1. MODULE 4
BUILDING MATERIALS

2. CEMENT BLOCKS
Also known as
CONCRETE MASONRY UNITS

3. Properties and specification
MAINLY COCRETE BLOCKS 3 TYPES
Hollow(open and closed cavity) load bearing
concrete blocks,
Hollow (open and closed cavity) non-load
bearing concrete blocks,
Solid load-bearing concrete blocks and nonload
bearing concrete blocks.

4. SPECIFICATIONS DIMENSIONS AND TOLERANCES
Concrete masonary units can be made in to different sizes and shapes . They include stretches ,corner , double corner etc.
The normal dimensions of a concrete block:
Length=400,500,600mm
Height=200,100mm
Width:50,75,100,150,200,250or300mm
The variation in length of units shall not be more than +/-5 mm and variation in height and width of units, not more than +/-3mm.
Face shells and webs shall increase in thickness from the bottom to the top of the unit. The thickness of the face shell and web shall be not less than the values given in table 1.

5. S NO
Normal block width
Face shell thickness
Thickness of web
Total web thickness per cource in any 200mm length of wall 1
100 or less 25 2 30 3 4
Over 200 35 38

6. HOLLOW CONCRETE BLOCK
The hollow concrete blocks shall conform to the following 3 grades
Grade A :- these are used as load bearing units and shall have a minimum block density of 1550kg/m3. These shall be manufactured for minimum avg compressive strengths of 3.5, 4.5, 5.5, 7.0, 8,5, 10.0, 12.5 and 15.0 N/mm’ respectively.
Grade B :- These are also used as load bearing units and shall have a block density between kg/m3 and 1500 kg/m3. These shall be manufactured for minimum average compressive strengths of 3.5 and 5.0 N/mm’ respectively.

7. SOILD CONCRETE BLOCK
Grade C:- The solid concrete blocks are used as load bearing units and shall have a block density not less than kg/m3. These shall be manufactured for minimum average compressive strength of 4.0 and 5.0 N/mm respectively