Title: Physical, mechanical, and bonding properties comparison of lightweight foam concrete brick with burnt clay brick used in masonry

Authors: Manan Hashim; Manzoor Tantray

Addresses: Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology Srinagar, 190006, Hazratbal, India ' Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology Srinagar, 190006, Hazratbal, India

Abstract: Even as technology advances, brick masonry remains the oldest form of construction. Over the last decade, lightweight bricks have gained popularity in building construction. The study was undertaken to evaluate the engineering performance of high-strength lightweight bricks. The physical properties, i.e., density, water absorption, and initial rate of absorption, mechanical properties, i.e., compressive strengths of brick and their prisms and modulus of elasticity, and bonding strength, i.e., shear strength and flexural tensile strength. Additionally, these properties were compared with the burnt clay brick. The bulk density of lightweight brick was found to be approximately 46% lower than burnt clay brick. Lightweight brick and their masonry prisms had compressive strengths of 9.98% and 15.63% greater than burnt clay brick and masonry prisms, respectively. The weak flexural and shear bond strength of lightweight brick can be improved by increasing contact surface, surface roughness, and providing frog.

Keywords: lightweight foam concrete brick; burnt clay brick; physical properties; mechanical properties; bond strength properties.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMRI.2024.135230

International Journal of Masonry Research and Innovation, 2024 Vol.9 No.1/2, pp.176 - 191

Received: 06 Apr 2022
Accepted: 13 Jul 2022
Published online: 03 Dec 2023 *

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