Properties of Brick and Block Materials - Term Paper Example

Name: Tutor: Title: Properties of Brick and Block Materials Institution: Date: Introduction Construction normally requires application of various building materials such as sand, clay, wood, bricks and blocks. These building materials are either natural, such as sand, wood and clay or man-made such as bricks and blocks. Bricks and blocks are essential materials for housing and infrastructure development. They are the most commonly used materials for construction. Their properties are admirable and favor many constructions. The properties of bricks and blocks are based on material’s components, how they are mixed, availability of chemical stabilizers, and the process of manufacturing. This context therefore outlines some of the properties of bricks and blocks as building materials. Properties of bricks as building materials For centuries, brick masonry has been a construction material (Reeves, Sims & Cripps, 2006). In general, bricks are excellent materials for construction that provide firm structural strength and appear attractive when they are laid properly. Bricks are the solitary man-made construction materials that bear witness to their application from the early civilization of human (Allen & Iano, 2009). With their various properties like aesthetic appearances, durability, sound insulation, great compressive strength, and high resistance to fire, bricks are broadly used for construction, landscape design, and civil engineering task. Bricks can be categorized into different types. The classification include common bricks, loadbearing bricks, facing bricks, damp proof course, and engineering bricks, which are bricks that are burnt at extremely high temperatures. Bricks are believed to have a compressive strength. They do posses this property because of the materials used to construct them. The compressive strength of an individual brick is a physical property that determines how compressed the substance is, which establishes the effectiveness that a brick can offer to a structure (Hendry & Khalaf, 2001). The compressive strength of a brick is founded on its hollowness or solidness, its support material and the procedure used to heat the raw substances into their ultimate consistency. A structure which is built with bricks that have great compressive strength will be very strong due to great quality of the substances. Another property of brick is the water absorption. Bricks are not waterproof. They take in some amount of water after a while. The extent of the amount of water absorbed by a brick or a structure built of bricks differs depending on the brick’s property (Lyons, 2010). Hollow bricks might take in more water, although they dry more rapidly due to their air exposure. Solid bricks take in less water after a while, although the water might not evaporate easily from the pores of the bricks and this can be a problem when putting grout or mortar since they are mixed with water, which has to fade away before the grout, or mortar can set and the brickwork can dry. Reinforcement is another property of a brick. Not every brick material has reinforcement, although brickwork that has reinforcement is stronger compared to one that does not have (Reeves, Sims & Cripps, 2006). Steel is the chief metal used to reinforce brickwork. Steel wire might be run through the brick so that it holds the brickwork collectively more strongly. Also, steel rods can be driven through bricks to offer a firm core that can withstand more weight. The constructor establishes the specific system of reinforcement, and several times, it is not compulsory. However, the reinforcement can provide durability to the brickwork. Another property that bricks have is porosity. This is a significant characteristic. In distinction to other materials that are moulded, the brick’s porosity is characterized by the fine capillaries. By element of the effect of capillarity, the speed at which moisture is transported in the brick is ten times quicker compared to other materials of building (Bell & Rand, 2006). Moisture is discharged in course of the day and re-absorbed at night. The capability to discharge and re-absorb dampness by the effect of capillarity is one of the most constructive properties of brick that aids to control the temperature and humidity of ambiance in a house. This unique feature makes brick an excellent building material, mainly appropriate for houses build in the tropics. Then again, every porous substance is vulnerable to chemical attacks and prone to contamination from polluted air and rain (Hendry & Khalaf, 2001). Permeability of a building material is an essential feature to consider in value of its performance and application. Brick has a property of fire resistance. Brick is able to handle a significant load even when exposed to heat of 1000 degrees Celsius contrary to concrete wall which only support up to 450 degrees Celsius because of water loss of hydration (Lyons, 2010). Bricks also have sound insulation. Brick wall portrays good insulation feature because of its thick structure. Thermal insulation is another property of bricks. Bricks normally display better thermal insulation feature compared to any other building substance like concrete (Hendry & Khalaf, 2001). Perforation can enhance the thermal insulation feature of bricks to some degree. In addition, the mass and dampness of bricks assist to maintain the temperature within the house fairly constant. Bricks take in and discharge heat gradually and hence maintain the coolness of the house in the course of the day and at night. Aesthetic appeal is another property of the bricks. Bricks have the natural and pleasant colors of clay which is burnt. Its formation of color is attained through a complex physical chemical effect during the process of firing. Contrary to color of marked body, the color of bricks is lasting and cannot fade away during the process of weathering (Hendry & Khalaf, 2001). In addition to the richness in color, various textiles can be made from bricks. It is the mixture of texture and color that gives brick the unique element which is long lasting and meadows with time. In respect of the high expense to maintain the building’s appearance, the distinctive characteristics of bricks become an added advantage to the design of housing. Properties of blocks as building materials Just like bricks, blocks have also been used for many centuries (Hendry & Khalaf, 2001). However, the high and raising cost of essential materials of a block has added to the non-realization of sufficient housing for both remote and urban residents. Blocks comprise of a mixture of sand, water, and cement. The materials’ components, their mixture, availability of chemical mixtures and the process of manufacturing are vital elements that establish the properties of blocks (Hendry & Khalaf, 2001). A number of properties of the blocks are illustrated below. One of the properties is porosity. Availability of chemical mixtures might enhance, reduce or sustain the porosity of the chief substance depending on the collective sizes. When exposed to constant flooding, a block with high porosity could take in much water, and as a result become weakened and fail eventually (Bell & Rand, 2006). The amount of liquid taken in by a porous medium indicates the volume of its pores and it is a good rough evaluation of its porosity. Blocks are believed to have sorptivity property. In using blocks for exterior walls in tropical moist climate, the ability of water resistance of the blocks need to be considered so as to reduce access of rain water or moisture into the inner part of the building. Several times, block work is used in the building of conduits for drainage. Blocks that are used for this kind of purpose need to have low value of sorptivity. Sorptivity is a determinant of the ability of a porous medium to take in liquid by the process of capillarity (Bell & Rand, 2006). Blocks also have thermal properties. Thermal properties of various materials are established to vary with the availability of chemical mixtures. The variation is found to rely on the grain structure of the chemical mixture or the arrangement in the chief material and other minute structural factors which also include the fraction of volume of every component, the design of the particles, and the distribution of the size of the particles (Hendry & Khalaf, 2001). In calculating the thermal action of buildings, it is important to put in mind the dynamic outcomes of this variation. An important property of a block is its strength. The capacity to resist compression is extremely high, although its tensile power which is the capacity to resist stretching, twisting or bending is moderately low (Bell & Rand, 2006). As a result, blocks which need to be a great deal of bending, twisting or stretching need reinforcement with steel. However, blocks that require resisting compression only may not need reinforcement. Durability is also a property of a block. This is the degree to which the substance is competent of resisting weakening brought about by exposure to conditions of service (Lyons, 2010). The components of the block also determine its durability. Cement and water are the active materials. Inactive materials are the coarse and fine aggregates. The active and inactive materials are mixed thoroughly. When water is added to the mixture, a chemical effect takes place. The effect is called hydration, which results to the hardening of the concrete (Bell & Rand, 2006). The process of hardening takes place through cement hydration by water, not because of the drying out of the combination (Allen & Iano, 2009). Therefore, the mixture should be kept wet as possible in the initial hydration procedure. The key factor that regulates the durability of blocks is its strength. The powerful the block, the more long lasting it is. The ratio of water to cement is also crucial (Lyons, 2010). However, the size, grading, and character of the ingredients also play an important role in determining the strength and durability of a block. Durability of a building will be determined by the effective properties of the blocks. Effectiveness of a building material is brought about by the good choice of materials, the mixing procedure of the materials, and the effective process of manufacturing the ultimate mixture (Bell & Rand, 2006). Failure to follow the required procedures may result to undesirable effects of the building like cracking or even falling of buildings. All the above properties are very important for one to consider before choosing the type of building materials. Conclusion The context above has illustrated various properties of a number of building materials, basically bricks and blocks. It is stated that all the properties play a big role in determining the effective performance of specific building materials. Lack of these properties may cause negative effects to the construction work. However, no structural substance is ideal for every situation. Need to choose the paramount material that meets the maximum number of needs for a particular project, in respect of economy, availability, pace of construction, and the requirements of the site are all important. Every material has both advantages and disadvantages of their properties therefore this must be put into consideration. Due to the high cost of living, many people opt to go for cheaper materials used for construction which may however raise environmental concerns like pollution. For instance, bricks which are basically made of clay, involve firing clay. Improper process of firing may cause environmental pollution due to the polluted air arising from the heated clay. Bibliography ALLEN, E., & IANO, J. (2009). Fundamentals of building construction: materials and methods. Hoboken, N.J., Wiley. BELL, V. B., & RAND, P. (2006). Materials for design. New York, Princeton Architectural Press. HENDRY, A. W., & KHALAF, F. M. (2001). Masonry wall construction. London, Spon Press. LYONS, A. (2010). Materials for Architects and Builders. Burlington, Elsevier. http://public.eblib.com/EBLPublic/PublicView.do?ptiID=546631. REEVES, G. M., SIMS, I., & CRIPPS, J. C. (2006). Clay materials used in construction. London, Geological Society of London. Read More