BUILDING MATERIALS

KTU SYLLABUS
BUILDING MATERIALS
BRICKS - PROPERTIES AND SPECIFICATION
CEMENT BLOCKS – PROPERTIES AND SPECIFICATION

Cement
OPC, properties, grades; other types of cement and its uses (in brief).
 1. Brick
 One of the oldest building material.
 Extensive usage because of its strength, durability, reliability and low cost.
Made from soil and hence the properties of bricks depends on properties of soil.
Preparation:-
 Brick earth is first moulded to the desired shape (mostly rectangular) of uniform size and then
moulded bricks are dried and burnt in brick kilns.
Constituents of good brick earth:-
 Mixture of clay and sand ( i.e. alumina and silica) in such proportions so as to render plastic
state when mixed with water.
 Composition of Good Brick Earth
S.No Constituent Percentage Function
•Present in clay;
1. Alumina 20 - 30 •Imparts plasticity to earth so that it can be moulded.
•Excess alumina causes shrinkage and warping during drying and
burning.
•Prevents cracking, shrinking and warping of raw bricks.
2. Silica 50 - 60
•Imparts uniform shape to the bricks.
•Excess silica makes the bricks brittle.
•Prevents shrinking of bricks.
3. Lime <5
• Excess of lime causes the bricks to melt and, hence, to lose its shape.
•Imparts red colour.
4. Oxide of Iron 5-6 • Excess of iron oxide makes the colour dark blue or blackish.
• Less quantity results in yellowish colour.
•Helps to fuse the sand thereby increases the hardness of bricks.
•Imparts yellow colour and decreases shrinkage.
5. Magnesia <2
• Excess magnesia leads to decay of bricks.
 Size and Weight
 Standard size recommended by BIS is 19cm*9cm*9cm
 Size of brick including mortar thickness – 20cm*10cm*10cm (Nominal size of brick)
Test carried out for inspecting the size
 20 bricks of standard size are stacked length wise, along the width and along the height.

Length 368 – 392 cm

 For good quality bricks,
Width 174 – 186 cm

Height 174 – 186 cm

Weight of 1 m³ of brick earth is 18 kN.

 Average wt. of 1 brick will be around 30 – 35 N (3 – 3.5 kg).

Manufacture of bricks
Four process involved in manufacture are
1. Preparation of brick earth
2. Moulding of bricks
3. Drying of bricks
4.Burning of bricks
1. Preparation of brick earth

A) Removal of loose soil

 Top layer of soil about 30 cm contains lot of impurities and organic matters etc are removed

B) Digging spreading and cleaning

Earth is then dug out from the ground and spread in to heap about 50cm to 150 cm height
Entire un desirable matters like stones , vegetable matters etc are removed.
C)Weathering
Earth is then exposed to atmosphere for softening for few weeks
D)Blending and tempering
Clay is then mixed with suitable ingredients and required quantity of water is added to clay and the
whole mass is kneaded under the feet of men or cattle to make brick homogeneous
b) MOULDING
Gives shape to brick is called moulding

A) Hand moulding
 Done with hand
 If done on ground – ground moulding
 If done on table- table moulding

B) Machine moulding
Mass production
Clay placed in machine and come out through the opening under pressure
Cut to bricks by steel wires fixed in to frames – wire cut bricks
 c) Drying of bricks

Done under sunlight in special prepared yards

Stacked in row and dried for a period of 5to 12 days
D) Burning of bricks
i) Clamp burning ii) Kiln burning
 Clamps are temporary structures  Permanat structures
 Rate of buring high
 Bricks are stacked in layers with certain gap into it  Burned to correct size and shape
 Firewood is inserted in these gaps and fired  Initial investment is high
 Burning is continued for 6 to 8 weeks
 Possible only in summer
Properties:-
 should have uniform copper color
Should be uniform in shape and should be of standard size.
 Brick when broken should show a uniform compact and heterogeneous structure free from voids
 Bricks should not absorb water more than 20% for first class bricks and 22% for second class
bricks when soaked in water for 24 hrs.
 Should be hard enough. No impression should be left when scratched.
 Should not break into pieces when dropped from a height of 1 m.
 Brick when soaked in water for 24 hrs, should not show deposits of white salts when allowed to
dry in shade.
Properties:-
 Should have low thermal conductivity and should be sound proof.

 Crushing strength of brick should not be below 3.5 N/mm².

 Should be table moulded, well burnt and free from cracks with sharp and square edges.

 Colour should be uniform and bright.

 Bricks should give a good metallic sound when struck with each other.
USES OF BRICKS
•Construction of walls, foundation of structures
•Used in construction of bridges and dams
•Used In paving and road works
•Firebricks are used for furnaces , chimneys etc
•Used for ornamental works
 Test for Bricks (IS 3495 ( Part 4 ) : 1992 )
The following tests are conducted on bricks to decide its suitability for construction works:-
1. Absorption Test
2. Crushing Strength Test
3. Hardness Test
4. Soundness Test
5. Presence of Soluble Salts
6. Shape and Size
7. Structure
8. Warpage
 Test for Bricks
Absorption Test Crushing Strength Test

 Dry weight of brick is noted and then immersed  Tested on Compression Testing Machine (CTM).
in water for 16 hrs.  Brick immersed in water for 24 hrs. It is then
 Wet weight is then taken. taken out and excess water is wiped off.

 Difference in weight indicates the quantity of  Place the brick on CTM and axial load is applied
water absorbed. at the rate of 14N/mm²/minute till it breaks.

 % water absorption should not exceed 20% of Maximum load at which the brick crushes is
dry weight. noted.
Crushing strength is = load by area of face of brick
Minimum compressive strength is 3.5N/mm² and
for superior quality bricks it is 7 – 14 N/mm².
 Test for Bricks
Hardness Test Presence of Soluble Salts
 A scratch is made on brick surface with finger nail, If present in bricks will cause efflorescence on the
and if no nail impression is left on the surface – surface.
sufficiently hard.
Immerse the brick in water for 24 hrs and then take
Soundness Test it out and dry in shade.
 2 bricks are struck with each other. Presence of gray or white deposit on its surface
indicates the presence of soluble salts.
 Bricks of good quality should not break and will
produce a clear ringing sound.  White or gray deposit on surface – 10%- slight
Structure  About 50% - moderate
 brick is broken and structure is examined. More than 50% - efflorescence is heavy and the brick
cannot be used for construction.
Should be homogeneous, compact and free from voids,
lumps etc.
Classification of Bricks

1. Un-burned or sun burned bricks

used for un important temporarty and
cheap works)
2. Burned bricks
◦ A) first class
◦ B) second class
◦ C) third class
◦ D) fourth class
 First Class Bricks Second Class Bricks Third Class Bricks Fourth Class Bricks

Preparation Machine or table moulded Ground moulded and Ground moulded and Ground moulded and
and burnt in kilns burnt in kilns burnt in clamps. burnt in clamps.
Shape and size Rectangular shape with Rectangular shape with May not have regular Over burnt bricks with
sharp edges and uniform sharp edges but slight size and shape, slightly irregular shape and size
size irregularities in size over or under burnt
Crushing strength Not less than 10.5 N/mm² Not less than 7 N/mm² - -
Water absorption Not greater than 15% Not greater than 22% Not greater than 24% -
Structure and Free from cracks, lumps Free from cracks, but Produce dull sound Dark and brittle, not
Hardness and fractured surface slight flaws and lumps when struck together used in normal
should have uniform colour are permitted. construction works.
and texture

uses superior quality works such Internal walls, should be Unimportant and Over burned, not used
as outer walls, facing plastered temporary works for building
works floors etc construction, used as
aggregate in concrete
and for flooring
END
 2. CEMENT BLOCKS
Used in building construction because of its:
 Light weight
 Easy availability
 Economical as compared to bricks, stones and concrete blocks.
 Manufactured by mixing 60% fine aggregate and 6 to 12mm size coarse aggregate about 40%
 Air pockets inside provides thermal and sound insulation to some extent.
Standard Sizes:-
1. 39cm* 19cm* 30cm
2. 39cm* 19cm* 20cm
3. 39cm* 19cm* 10cm
 Properties of Cement Blocks
1. Appearance – Light gray colour, rough texture and is suitable for most types of plastering.
2. Sound insulation and Acoustic Control – Air voids inside cement blocks provide sound and
thermal insulation.
3. Fire Resistance – Non- combustible, 20cm thick blocks provide fire resistance of 3 hrs.
4. Durability – Resistant to freeze and thaw cycles, decay and sulphate attack.
5. Workability – Not easy to handle as in case of brick, but placing a single block will cover up an
area of about 4 times as that covered by brick.
6. Compressive Strength – 3 N/mm²
7. Thermal Conductivity – 0.11 W/Mk
8. Can be easily recycled.
Applications of Concrete blocks

a)  Steps
b)  To build foundation walls
c)  To build basement walls
d)  To build partition walls
e)  To build exterior walls
f)  For paving applications
g)  It can also be used for the construction of water storage tanks
Advantages of Concrete blocks

a)  Inexpensive
b)  Block walls are thinner and the Blocks are lightweight
c)  Durable
d)  Easy to build with even during monsoon.
e)  Fireproof
f)  Low maintenance
g)  Adequate strength and structural stability
h)  Environmentally Eco friendly  
i)  Reduce cement mortar consumption by 60 %
Bricks may be broadly classified as:
(i) Building bricks
(ii) Paving bricks
(iii) Fire bricks
(iv) Special bricks.
(i) Building Bricks: These bricks are used for the construction of walls.
(ii) Paving Bricks: These are vitrified bricks and are used as pavers.
(iii) Fire Bricks: These bricks are specially made to withstand furnace
temperature. Silica bricks belong to this category.
(iv) Special Bricks: These bricks are different from the commonly used building bricks
with respect to their shape and the purpose for which they are made.
Some of such bricks are listed below:
(a) Specially shaped bricks
(b) Facing bricks
(c) Perforated building bricks
(d) Burnt clay hollow bricks
(e) Sewer bricks
( f ) Acid resistant bricks.
a) Specially Shaped Bricks: Bricks of special shapes are manufactured to meet the requirements of different situations.
Some of them are shown in Fig.

  (b) Facing Bricks: These bricks are used in the outer face of masonry. Once these bricks are provided, plastering is not
required. The standard size of these bricks are 19 × 9× 9 cm
(c) Perforated Building Bricks: These bricks are manufactured with area of perforation of 30 to 45 per
cent. The area of each perforation should not exceed 500 mm2. The perforation should be uniformly
distributed over the surface. They are manufactured in the size 190 × 190 × 90 mm and 290 × 90 × 90
mm.
(d) Burn’t Clay Hollow Bricks: They are light in weight. They are used for the construction of partition
walls. They provide good thermal insulation to buildings. They are manufactured in the sizes 190 ×
190 × 90 mm, 290 × 90 × 90 mm and 290 × 140 × 90 mm. The thickness of any shell should not be
less than 11 mm and that of any web not less than 8 mm.  
(e) Sewer Bricks: These bricks are used for the construction of sewage lines. They are manufactured
from surface clay, fire clay shale or with the combination of these. They are manufactured in the sizes
190 × 90 × 90 mm and 190 × 90 × 40 mm. The average strength of these bricks should be a minimum
of 17.5 N/mm2 . The water absorption should not be more than 10 per cent.
( f ) Acid Resistant Bricks: These bricks are used for floorings likely to be subjected to acid attacks,
lining of chambers in chemical plants, lining of sewers carrying industrial wastes etc. These bricks are
made of clay or shale of suitable composition with low lime and iron content, flint or sand and
vitrified at high temperature in a ceramic kiln.
 CEMENT
 Most inevitable material for construction purposes.
 Has got good adhesive and cohesive properties.
 Obtained by burning (at high temperatures) and crushing argillaceous and calcareous
( lime and clay).

 Most common type is the Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) – Calcareous and Argillaceous
material in the ratio 4:1.
 Major component in Calcareous material - CaCO₃ ( Ex. Chalk, marine shell, cement rock etc.)

 Major component in Argillaceous material - Clay (Ex. Blast furnace slag, slate etc.)
 Composition of OPC
S.No Ingredient Range in % Properties
1. Lime (CaO) 62 – 67 Most important constituent.
Excess lime makes the cement unsound and cause it to expand and
disintegrate.
Deficiency of lime decreases the strength and quick setting
2. Silica (SiO₂) 17 – 25 Impart strength with the formation of C₃S and C₂S.
Excess silica increases the strength but it also increases the setting time too.
3. Alumina (Al₂O₃) 3–8 Impart quick setting property to the cement.
Excess alumina weakens the cement
4. Calcium Sulphate (CaSO₄) 3–4 In the form of gypsum. Used to increase the initial setting time.
5. Iron Oxide (Fe₂O₃) 3–4 Imparts colour, hardness and strength to cement.
6. Magnesia (MgO) 0–3 Imparts colour and hardness, excess MgO makes it unsound.
7. Sulphur (S) 1–3 Small amount of S is useful in making the cement sound, Excess- unsound
8. Alkalies 0–1 Excess alkalies causes efflorescence and staining.
 Setting Action of Cement
 Setting of cement is the process of hardening of cement paste into a hard solid mass.
 When water is added to cement it forms a thick paste. Gradually as time passes, it transforms into a non-
plastic rigid mass.
 The strength of cement paste goes on increasing with time – 70% of final strength attained in 28 days and
90% of its final strength in one year.

Tri-calcium aluminate (C₃A) 4 – 14% Formed within 24 hrs

Tri-calcium alumina ferrite (C₄AF) 10 – 18% Formed within 24 hrs

Tri-calcium silicate (C₃S) 45 – 65% Formed within a week

Di-calcium silicate (C₂S) 15 – 35% Formed very slowly

 Properties of Cement
1. Physical properties
2. Chemical properties
Colour
Chemical analysis is done to ensure that the impurities in cement are within
prescribed limits. Fineness
Property Ratio
Ratio of % of alumina to that of iron oxide Not less than 0.66 Setting Time
Ratio of % of lime to that of alumina, iron Not less than 0.66 and not Soundness of
oxide and silica greater than 1.02
Cement
Total loss on ignition Not greater than 4 %
Total sulphur content Not greater than 2.75%
Weight of insoluble residue Not greater than 1.5%
Weight of Magnesia Not to exceed 5%
 Physical Properties of Cement
1. Colour 3. Fineness
 Uniform colour  Measure of mean size of grains in cement.
 Typical cement colour is grey with a light
 Measured by sieve test.
greenish shade
 Free from lumps and should be cool when felt with  When sieved through 90 micron sieve, the
hand. quantity of residue left after sieving should
not exceed 10% ( as per IS 269-1976).
2. Setting Time
•
 Fineness also measured by permeability test
Initial setting time is the time at which the
cement past starts losing its plasticity should – for that the specific surface area should not
not be less than 30 minutes be less than 2250cm²/gm.
• Final setting time is the time at which the
cement paste completely loses its plasticity and
attains the shape of mould should not be more
than 600 minutes.
 Physical Properties of Cement
4. Soundness of Cement:-
 It is the capacity of cement to form a hard and strong mass on setting.
 Determined by the Le Chatelier Apparatus.

 Cement paste after setting should not undergo large change in its volume as this
may lead to disintegration and cracking.
 For OPC, the expansion measured with this apparatus should be less than 10mm
 Grades of Cement
 Grade is the 28 days strength when tested as per Indian Standards under standard

conditions.

 OPC is classified into 3 Grades – 33, 43 and 53 grades denoted as C33, C43 and C53.

 Cement is graded according to its compressive strength.

 If the cement is a 33-grade cement, then it has a compressive strength equivalent

to 33 MPa (33 N/mm²).
 Grades of Cement
SI.No Grade of Cement Specifications
 Compressive strength after 28 days is 33 N/mm²
1.
33 Grade Cement  Used for general construction works in normal environmental conditions.
(IS: 269 – 1989 )  Cannot be used where higher grades of concrete are used (above M – 20)
 Not widely used.
 Minimum 28 days compressive strength – 43 N/mm²
43 Grade Cement  Most widely used cement for general construction works such as construction of
2. residential, commercial and industrial buildings, roads, bridges, flyovers, irrigation
(IS: 8112 – 1989 ) projects etc.
 Suitable for all applications – RCC, Plastering, Masonry etc.
 Minimum 28 days compressive strength – 53 N/mm²
 Used for construction of high rise buildings, bridges, chimneys and pre-stressed
53 Grade Cement structures where high grade concrete is used.
3.
(IS: 12269 – 1987 )  When used for higher grades of concrete ( M30 and above), this saves around 10-
15% in cement consumption and 5-8% saving in steel consumption.
 53 S – special grade cement used for construction of sleepers.
Types of Cement Purpose
Composition
Attains high strength in early days it is used in concrete where
Rapid Hardening Cement Increased Lime content
form work are removed at an early stage.
Small percentage of aluminium sulphate as an accelerator and
Quick setting cement reducing percentage of Gypsum with fine grinding
Used in works is to be completed in very short period and
concreting in static and running water

Low Heat Cement Manufactured by reducing tricalcium aluminate It is used in massive concrete construction like gravity dams
It is used in construction exposed to severe sulphate action by
It is prepared by maintaining the percentage of tricalcium
Sulphates resisting Cement aluminate below 6% which increases power against sulphates
water and soil in places like canals linings, culverts, retaining
walls, siphons etc.,
It is obtained by grinding the clinkers with about 60% slag and
Blast Furnace Slag Cement resembles more or less in properties of Portland cement
It can used for works economic considerations is predominant.
It is obtained by melting mixture of bauxite and lime and
grinding with the clinker it is rapid hardening cement with It is used in works where concrete is subjected to high
High Alumina Cement initial and final setting time of about 3.5 and 5 hours temperatures, frost, and acidic action.
respectively
It is more costly and is used for architectural purposes such as
White Cement It is prepared from raw materials free from Iron oxide.
precast curtain wall and facing panels, terrazzo surface etc.,
It is produced by mixing mineral pigments with ordinary
Coloured cement cement.
They are widely used for decorative works in floors
It is used in marine structures, sewage works, sewage works
It is prepared by grinding pozzolanic clinker with Portland
Pozzolanic Cement cement
and for laying concrete under water such as bridges, piers,
dams etc.,
It is produced by adding indigenous air entraining agents such This type of cement is specially suited to improve the
Air Entraining Cement as resins, glues, sodium salts of Sulphates etc during the workability with smaller water cement ratio and to improve
grinding of clinker. frost resistance of concrete.
This cement has high workability and strength
Hydrophobic cement It is prepared by mixing water repelling chemicals