Masonry Construction
Test on Bricks

Brick is commonly subjected to the following tests to see for the construction work,

Types of Test on bricks

1. Absorption
2. Crushing strength
3. Hardness
4. Presence of soluble salts
5. Shape and size
6. Soundness
7. Structure

Absorption

• Some brick is taken also it is weighed dry. It is then immersed in water for 16 hours. That is weighed again and the variation in weight indicates some amount of water absorbed through the brick. It should not exceed 20 per-cent of the weight of a dry brick.

Compressive/Crushing strength of Bricks

• Every crushing strength about brick is found excuse by placing it in a compression testing machine. That is pressed till this breaks. 

Hardness test on bricks

• In this test, a scratch is made on a brick surface with the help of a fingernail. If a negative impression is left on the outside the brick remains sufficiently hard.

Presence of soluble salts

• The soluble salts, cause efflorescence on the surface of bricks.
• For finding out the presence of soluble salts in brick, it is immersed in water for 24 hours. This is then taken out also allowed to dry into the shade.
• The Presence of white deposits indicates the presence of soluble salts.

Shape and size

• In this test, a brick is closely inspected. That should be of standard size including its shape should be truly rectangular by sharp edges.
• For this purpose, 20 bricks of standard size 19cm x 9cm x 9cm are selected at random and they are stacked lengthwise along the width and along with the height.
• During good quality of bricks, those results should be inside the following permissible limits

1. Length - 3680 mm to 3920 mm
2. Width - 1740 mm to 1860 mm
3. Height - 1740 mm to 1860 mm

Soundness test on brick

• In this test, the two bricks are taken and they are stuck with each other. Some bricks should no break and a definite ringing sound should be produced.

Structure of a brick

• Each brick is broken including its structure is examined. It should be homogeneous, compact and free from any defects such as holes, lumps, etc.