Brick Masonry

Context
NO Index Pages
1 Definitions 1
2 Types of Bricks 2
3 General Principals 3
4 Bonds in Bricks 4
5 Other Types of Bonds 7
6 Junctions in Walls 11
7 Bonds in Pires 12
8 Retaining wall 14
9 Design of Retaining wall 15
10 Strength of Brick Masonry 16
11 Defects in Brick Masonry 17
12 Reinforced Brickwork 18

Definitions
Construction of a brick units banded together with mortar
is termed as brick masonry. The strength of the brick-work
primarily depends on:
• Quality and Strength of brick
• Types of Mortar
• Method of Bonding
Brick wall strength also depend on:
• Slenderness Ratio
• Lateral Pressure due to wind
• Degree of soundness in construction.
1

Types of Bricks
“A brick is an artificial kind of stone made of clay, whose chief characteristics are a plasticity when
wet and stone like hardness after being heated to a high temperature.”
Bricks can be divided into two types:
• Traditional Bricks: Length 21-25 cm, Wide 10-13 cm and Hight 7.5 cm (23 x 11.4 x 7.6 cm)
• Modular Bricks: (20 x 10 x 10 cm) or (19 x 9 x 9 cm)
Masonry with modular bricks works out to be cheaper since there is saving in the consumption of
bricks, mortar and labor as compared with masonry with traditional bricks.
2
Traditional Bricks Modular Bricks
In Bangladesh, according to P.W.D.
specification, each brick should measure
9 ¼” x 4 ½” x 2 ¾”

Types of Bricks
2
Classification of brick
(Based On Quality)
First Class Brick
• Thoroughly burnt and are of
deep red, cherry or copper
colour.
• Smooth and rectangular, with
parallel, sharp and straight
edges and square corners.
• free from flaws, cracks and
stones.
• Uniform texture.
• A metallic or ringing sound
should come when two bricks
are struck against each other.
Second Class Brick
• Small cracks and distortions
are permitted.
• A little higher water
absorption of about 16-20%
of its dry weight is allowed.
• The crushing strength should
not be less than 7.0 N/mm2.
Third Class Brick
• Third Class Bricks are under
burnt. They are soft and light-
coloured producing a dull
sound when struck against
each other. Water absorption
is about 25 per cent of dry
weight. Uses : It is used for
building temporary structures.

Types of Bricks
2
Size
of
Bricks

General Principals To Be Observed In Brick Masonry Construction
Brick masonry is classified as first class or second class according to the type of bricks used (whether first class or
second class) and according to the method of laying. The strength of masonry work, however, depends very much
upon the type of material used, nature and workmanship and supervision.
General principles which should be observed for a sound brick masonry construction are given below:
• The bricks should be sound, hard, burnt well with uniform colour, shape, and size.
• Immersed in fresh water at least for 2 hours before using in masonry.
• Do not use broken bricks unless they are essential for making good bonds.
• laid on their proper bond. The frog of the bricks should be kept upward.
• Brick bats should be avoided.
• The thickness of the joints should not exceed 13 mm.
• Always truly vertical and verticality should be checked continuously using a plumb bob.
• Brickwork should be raised uniformly. Any part of the masonry should not be raised more than 90 cm to the rest
of the masonry work.
• The work should be raked back in successive courses if it is to be constructed later.
3
Uniform

Bonds in Bricks
On account of their uniform size and shape, the bricks can be arranged in a variety of patterns giving rise
to different types of bonds. The most used types of bonds in brick masonry are:
o ENGLISH BOND.
o FLEMISH BOND.
4

ENGLISH BOND:
An English bond can be constructed for almost all wall thicknesses. This bond is the strongest among all other
bonds. This bond consists of alternate courses of headers and stretchers
5
• Headers and stretchers are laid in alternate courses.
• Strongest of the types of bonds.
• Provides rough appearance.
• Absence of vertical joints in the structure.
• Special attention is not required for this bond.
• Progress of work is more.
• Costly, no brick bats are used.
• Skilled labour is not required for its construction.
• Less mortar is used.

FLEMISH BOND:
• Headers and stretchers are laid alternately in each course.
• Comparatively less strong for walls more than 30cm thick.
• Provide good appearance.
• Partly continuous vertical joints appear in the structure.
• Special attention is required for this bond.
• Progress of work is less.
• Economical, as brick bats are used.
• Skilled labour required for its construction.
• More mortar is used due to use of bats.
6
Flemish bond, also called Dutch Bond, in masonry, method of bonding bricks or stones in courses.

FLEMISH BOND:
6
Flemish bond is further divided into two different types
namely:
• Single Flemish bond: This bond is a combination of English
bond and Flemish bond. In this work the facing of the wall
consists of Flemish bond and the backing consists of English
bond in each course.
• Double Flemish bond: In Double Flemish Bond, each course
presents the same appearance both in the front and back
elevations. Every course consists of headers and stretchers
laid alternately.

Other Types of Bonds
The bonds described below are not very common in use. Their use is restricted to special types of
Construction:
 Header Bond
 Garden Wall Bond
 Facing Bond
 Raking Bond
 Dutch Bond
 Stretcher Bond
 Zig-Zag Bond
Header Bond:
Header is the shorter square face of the brick
which measures 9 cm x 9 cm. Header bond is also
known as heading bond. In header bonds, all
bricks in each course are placed as headers on the
faces of the walls.
7

Garden Wall Bond:
Garden walls bonds are of three types:
• Garden Wall English Bond: The arrangement of bricks in the English Garden Wall is like that of the
English bond except that the heading courses are only inserted at every (4th or 6th ) course
• Garden Wall Flemish Bond: The Flemish bond has Stretcher, Header & Stretcher Model. It is also
known as Sussex Bond. In this type of bond instead of having 1 stretcher & 1 header, here we have 3
in 1, 3 numbers of stretchers, and 1 header in the same course.
8

Facing Bond:
Facing bond in brick masonry are mostly adopted for thick walls,
where the facing and backing are chosen to be constructed with
bricks of different thicknesses.
Ranking Bond:
In this bond type, the bonding bricks are laid at any angle except
zero or ninety degrees. This type of arrangement helps to increase
the longitudinal stability of thick walls’ built-in English bonds. In
this pattern of bonding, the space between the all-external
stretchers of a wall is filled using bricks inclined to the face of the
wall. Raking bond is introduced at certain intervals along with the
height of any wall.
There are two common patterns of raking bond:
• Herring hone bond
• Diagonal bond 9

Dutch Bond:
It is a modification over the English bond and consists of alternate
courses of headers and stretchers, except that every stretcher course
starts with a three-quarter brick and in every alternate stretcher course
in header is placed after the three-quarter brick.
Stretcher Bond:
Bricks are laid horizontally and flat with a long side called a stretcher and,
in this bond, all brick is laid as stretchers, which is lengthwise shown in
fig. Sometimes stretcher bond is also known as running bond.
Zig-Zag Bond:
Zig-Zag bond is a bond in which the laying of the bricks is done in a zig-
zag manner. The zigzag bond is similar to the Herring-bone bond. It offers
a good aesthetic appearance and thus is mostly used for paving works in
residential masonry constructions, floors, footpaths etc.
10

Junction in Walls
Tee-Junction: Squint-Junction:
A tee junction is formed when two walls meet each
other at right angles Forming the letter ‘T’ in plan.
Tee junction may be formed in several Different
bonds described earlier.
A tee junction is formed when two walls meet each
other at right angles Forming the letter ‘T’ in plan.
Tee junction may be formed in a number of
Different bonds described earlier.
11

Bonds In Piers
Piers of brick masonry are provided to have supported for beams, trusses or other structural members.
Piers are also known as columns or pillars. These piers may be of two types depending upon their location
with reference to the adjoining load bearing wall.
• Isolated Piers: Through piers may be constructed in any type of bond. Generally English bond or
double Flemish bond is adopted. The size of the pier as well as its shape (i.e., square, rectangular or
circular) depends upon the magnitude of the bond as well as architectural requirements.
• Attached Piers: Attached piers are constructed along the wall.
To provide larger bearing area for supporting heavy girders, roof, etc.
To provide stiffness to the wall.
Isolated Piers Attached Piers
12

SQUINT QUOINS:
Where the corner, or quoin, a building is formed by two walls meeting at
an angle other than a right angle, specially shaped bricks are required at
the external angle.
• A quoins is a corner.
• A squint quoins is any corner that is not built at 90 degree.
• There are two type of squint quoins.
• Obtuse Squint Quoins and Acute Squint Quoins.
Tools Of Brick-Layer:
• Brick Trowel
• Brick Hammer
• Bricklayers Line Pins
• Spirit level
• Brick axe
• Plumb rule
• Mason’s square
• Two-foot four-fold rule.
13

Retaining Walls
Retaining wall is a structure that are designed and constructed to withstand lateral pressure of
soil or hold back soil materials. The lateral pressure could be also due to earth filling, liquid
pressure, sand, and other granular materials behind the retaining wall structure. There are
various types of retaining wall structures which are used for numerous goals.
Types of Retaining Walls:
• Gravity Retaining Wall
• Crib Retaining Wall
• Gabion Retaining Walls
• Cantilever Retaining Wall
• Counter-fort / Buttressed Retaining Wall
• Anchored Retaining Wall
• Piled Retaining Wall
• Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Retaining wall
• Hybrid Systems
14

Design of Retaining Walls
A retaining wall is a structure designed and constructed to resist the lateral pressure of soil, when there is a
desired change in ground elevation that exceeds the angle of repose of the soil. Retaining walls are used for
supporting soil laterally so that it can be retained at different levels on the two sides. Retaining walls are
structures designed to restrain soil to a slope that it would not naturally keep to (typically a steep, near-
vertical or vertical slope).
Proper retaining wall design requires evaluation of the following:
• Select the retaining wall location
• Determine retaining wall height and geometry
• Evaluate structural requirements
• Calculate the total wall structure
15

Conditions of Stability of Retaining Walls
A Satisfactory retaining wall must meet the following requirements for
ensuring stability:
• The wall should be structurally capable of resisting the pressure
applied to it.
• The section of the wall should be so proportioned that it will not
overturn by the lateral pressure.
• It is important to prevent accumulation of water behind a retaining
wall. The backing material should be suitably drained by providing
weep holes as detailed earlier.
16

Strength of Brick Masonry
The permissible compressive stress in brick masonry depends upon the following factors:
• Types and strength of bricks.
• Mix of mortar.
• Size and shape of masonry constructions.
The Strength of bricks masonry depends mainly upon the strength of bricks used in the masonry
construction. The strength of bricks depends upon the nature of soil used for bricks making and the
method adopted for moulding and burning of bricks.
17

Defects In Brick Masonry
Defects Reasons Occur Visual Example
Sulphate Attack:
Sulphate salts present in
brickwork react with alumina
content of cement and with
hydraulic lime in the lime mortar
This defect occurs in situations where
the brickwork is exposed like
boundary walls, parapets etc.
Crystallization of salts
from bricks:
When such bricks meet water,
the soluble salts get dissolved
and appear in the form of fine
whitish crystals on the surface of
brickwork.
surface of brickwork gets disfigured
and presents an ugly look.
Efflorescence can be remedied by
brushing and washing the affected
surface repeatedly.
Corrosion of
Embedded iron or
steel:
Iron or steel embedded in
brickwork gets corroded in the
presence of dampness.
Encasing iron member in dense
cement mortar and providing a cover
of 15 to 25 mm around the iron
member.
Shrinkage on Drying:
Brickwork normally swells with
the absorption of water and
subsequently shrinks when the
water evaporates.
Using good quality bricks and by
protecting masonry from moisture
penetration.
18

Reinforced Brick Work
Brick work strengthened by introduction of mild steel flats, hoop iron, expanded mesh or bars is
termed as reinforced brick masonry. This reinforced brick masonry is capable of resisting both
compressive as well as tensile and shear stress. On account of its ability to resist lateral forces,
reinforced brick masonry is extensively used in seismic areas. It is essential to use first class bricks
(having crushing strength of 140 kg/sq. cm or more) and rich and dense cement mortar in the
reinforced brick work. The reinforcement should be effectively bedded and surrounded with
mortar cover of 15 to 25 cm. This is necessary to protect the reinforcement against corrosion.
19

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