Construction Technology, Services and Materials - Assignment Example

Extrusion rates of twenty thousand bricks per hour are what modern brick manufacturers work with. Solid bricks used are of the size 215mm x 102.5mm x 65 mm and weighs 3 kg. But this varies from one region to the other. Harvesting of clay is by bulldozers, scrapers or mechanical shovels. Stockpiles are put to enable the blending of the various types of clay. The clay piles are fed to the primary crushers to reduce the size particle to 3mm or less (Kaushik, Rai & Jain, 2007). Conveyors carry the clay for secondary crushing in the pan mill whose base is perforated the crushed material to pass through (Lingling et al 2005).

Clay particles fall between high-speed rollers for grinding. Wet clay is moulded into bricks. For this study the standard size of the manufactured brick is 215mm x 102.5mm x 65mm with a mass 3kg. This is according to the BS EN772 and the BS PAS 70 standard methods of testing. These methods ensure to control the weight, height and quality of the bricks which gives the overall strength. Bricks’ compressive strength varies according to the different qualities of clay material used and the firing method.

Bricks made from white clay tend to be lighter and economical when firing. White bricks are fired at a temperature of about 12000C. Black or brown bricks are heavier and require a temperature of between 1500 to 20000C. Fired bricks are tested for strength before allowed on construction site. Compressive strengths of bricks range between 3.5MPa to over 50MPa (Demir 2008). The durability of the bricks cannot be fully determined by compressive strength. If this is done a false picture of may be painted leading to disaster.

Clay products used in construction of structures to support heavy loads need thorough testing. One of the best method in the laboratory test of the bricks is to look at close tolerances and strength (Lingling et al