Types of Brick For Different Construction Works

Civil engineers use different types of brick in different construction structures such as buildings, bridges, road construction, pavements etc. The types of brick for a particular construction project is determined according to its purpose, life time expectations, expected weight, Eco conditions, etc. The standard format of laying bricks is to lay them flat on the structure or surface and bind them together to provide stability and strength.

Brick types

Here are some of the most commonly used types of brick used in different construction projects.

1. Standard burnt clay bricks

These bricks come under the most common types of brick used in building construction. Burnt clay bricks are created from molds. Once the formation is done by pressing the mixture in molds, the bricks are fired in a kiln. Fire bricks are made out of ceramic masonry construction material. Burnt clay bricks are sized in a way that they can be positioned with one hand. Once the bricks are laid they are fused with mortar. Since the standard types of brick made from clay do not have a unique eye catching appearance, they need an application of plaster or further rendering. These bricks can withstand intense heat and therefore used in construction projects involving chemical, thermal and mechanical stresses. It is also often used as refractory insulating bricks as they are capable of sustaining insistent temperature levels.

2. Engineering bricks

These types of brick are comparatively stronger, thicker and have the lowest risk of water absorption. The bricks are made under extreme high temperature levels. Due to its higher capacity in strength and denseness engineering bricks are more often used for civil construction projects involving high load bearing capacities, chemical resistance and damp proof features.

3. Fly ash clay bricks

These bricks are made from fly ash, lime, cement, stone dust and clay and burnt at 1,000 C°. Fly ash bricks are not recommended for construction sites dense with moisture, dampness or water as the bricks tend to expand under negative environmental conditions. There are many advantages to these types of brick as they are lighter in weight compared to conventional bricks, lesser need for plaster and mortar in masonry. Tests have also proven that these bricks tend to increase in durability under ideal Eco conditions.

4. Sand lime bricks

This is an extension of the fly ash brick as they are made with a mixture of sand, lime and fly ash. The bricks are manufactured through chemical wet mixing. The chemically induced mixture is molded under pressure to form sand lime bricks. These types of brick have greater advantages for specific construction projects. The appearance of sand lime bricks is a smooth gray and provides an aesthetic advantage over the standard reddish colored bricks. Since the chemically induced molds provide uniform shapes for the brick it contains a smoother finish discounting the need for plastering or further rendering. Sand lime bricks have also been tested as a better option for load bearing construction projects.

5. Concrete Bricks

These are the types of brick used generally for fences, facades and in places where the primary focus is on the aesthetic quality. The bricks are made using solid aggregate concrete and can be manufactured in different colors pigmented during the production process. Concrete bricks are also called termed bricks. The bricks are created in steel molds through compaction and vibration. The bricks are formed in a static machine which is known in the construction world as an egg layer. Concrete bricks are made under lower pressured steam as the manufacturing is a curing process as opposed to firing system used in many other types of brick.
There are hundreds of different types of brick used for construction purposes. Different types of brick are selected based on their utilitarian, insulating or decorative elements.