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Bricks
Bricks are one of the oldest and most commonly used building materials. They are rectangular blocks made from various materials,
typically clay, that are hardened through the process of firing in a kiln. Bricks have been used in construction for thousands of years and
are known for their durability, strength, and versatility. Here's a detailed explanation of bricks:

Composition of good brick material
• Following are the constituents of good brick material:
• Alumina: It is the chief constituent of every kind of clay. A good brick should contain 20% to 30% of alumina. This
constituent imparts plasticity to the clay so that it can be moulded. If alumina is present in excess, with inadequate quantity
of sand, the raw bricks shrink and warp during drying /burning and become too hard when burnt.
• Silica: It exists in clay either as free or combined. As free sand, it is mechanically mixed with clay. In combine form, it
exists in chemical composition with alumina. A good brick material should contain about 50% to 60% of silica. The
presence of this constituent prevents cracking, shrinking and warping of raw bricks. It thus imparts uniform shape to the
bricks. The durability of bricks depends on the proper proportion of silica in brick material. The excess of silica destroys
the cohesion between particles and the bricks become brittle.
• Lime: A small quantity of lime not exceeding 5 percent is desirable in good brick material. It should be present in a very
finely powdered state because even small particles of the size of a pin-head cause flaking of the bricks. The lime prevents
shrinkage of raw bricks. The sand alone is infusible. But it slightly fuses at kiln temperature in presence of lime. Such fused
sand works as a hard cementing material for brick particles. The excess of lime causes the brick to melt and hence its shape
is lost. The lumps of lime are converted into quick lime after burning and this quick lime slakes and expands in presence of
moisture. Such an action results in splitting of bricks into pieces.
• Oxide of iron: A small quantity of oxide of iron to the extent of about 5 to 6 percent is desirable in good brick material. It
helps as lime to fuse sand. It also imparts red colour to the bricks. The excess of oxide of iron makes the bricks dark blue or
blackish. If, on the other hand, the quantity of iron oxide is comparatively less, the bricks will be yellowish in colour.
• Magnesia: A small quantity of magnesia in brick material imparts yellow tint to the bricks and decreases shrinkage.
However, excess of magnesia leads to the decay of bricks.

MANUFACTURING OF BRICKS
• Preparation of Soil
• Removal of Top Soil: The removal of top soil involves the loose materials present at the top of the soil for a
depth of about 200 mm. These materials should be removed as they contain a lot of impurities and are not
used in the preparation of bricks.
• Digging and Spreading: After digging the soil for about 200 mm, the soil is spread on the level ground, and
the heaps of clay are about 600 to 1200 mm.
• Cleaning: After spreading the soil on the ground, it should be cleaned of stones, vegetable matter, pebbles,
etc... If excess non-clay materials are present, the clay should be washed and screened. This whole process
will become expensive and clumsy. The lumps in soil should be crushed into a powder form.
• Weathering: The soil is then exposed to the atmosphere for softening for a few weeks depending on the
nature of the soil, which imparts plasticity and strength to the soil.
• Blending: To increase the quality of soil, additionally, sandy or calcareous clays may be added in suitable
proportions along with coal, ash, etc. and the whole mass is mixed uniformly with water.
• Tempering: After adding the sufficient quantity of water, the soil is kneaded under the feet of men or cattle
to make it stiff and homogeneous. In general, for handmade bricks, the soft plastic clay could be prepared by
using about 25 to 30 per cent water. For making superior bricks on a large scale of about 20,000, the earth is
tempered in a pug mill.

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