Bricks: Definition, Types, Usage and Advantages

Definition

Brick is a rectangular block of clay, baked by the sun or in a kiln used as a building or paving material.
The bricks are obtained by moulding clay in rectangular blocks of uniform size and then by drying and burning this blocks.
Bricks are so commonly used because of its durability, strength, reliability, low cost, easy availability, etc.

MANUFACTURE

Manufacture - 4 stages
Material preparation
Manufacturing
drying
Firing
Preparation: material (clay) washed and grinding (fineness)
Sample of grinding machine for clay
Sample of crushing machine

Brick

Manufacturing : Clay will grinded with 15% of water. The clay will be pushed through the mould base on the shape. After that, Clay will cut to get a standard size of brick using wire.
Sometimes, bricks will produced using big mould that clay will be press that using hydraulic machine (This method, clay will grind 10% of water) or without hydraulic press (with 30% of water)
After bricks in form, identification or perforation to the bricks.
Drying : Wet unit bricks will be drying in space or room with control temperature to make sure the bricks in complete dry.
Brick was compile before bring to the kiln
Firing : Dry bricks, was compile in kiln to firing process with 600oC (temperature). This is for burn the carbon and sulfur that have remain.After that, temperature will increase to 900oC to get a vetrification process.
Normally, vitrification process occurred around 800oC.
Bricks become hard/strong after vitrification process.

CLASSIFICATION OF BRICKS

First class bricks:

Table moulded
Standard Shape
Burnt in kilns
Comply with all qualities of good bricks
Used for superior work of permanent nature.

Second Class Bricks:

Ground moulded
Same properties as first class but irregular in shape.
Used where brickwork is to be provided with a coat of plaster

THIRD CLASS BRICKS:

Ground moulded
Burnt in clamps
Not hard ,rough surface and distorted edges
Dull sound when struck together
Used for temporary structures and at places where rainfall is not heavy

FOURTH CLASS BRICKS:

Overburnt ,irregular shape , dark colour
Used as aggregate for concrete in foundations,floors etc.

CLASSIFICATION OF BRICKS

Sand Lime Bricks
Sand lime bricks are made by mixing sand, fly ash and lime followed by a chemical process during wet mixing. The mix is then moulded under pressure forming the brick. These bricks can offer advantages over clay bricks such as:
Their color appearance is grey instead of the regular reddish color.
Their shape is uniform and presents a smoother finish that doesn’t require plastering.
These bricks offer excellent strength as a load-bearing member.

Engineering Bricks

Engineering bricks are bricks manufactured at extremely high temperatures, forming a dense and strong brick, allowing the brick to limit strength and water absorption.
Engineering bricks offer excellent load bearing capacity damp-proof characteristics and chemical resisting properties.

Concrete Bricks

Concrete bricks are made from solid concrete. Concrete bricks are usually placed in facades, fences, and provide an excellent aesthetic presence. These bricks can be manufactured to provide different colors as pigmented during its production.
Concrete blocks are made from cast concrete, e.g. Portland cement and aggregate, usually sand and fine gravel for high-density blocks. Lower density blocks may use industrial wastes as an aggregate. Lightweight blocks can also be produced using aerated concrete
When they're assembled and built correctly, concrete blocks are ideal for foundations and basement walls because they're stronger than poured concrete.

Advantages

 Partition walls in any home can be put up quickly using concrete blocks, and their cores or voids can be filled with steel reinforcing rods and concrete for additional strength.
Concrete block is unaffected by termites or extreme temperatures and is virtually soundproof, depending on construction quality.
 Concrete blocks also provide insulation against cold and heat and may reduce a home's energy usage.
Fly ash brick (FAB) is a building material, specifically masonry units, containing class C fly ash and water. Compressed at 28 MPa(272 atm) and cured for 24 hours in a 66 °C steam bath, then toughened with an air entrainment agent, the bricks last for more than100 freeze-thaw cycles. Owing to the high concentration of calcium oxide in class C fly ash, the brick is described as "self-cementing". The manufacturing method saves energy, reduces mercury pollution, and costs 20% less than traditional clay brick manufacturing.

Fly Ash Clay Bricks

High Fire Insulation
Due to high strength, practically no breakage during transport and use.
Due to uniform size of bricks mortar required for joints and plaster reduces almost by 50%.
Due to lower water penetration seepage of water through bricks is considerably reduced.
Gypsum plaster can be directly applied on these bricks without a backing coat of lime plaster.
These bricks do not require soaking in water for 24 hours. Sprinkling of water before use is enough.
Advantage

AAC Block

 Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC), also known as autoclaved cellular concrete (ACC), autoclaved lightweight concrete (ALC), is a lightweight, precast, Foam concrete building material invented in the mid-1920s that simultaneously provides structure, insulation, and fire- and mold-resistance. AAC products include blocks, wall panels, floor and roof panels, cladding (facade) panels and lintels.