Bricks in the construction site are the oldest and man-made product in building construction which mainly made by using clay so we have to perform some important tests on bricks to know the quality of bricks and sufficient for construction or not so in this article we learn about those tests in detail
According to use, different types of bricks are carried out for masonry work like mud bricks, refractory bricks, silica bricks, cement, fire etc so a test on brick is required because it’s man-made and also various types of material used in different types. Now basic question triggers in mind how many types of brick tests, Right?
Types of Tests on Brick
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List of Types of Tests Required for Brick
For the best suitability types of bricks for construction work, we have to perform the following List of Types of Tests Required for bricks
- Brick Water Absorption Test
- Brick Compressive Strength Test (Crushing Strength Test)
- Brick Efflorescence Test
- Brick Dimensions Tolerance Test
- Hardness Test
- Size, Shape and Colour Test
- Warpage Test
- Soundness Test
- Structure Test
- Impact Test
How many bricks are needed for the brick test?
For testing bricks are taken randomly about 20, 32 & 50 no’s from a stack of (2k-10k), (10k-35k), and (35k-50k) bricks respectively where k = one thousand
It lot contains lass then or equal to 2000 bricks, the no of sampling shall be subjected to agreement between the purchaser & supplier
Brick Water Absorption Test
Tests on bricks as per IS code (brick water absorption test is code) is 1077-1992 is available for guidance for the water absorption test of bricks procedure
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Objective Brick Water Absorption Test
This test is performed to know the water absorption of brick
A water absorption test is a laboratory test of bricks
Absorption of first-class bricks should not exceed 20% of the weight of dry brick
Apparatus Required for Water absorption test
- Bricks
- Ventilated Oven
- Weighing balance
- Water
Steps Procedure for water absorption test
- Take 5 nos of bricks randomly
- Make it dry in a ventilated oven at 110°C +- 5°C temperature for a period of 48 hours or more
- Note down the weight of bricks separately after cooling
- Afternote down weight immersed brick into the water at the normal room temperature for the period of 24 hours
- Then take out brick after 24 hours make it dry and Quickly note down weight one by one within 3 minit
- Not calculate absorption value by the simple formula
- The water absorption in % = (weight of water absorbed/weight of brick before the test)*100
-
Absorption % = (W2-W1/W1) * 100
- Where W1 is dry weight, W2 is the weight after immersion of brick for 24 hours
- Now carried out the average value of Absorption % all 5 brick. We take the average value for security/safety
Water Absorption Test |
Brick Compressive Strength Test
Objective for Compressive Strength Test of Brick
A comprehensive strength test of brick is performed to know the compressive strength of brick
IS code follows to perform Compressive Strength Test is 1077-1992 is available for guidance for Compressive strength of brick test IS code
Its also known as the “crushing test” of brick
Compressive strength test of brick is a laboratory test of bricks
The Minimum required crushing strength of bricks should be near 105kg/cm2
Apparatus Required for Compressive strength (Co)
- Bricks
- Compressive testing machine
- Cement, sand and water for mortar
Step in Compressive Strength of brick test procedure
- Take 5 nos of bricks randomly
- Put it into the water for 24 hours at normal room temperature
- Take it out from the water after 24 hours and remove the water contents naturally after that clean the brick surface water
- After drying fill out brick frogs by using a standard mortar ratio of 1:1 (1 part cement and 1 part sand)
- Leave it for 24 hours in under moisture environment by using gunny or damp sanks to the setting of mortar
- Now time for curing brick for 7 days so that mortar gain their strength and became harden
- Take out a brick from the water after 7 days and allow the water to drain and make it dry after dry time for a compressive strength test
- Place the brick between the plate of the compressive testing machine flatwise keep in mind that the frog of brick facing upward
- The applied load axially at a uniform rate of 14 N/mm2/minit is still a failure of brick
- Note the Load (P) at which brick break or fail
- Compressive/Crushing strength (Co) = [Maximun load at failure(p)/Area of the bed face of brick(A)]
- Test all 5 bricks and carried out arithmetic mean value of compressive strength
- Classification of bricks carried out with the help of Co (compressive strength)
Classification of bricks according to compressive strength
Class of Bricks |
Compressive strength |
First-class brick |
105 kg/cm2 |
Second class brick |
70 kg/cm2 |
Third class brick or common brick |
35 kg/cm2 |
Fourth class brick or sun-dried brick |
15 to 25 kg/cm2 |
Efflorescence Test for Brick
What is efflorescence in brick? This question irritates you Right? but now no more because you read Civil Experience article where we provide each and every detail so, after this, you don’t have to go any other site to find an answer related to Brick Test.
Objective of Efflorescence Test for Brick
An efflorescence test of the brick procedure is performed to know the presence of any alkaline matter in the brick
Efflorescence test of brick IS code: 1077-1970 is available for guidance for the efflorescence of bricks test
The compressive strength test is a laboratory test on bricks or a field test on bricks
Steps Procedure for Efflorescence test
- Take 5 nos of bricks randomly
- Bricks are kept in a 150mm dish, containing 25mm depth of distilled water till the entire water is absorbed or evaporated or 24 hours
- The water was again filled by 25 mm if more water evaporated
- Keep the dishes used for the test at a warm room temperature of 18°C to 30°C which allows proper ventilation
- Take out and allowed it to dry at the end check the brick for efflorescence which is identified by seeing white particles of solt on the surface of the bricks
Classification of bricks according to the percentage of effloresce area
Classification |
% of Efflorescence |
Nil |
No visual deposit |
Slight |
< 10% |
Moderate |
10-50% |
Heavy |
>50% |
Serious |
Heavy & powdered |
Check your specification for allowable efflorescence like in heavy brickwork, it must require nil efflorescence and also for first-class bricks
Brick Dimension Tolerance Test
Objective of Brick Dimension Tolerance Test
A dimensional tolerance test of bricks is performed to know whether the bricks have the required dimension or not
IS code: 1077-1970/1992 is available for guidance for dimension test of clay bricks in such a way so that
Steps Procedure for dimension test of brick
- Take 20 nos of bricks randomly
- Make brick clean by removing loose particles of clay materials and projecting cysts etc from the surface of the brick
- Place the brick on the level smooth surface in series so that surfaces of the bricks are connected with each other
- Bricks arrangement done in line with a dimension which is checked
Hardness Test
How to hardness test proform to check the quality of brick? read below part of
Steps Procedure for how is the hardness of brick tested
- Take 20 nos of bricks randomly
- In this test, an attempt is made on the surface of the bricks to make a with the help of a fingernail or any sharp tool
- Then observed the brick closely
- If you have not found any sign of impression on the brick surface means the brick is hard enough
Size, Shape and Colour Test
Shape and Size Test
Shape and size test of brick perform on anywhere on a field test of brick or laboratory test of bricks
- Take 20 nos of bricks randomly
- Stacked bricks lengthwise along with the height and width
- For best bricks results must be within the following permissible limits
Length |
3680 mm to 3920 mm |
Width |
1740 mm to 1860 mm |
Height |
1740 mm to 1860 mm |
Colour Test
Warpage test
Soundness Test
Steps Procedure for Soundness test
- Take two random bricks
- Then struck them with each other
- If brick produce well metallic sound then tested brick quality is good
Structure Test
Steps Procedure for Structure test
- Eliminated broken brick and then inspect other bricks
- Its structure should be homogeneous materials well compacted
- Then check it is free from any imperfections or not like lumps or holes etc
Impact Test
Steps Procedure for impact test
- Take the bricks
- Drop if freely from a 1-meter height on a hard surface
- Inspect the dropped brick for any damage that has occurred or not
- If the bricks broke or crack it means that the brick’s impact value is lower so reject those brick
FAQ 1: List of Types of Tests Required for Brick
1. Brick Water Absorption Test,2. Brick Compressive Strength Test (Crushing Strength Test),3. Brick Efflorescence Test,4. Brick Dimensions Tolerance Test,5. Hardness Test,6. Size, Shape and Colour Test,7. Warpage Test,8. Soundness Test,9. Structure Test,10. Impact Test.
FAQ 2: Brick Water Absorption Test
Objective Brick Water Absorption TestThis test is performed to know the water absorption of breakwater absorption test is a laboratory test of brisk absorption of first-class bricks should not exceed 20% of the weight of dry brick
FAQ 3: Brick Compressive Strength Test
A comprehensive strength test of brick is performed to know the compressive strength of brick IS code follows to perform Compressive Strength Test is 1077-1992 is available for guidance for Compressive strength of brick test IS code Its also known as the “crushing test” of brick Compressive strength test of brick is a laboratory test of bricksThe Minimum required crushing strength of bricks should be near 105kg/cm2Apparatus Required for Compressive strength (Co)- Bricks,- Compressive testing machine,- Cement, sand and water for mortar.
FAQ 4: Efflorescence Test for Brick
What is efflorescence in brick? This question irritates you Right? but now no more because you read Civil Experience article where we provide each and every detail so, after this, you don’t have to go any other site to find an answer related to Brick Test. The objective of the Efflorescence Test for BrickEfflorescence test of the brick procedure is performed to know the presence of any alkaline matter in the brickEfflorescence test of brick IS code: 1077-1970 is available for guidance for the efflorescence of bricks test The compressive strength test is a laboratory test on bricks or a field tests on bricks
FAQ 5: How to hardness test proform to check the quality of brick?
Steps Procedure for how is the hardness of brick tested…1. Take 20 nos of bricks randomly2. In this test, an attempt is made on the surface of the bricks to make a with the help of a fingernail or any sharp tool3. Then observed the brick closely4. If you have not found any sign of impression on the brick surface means brick is hard enough