter.

Crushing Strength
The average crushing strength of eight blocks that are
immersed in water maintaining a temp. of 27o C + 2oC
for a period of 24 hrs bedded with cement sand mortar
shall be not less than 50 kg per square cm of gross
area.

Moisture contents
The moisture content (average of 3 blocks) of the dried
blocks on being immersed in water shall not exceed
0.03 %.

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Method of building walls

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Corner bonding

Estimating Data
Blocks
There are 1212 blocks in every square meter of wall surface area.
Mortar
1m3 of mortar is required for approximately 800
blocks.
For a 1:1:6 mortar mix, the approximate quantities
required for 1m3 of mortar are:
6 bags cement
6 bags lime
1.2 m3 of damp sand (allowing 20% bulking)
Grout
Approximate quantities for filling concrete blocks
and elements:

RETAINING WALLS
COLUMNS
COMPOUND WALLS

USES
HOLLOW BLOCK
In view of their versatile uses and
properties, hollow concrete blocks are in
demand
by
departments/agencies
engaged in construction including PWD,
Housing Boards and Urban Development
Corporations, Road Transport Corporation
and Forest Departments.

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Some Creative Uses of HCB

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LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS Steps

4 steps

1.

goal and scope

One square meter of partition wall system is chosen. All emissions, energy
consumption and materials are based on this functional unit. E.g. MJ/m2, kg
CO2e/m2 etc.

2. Life cycle inventory

LCI is a technical, data-based process of quantifying energy

and raw material requirements, atmospheric emissions,
waterborne emissions, solid waste, and other release for
the entire life cycle of a product ,process or activity.
EE: (Embodied Energy)

3. Life cycle impact analysis

GWP: (Global Warming Potential)

AP: (Acidification Potential)

4. Interpretation of the
results.

The values for HCB transportation

impacts are 6.73 MJ/m2, 0.576 kg CO2
/m2 and 0.018 kg SO2 /m2. Clay brick
wall values are 13.55MJ/m2, 1.155 kg
CO2 /m2 and 0.031 kg SO2 /m2
respectively, representing approximately
6% of total embodied energy.
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EMBODIED ENERGY

THE BENEFITS OF HOLLOW

CONCRETE BLOCK:1

Economy in design of sub-structure due to reduction of loads

Saving in mortar for lying of blocks as compared to ordinary brick work. Saving in mortar for plasterwork.
Uniform Plaster thickness of 12 mm can be maintained due to precision of the size of blocks as
compared to brick work where plaster thickness of average 20 mm is required to produce uniform and
even plastered surface due to variations in the sizes of bricks.

Insulation of walls is achieved due to cavity, which provides energy saving for
all times. Similarly hollowness results in sound insulation

Paint on finished walls can be applied due to cavity, which provides energy
saving for all times. Similarly hollowness results in sound insulation.

No problem of the appearance of salts. Hence, great saving in the

maintenance of final finishes to the walls.

THE BENEFITS OF HOLLOW

CONCRETE BLOCK:1

Laying of Blocks is much quicker as compared to brickwork hence

saving in time.

Thermal insulation property of hollow concrete block is more than

ordinary brick wall.

Hollow concrete block is environmentally eco friendly.

Factor of safety of hollow concrete block is more than brick masonry

Maintenance cost of the hollow concrete block is less than brick masonry.
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DISADVANTAGE

Rising Damp: When ground water enters the

wall from the base and migrates upward.

Cracking: Often due to shrinkage of the concrete

or movement of the wall.

Efflorescence: Occurs when accumulations of

salt are carried to the surface by water migrating
through the masonry.

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Why to use HCB??

1

The dead load of hollow concrete block is much lesser than a solid block;
due to this, one can work with the structural engineer and reduce steel
consumption in construction.

Hollow concrete blocks require minimal mortar.

If these blocks are engineered properly then dimensional accuracy and high
finishing quality is obtained

Usage of lintel blocks brings tremendous operational efficiencies resulting in

lower cost.

Hollow concrete blocks have additives to improve their water resistance and
seepage minimization
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Why to use HCB??

1

Hollow concrete blocks can be engineered to achieve very high compressive

strengths.

Hollow concrete blocks are much more sturdy.

The hollow concrete block adopt to modern design forms, richness of the
texture etc.

Minimum maintenance cost and cost competitiveness with other materials make
it a preferred material for todays building.

Hollow concrete blocks can effectively be used for cold storage and industrial
go downs as they are thermally effective.
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CASE STUDY
SPRING FIELD ohio

The house is a 1,300

square foot, single-story
structure. The house has
concrete
masonry
exterior walls, a woodframed floor deck over a
crawl space, and woodframed interior walls and
roof trusses.

BRICK MASONRY AND HOLLOW CONCRETE BLOCK-A COMPARISION by Rafiq

Ahmad et.al
Materials used
1. Cement:
Khyber ordinary Portland cement of 43 grade confining to IS 8112:1989 was used throughout
the work .
2. Sand:
Sand used throughout the work comprised of plane river sand with maximum size 4.75mm
confining to zone II as per IS 383-1970 with specific gravity of 2.6.
3. Hollow Concrete Blocks:
Hollow concrete blocks of size (16x8x8) inch and (8x8x8) inch were used for making walls.
4. Bricks:
Bricks were used of modular size (22.5x10x7.5) cm.
5. Mortar:
1:4 cement sand mortar as used for wall masonry were made in the standard manner as
prescribed by IS: 3535-1986

Economy: Cost per cubic meter of brick masonry comes out to be Rs.3875 and Cost per
cubic meter of brick masonry comes out to be Rs.3290. The cost of block walls per metre3 of
hollow concrete masonry came out to be 17.78%less than that of brick walls. So, block
masonry was economical than brick masonry.

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 CONCLUSION
Compressive strength of the brick units and brick masonry wall came out to be more than
compressive strength of HCB units and hollow concrete wall masonry.
Sound insulation property of hollow concrete masonry was more than that of brick masonry.

Thermal insulation property of hollow concrete masonry was more than that of brick masonry
due to presence of air in hollow concrete units.
As the cost of block walls per meter cube of masonry comes out to be lesser than that of brick

walls. Block masonry is economical than brick masonry.

Maintenance cost of HCB masonry is less than brick masonry because of no effloresces
found as it is found in brick masonry wall.

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Conclusion of Presentation

1. Being light in weight HCBs provide economy in design of sub-structure due to reduction
of the loads.
2. Laying of blocks saves mortar as compared with ordinary brick work. There is saving in
mortar plaster work too.
3. Cavity of blocks helps achieving insulation of walls and provides energy saving for all
times. Hollowness results in sound insulation.
4. There is no problem of appearance of salts thereby saving in maintenance of final
finishes to the
walls.
5. Laying of blocks is much quicker as compared to brick work hence, saving in time.
6. HCBs are environmentally eco-friendly.
7. Factor of safety HCB masonry is more than brick masonry.
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REFERENCE
www.ecologicbuilding.com
www.rockyhollowblocks.com
www.ustudy.in
www.researchpublish.com

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Thank YOU..

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