Bricks and blocks

Introduction

Masonry is the building structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar. The materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone, cast stone, concrete block, glass block, stucco and tile. The materials used the quality and the workmanship, and the pattern in which the units are assembled can significantly affect the durability of all the contraction site.

The great majority of masonry work is produced from performed units. The performed units are brick and block. There is a lot of advantages of using Brick and Block

·                                                                                      Brick are smaller in size, this will make the worker more easy to handing and can provided a better appearance.

·                                                                                      Brick typically will not require painting and so can provide a structure with reduced life cycle costs.

·                                                                                      Block was bigger in size compare to brick, but it gives a better strength finish, density and thermal properties.

·                                                                                      Both of them are resistant to thermal, sound, fire resistant, projectiles such as debris from hurricanes or tornadoes.

·                                                                                      Appearance of brick and block are not very important. People more of that are relied on the quality.

·                                                                                      Masonry structures built in compression preferably with mortar can have a useful life of more than 500 years as compared to 30 – 100 for structures of steel or reinforced concrete.

·                                                              Example: Pyramid was once of the Masonry structure with mud brick. It was from 500 BC until now.

Brick

Brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually lied using various kind of mortar. Brick was regarded as the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.

·                                                              Panorama of Malbork Castle is the biggest brick castle in the world.

Type of facing brick

Smooth face brick

Having a strong clean line, sharp edges and amazing colour consistency.

The look is refined with in almost ceramic look to complement other materials such as timber and glass.

Rock face brick

Usually ised for industrial factories and commercial buildings. The carious colour and can also be used for boundary walls and housing.

Sandblast brick

Cobble brick

Ledge brick

Unique shape and appearance.

Can be use in interior design 

Castle brick

Mostly use for decoration for the wall.

Among all of the bricks, there have no two bricks are the same, in terms of the texture or colour. This is one of the most appealing features of bricks that gives a house with a natural pleasant outlook and enduring beauty. Choice of a single and uniform colour will make the house look monotonous and dull. There are a lot of brick bond laying patterns in Malaysia which are to make the appearance become more attractive and beauty.

Mortar Joint

The effect of mortar joint on the appearance of brickwork has been neglected. Although mortar joint appear on brickwork as a very narrow lines, but they actually take up a large proportion (about 15-25%) of the total surface of wall, it is depend on the wall surface. A dark mortar tends to make the bricks look darker and richer in color whereas a lighter mortar tends to make bricks to appear in lighter tone. Mortar joint should be finished consistently shaped to enhance the characteristic appearance of brickwork. There are 4 of the most commend joint which are flushed joint, rolled joint, weather struck joint and raked joint.

Block

Blocks are larger than bricks. It usually requires two hands to lift. Blocks are intended to be plastered or rendered. However, many particularly concrete blocks are sufficiently regular in shape and size which have good appearance. Therefore, it can be walling without plaster.

There are several types of block which are

1.    Clay block

2.    Concrete block

Clay block are generally extruded hallow units. After firing, ordinary clay are dense and brittle which presents problems in cutting and fixing. Other than that, block are made from the diatomaceous earth are less dense, can be easily cut and accept nails well.

This is an porotherm style clay block

Concrete Block

Concrete Blocks are required to offering load bearing strength, fire resistance, sound and thermal insulation durability property.

Light weight block 

Besides concrete block, lightweight block is also a widely used block. Lightweight block may be less than one third of the weight of the dense block and can be laid more quickly than bricks. It had been use wisely for the inner leaves of cavity walls, internal walls and non-load bearing partitions. Lightweight block are provided thermal insulation because there are an air in the aggregate, aerated mortars and in voids in block. The void will be filling with the polyurethane foam, this will improve the thermal insulation. Lightweight block can be cut with hand tool and hold nail and screws without plugs.

There are other 2 types of concrete blocks, which are

·         Concrete interlocking blocks

Ø  This mostly use to create environmental walls

·         Concrete paving blocks

Ø  This wisely use for town pedestrian precincts and house driveways.

Process of manufacture

-     Dense concrete block are manufacture from nature dense aggregates       including crushed granite, limestone and gravel.

-       Lightweight concrete blocks are manufactured incorporating a wide range of aggregate including expanded clay, expanded blast furnace slag, sintered ash and pumice

ü  Firstly, concrete are cast into a mould, vibrated and cured

ü  Secondly, the hydrogen gas generated by the dissolution of the metal powder produces a non interconnecting cellular structure.

ü  Thirdly, the process is accelerated by pressure steam curing in an autoclave