BRICKS

BRICKS ARE ONE OF THE OLDEST KNOWN

BUILDING MATERIALS DATING BACK TO
7000BC WHERE THEY WERE FIRST FOUND
IN SOUTHERN TURKEY AND AROUND
JERICHO. THE FIRST BRICKS WERE SUN
DRIED MUD BRICKS. FIRED BRICKS WERE
FOUND TO BE MORE RESISTANT TO
HARSHER WEATHER CONDITIONS, WHICH
MADE THEM A MUCH MORE RELIABLE
BRICK FOR USE IN PERMANENT BUILDINGS,
WHERE MUD BRICKS WOULD NOT HAVE
BEEN SUFFICIENT.
 BRICKS NOW
BRICKS ARE MORE COMMONLY USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
BUILDINGS THAN ANY OTHER MATERIAL EXCEPT WOOD. BRICK
AND TERRACOTTA ARCHITECTURE IS DOMINANT WITHIN ITS
FIELD AND A GREAT INDUSTRY HAS DEVELOPED AND INVESTED
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF BRICKS
OF ALL SHAPES AND COLORS. WITH MODERN MACHINERY,
EARTH MOVING EQUIPMENT, POWERFUL ELECTRIC MOTORS
AND MODERN TUNNEL KILNS, MAKING BRICKS HAS BECOME
MUCH MORE PRODUCTIVE AND EFFICIENT. BRICKS CAN BE
MADE FROM VARIETY OF MATERIALS THE MOST COMMON
BEING CLAY BUT ALSO CALCIUM SILICATE AND CONCRETE.
WITH CLAY BRICKS BEING THE MORE POPULAR, THEY ARE NOW
MANUFACTURED USING THREE PROCESSES SOFT MUD, DRY
PRESS AND EXTRUDED. ALSO DURING 2007 THE NEW FLY ASH
BRICK WAS CREATED USING THE BY-PRODUCTS FROM COAL
POWER PLANTS.
HOW BRICKS ARE
MADE?
 THE TRADITIONAL WAY
BRICKS ARE MADE FROM WETTING CLAY
WHICH YOU PRESS IT INTO A MOULD AND THEN
BAKE THE CLAY IN AN OVEN UNTIL IT IS HARD.
KAOLIN AND SHALE, MAKE UP THE
MAIN BODY OF BRICK. SMALL
AMOUNTS OF MANGANESE,BARIUM,
AND OTHER ADDITIVES ARE BLENDED
WITH THE CLAY TO PRODUCE
DIFFERENT SHADES, AND
BARIUMCARBONATEIS USED TO
IMPROVE BRICK'S CHEMICAL
RESISTANCE TO THE ELEMENTS.
MANY OTHER ADDITIVES HAVE BEEN
USED IN BRICK.

A WIDE VARIETY OF COATING

MATERIALS AND METHODS ARE USED
TO PRODUCE BRICK OF A CERTAIN
COLOR OR SURFACE TEXTURE.
SOMETIMESA FLUXORFRIT(A GLASS
CONTAINING COLORANTS) IS ADDED
TO PRODUCE SURFACE
TEXTURES..OTHER MATERIALS
INCLUDING GRADED FIRED AND
UNFIRED BRICK, NEPHELINE SYENITE,
THE MANUFACTURING
PROCESS
1-GRINDING, SIZING, AND COMBINING
RAW MATERIALS
2-EXTRUSION
3-COATING
4-DRYING
5-FIRING
BRICK FORMAT
 THE MOST COMMON BRICK SIZE IS THE
IMPERIAL BRICK, WHICH MEASURES
222MM LONG X 106MM WIDE X 73MM
HIGH WITH A MASS OF BETWEEN 3.0KG.

THERE ARE ALSO OTHER SIZES AND

FORMATS AVAILABLE.
TYPES OF BRICKS
HIGH ALUMINA BRICKS
HIGH ALUMINA BRICKS FROM 50%
UPTO 90% ALUMINA ARE MADE WITH
VARIOUS SELECTED SUPERIOR GRADE
AGGREGATES TO MEET THE VARIOUS
SERVICE CONDITIONS OF VARIOUS
TYPES OF FURNACES LIKE LADDIE,
BLAST FURNACE, CEMENT AND
SPONGE IRON ROTARY KILN,
CALCINER , ETC., THE 90% ALUMINA
DENSE BRICKS ARE MANUFACTURED
FROM TABULAR ALUMINA PURER
MICRO FINE ALUMINA AND OTHER
SPECIAL TYPE RAW MATERIAL AND
FIRED IN ULTRA HIGH TEMPERATURE
KILN AT 1650-1700BC. DUE TO THE
INTENT MICRO STRUCTURAL
FEATURES OF THE RAW MATERIALS
USED FOR THESE BRICKS, THEY HAVE
EXCELLENT RESISTANCE TO WEAR
AND THERMAL SHOCK.
THESE BRICKS HAVE EITHER
PALE GREEN OR GRAYCONCRETE BRICKS
COLOR. THESE ARE
PREPARED FROM A SMALL,
DRY AGGREGATE CONCRETE
WHICH IS FORMED IN STEEL
MOLDS BY USING
VIBRATION AND
COMPACTION. THE ENTIRE
MANUFACTURING PROCESS
IS INCURRED EITHER IN AN
EGG LAYER OR STATIC
MACHINE. RATHER THAN
FIRING, THE CURING
PROCESS IS USED TO
CONVERT THE BLOCKS
THUS PREPARED INTO
BRICKS UNDER LOW
FIRE BRICK
A FIRE BRICK IS A BLOCK OF
CERAMIC MATERIAL USED IN
MASONRY CONSTRUCTION
AND SIZED TO BE LAYED
WITH ONE HAND USING
MORTAR. BRICKS MAY BE
MADE FROM TYPE OF
MATERIAL .THESE ARE BUILT
PRIMARILY TO WITHSTAND
HIGH HEAT AND ALSO FIND
APPLICATIONS IN EXTREME
MECHANICAL, CHEMICAL, OR
THERMAL STRESSES. THE
BRICK IS WIDELY USED AS
REFRACTORY INSULATING
BRICKS FOR MAINTAINING
INSISTENT TEMPERATURE.
 LIGHT WEIGHT HOLLOW BLOCKS

THIS BLOCKS ARE USED

IN CONSTRUCTION OF
HOUSES IN EARTHQUAKE
PRONE AREAS. THESE
BRICKS ARE MADE OF FLY
ASH, CEMENT, LIME,
GYPSUM, STONE DUST
ETC. AVAILABLE IN
DIFFERENT SIZES.
HOLLOW CONCRETE
BLOCKS IS USED AS
SUBSTITUTE FOR
CONVENTIONAL BRICKS
OR STONES USED IN
CONSTRUCTION OF
BUILDINGS. AND THE
PROPERTIES OF BRICKS
 FIRE RESISTANCE

WHEN PREPARED PROPERLY A BRICK

STRUCTURE CAN GIVE AFIRE PROTECTION
MAXIMUM RATING OF 6 HOURS
 STRENGTH

BRICKS OFFER EXCELLENT HIGHCOMPRESSIVE

STRENGTH.
 POROSITY

THE POROSITY OF BRICKS IN ATTRIBUTED TO

ITS FINE CAPILLARIES. THE ABILITY TO RELEASE
AND ABSORB MOISTURE IS ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT AND USEFUL PROPERTIES OF
BRICKS, REGULATING TEMPERATURES AND
HUMIDITY INSIDE STRUCTURES.
 AESTHETIC

BRICKS OFFER NATURAL AND A

VARIETY OF COLORS, INCLUDING
VARIOUS TEXTURES
 INSULATION

BRICKS CAN EXHIBITABOVE NORMALTHERMAL

INSULATION WHEN COMPARED TO OTHER
BUILDING MATERIALS. BRICKS CAN HELP
REGULATE AND MAINTAIN CONSTANT INTERIOR
TEMPERATURES OF A STRUCTURE DUE TO
THEIR ABILITY TO ABSORB AND SLOWLY
RELEASE HEAT. THIS WAY BRICKS CAN
PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT ENERGY SAVINGS,
 EFFLORESCENCE

EFFLORESCENCE FORMS ON CONCRETE

STRUCTURES AND SURFACES WHEN
SOLUBLE SALTS DISSOLVED IN WATER ARE
DEPOSITED AND ACCUMULATED ON
SURFACES FORMING A VISIBLE SCUM.
CLASSIFICATION
THE BRICKS USED IN CONSTRUCTION ARE
CLASSIFIED AS:

FIRST CLASS BRICKS

SECOND CLASS BRICKS
THIRD CLASS BRICKS
FOURTH CLASS BRICKS
TESTS ON BRICKS
 CRUSHING STRENGTH TEST
WATER ABSORPTION TEST
EFFLORESCENCE TEST
HARDNESS TEST
SIZE, SHAPE AND COLOR TEST
SOUNDNESS TEST
STRUCTURE TEST
USES
STRUCTURALUSES: SUCH ASFOUNDATIONSWALLS AND FLOORS.
DECORATIVE/ORNAMENTAL USES: MAY BE CAST TO FROM MOLDINGS
AND OTHERDECORATIVEFEATURES MAY BE CARVEDALSO MAY BE
USED IN AVARIETYOFCOLORS, TEXTURES, BONDSANDJOINTS.
MAY BECONCEALEDBY OTHERFINISH MATERIALSSUCH ASSTUCCO,
PLASTERORPAINT,OR MAY BE EXPOSED BOTHON
THEINTERIORANDEXTERIOR.
BRICKSARE ALSO USED IN THEMETALLURGYAND
GLASSINDUSTRIESFORLINING FURNACES.
THEY HAVE VARIOUS USES, ESPECIALLY REFRACTORYBRICKSSUCH
ASSILICA, MAGNESIA,
CHAMOTTEANDNEUTRAL(CHROMOMAGNESITE)REFRACTORY
BRICKS.THISTYPEOFBRICKMUST HAVEGOOD THERMAL SHOCK
RESISTANCE, UNDER LOAD,HIGH MELTING POINT, ANDSATISFACTORY
POROSITY.
BRICKSARE USED FORBUILDINGANDPAVEMENT.EARLIER
BRICKPAVEMENT WAS FOUND INCAPABLE OF
WITHSTANDINGHEAVYTRAFFIC,BUTIT IS COMING BACK INTO USE AS
AMETHODOFTRAFFIC CALMINGOR AS ADECORATIVE
SURFACEINPEDESTRIAN PRECINCTS.
ADVANTAGES
 CAN BE IDEAL FORPASSIVE SOLAR
APPLICATIONS.
BRICK TYPICALLYWILL NOT REQUIRE PAINTING
AND SO CANPROVIDEA STRUCTURE WITH
REDUCED LIFE CYCLE COSTS, ALTHOUGH
SEALING APPROPRIATELY WILL REDUCE
POTENTIALSPALLINGDUE TO FROSTDAMAGE.
CONCRETE BLOCKOF THE NON
DECORATIVEVARIETYGENERALLY
ISPAINTEDORSTUCCOEDIF EXPOSED.
THEAPPEARANCEESPECIALLY WHEN
WELLCRAFTED,CAN IMPART AN IMPRESSION OF
SOLIDITY AND PERMANENCE.
BRICKIS VERY HEATRESISTANT MATERIALAND
THUS WILL PROVIDE GOOD FIREPROTECTION.
BEING MUCH MORE RESISTANT
TOCOLDANDMOISTWEATHERCONDITIONS,
BRICK ENABLEDTHE CONSTRUCTION