1. 8 BRICK MASONRY
Stone and brick masonry: The strongest and most durable of pre-industrial building materials
Mycenae, Lions Gate
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2. 8 BRICK MASONRY
MORTAR
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3. Cushions masonry units, ensuring uniform bearing one against the other
MORTAR
Mortar
Cushions masonry units, ensuring uniform bearing one against the other
Seals joints between the masonry units, minimizing the flow of air and water
Adheres units, providing resistance to lateral forces from wind, earthquakes
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4. In combination with brick, contributes to the appearance of the wall
MORTAR
Mortar
In combination with brick, contributes to the appearance of the wall
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5. Portland Cement-Lime Mortar Ingredients: Portland cement
Primarily calcium silicates
Sources of calcium: Limestone, marble, and other minerals
Sources of silica: Clay, sand, shale, marl
Portland cement is an hydraulic cement: It hardens by chemically combining with water (hydration).
Lesser quantities of compounds of iron, aluminum, magnesium, and sulfate improve the hydration process.
Very fine particle size: to inches diameter
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6. Portland Cement-Lime Mortar Ingredients: Aggregate Natural sand
Manufactured sand made from crushed stone, gravel, or furnace slag
Particle size: A well-graded mix with particles ranging in size from – inches in diameter
Sands must be free of contaminants, physically sound, and not chemically reactive with the other mortar ingredients.
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7. Portland Cement-Lime Mortar Ingredients: Hydrated lime
Quicklime: Limestone and other minerals are finely ground and heated to produce calcium and magnesium oxides: CaO/MgO.
Hydrated lime: Sufficient water is added to quicklime to slake or chemically convert the oxides to hydroxides: Ca(OH)2/Mg(OH)2.
Hydrated lime remains a dry powder.
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8. Portland Cement-Lime Mortar Ingredients: Water
Clean, neutral pH, free of contaminants or organic material
Potable water is generally considered suitable.
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9. Cement is the glue that binds the sand particles together.
MORTAR
The Mortar Mix
There is almost one cubic foot of sand in a cubic foot or mortar. Sand provides the basic structural capacity of the hardened mortar.
Cement is the glue that binds the sand particles together.
Lime improves the workability of mortar in its plastic state.
A minimum amount of water is necessary for the chemical hydration of the cement; additional water is added to produce a working consistency to the wet mortar.
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10. Lime & other workability agents
MORTAR
Blended hydraulic cement
Portland cement mixed with other cementitious materials
Replaces portland cement in cement-lime mortar mix
Cement
Lime & other workability agents
Aggregate
Portland cement-lime mortar
portland cement
lime
sand
Mortar with blended hydraulic cement
blended hydraulic cement
Mortar with masonry cement
masonry cement
Mortar with mortar cement
mortar cement
Lime mortar (non- hydraulic)
(none)
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11. Lime & other workability agents
MORTAR
Masonry cement
Proprietary mortar mix of cementitious materials, lime, plasticizers, and other ingredients
No added lime
Convenience and consistent quality of pre-mixed ingredients
Good workability, and improvements in some properties of hardened mortar such as reduced drying shrinkage
Lower bond strength than cement-lime mortars
Cement
Lime & other workability agents
Aggregate
Portland cement-lime mortar
portland cement
lime
sand
Mortar with blended hydraulic cement
blended hydraulic cement
Mortar with masonry cement
masonry cement
Mortar with mortar cement
mortar cement
Lime mortar (non- hydraulic)
(none)
Fundamentals of Building Construction, Materials & Methods, 5th Edition
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12. Lime & other workability agents
MORTAR
Mortar cement
A proprietary pre-mixed product, like masonry cement
But produced to a standard that assures higher bond strength comparable to cement-lime mortar
Cement
Lime & other workability agents
Aggregate
Portland cement-lime mortar
portland cement
lime
sand
Mortar with blended hydraulic cement
blended hydraulic cement
Mortar with masonry cement
masonry cement
Mortar with mortar cement
mortar cement
Lime mortar (non- hydraulic)
(none)
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13. Lime & other workability agents
MORTAR
Lime Mortar
No hydraulic cement
Cures by a chemical reaction called carbonation, where atmospheric CO2, combines with the hydroxides in the lime to create carbonates
Has some ability to self-heal hairline cracks that may develop over time; as water and air enter the joint, carbonation can occur and repair the joint
Used primarily for the restoration of historic masonry structures
Cement
Lime & other workability agents
Aggregate
Portland cement-lime mortar
portland cement
lime
sand
Mortar with blended hydraulic cement
blended hydraulic cement
Mortar with masonry cement
masonry cement
Mortar with mortar cement
mortar cement
Lime mortar (non- hydraulic)
(none)
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14. Pigments, colored aggregate
MORTAR
Mortar Admixtures
Pigments, colored aggregate
Bond enhancers: Improve flexural strength, freeze-thaw resistance
Set accelerators and retarders: Adjust setting time in cold or hot weather
Water repellents: Improve water resistance (for concrete masonry units only)
Workability enhancers: Ease placement of wet mortar
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15. Type S and Type N mortars are the most commonly specified.
Mortar Types
Higher-strength mortars have a higher proportion of cement to lime in the mortar mix, resulting in higher compressive strength in the hardened mortar.
Higher strength mortars are more expensive and have poorer workability characteristics in comparison to lower-strength mortars.
In general, the lowest strength mortar suitable for a particular job is the optimal choice.
Type S and Type N mortars are the most commonly specified.
ASTM C270 Designation
Uses
Type M
Highest strength
Very high-strength masonry
Masonry subject to severe freeze-thaw
Masonry in contact with the earth
Type S
Reinforced loadbearing masonry
Exterior veneer subjected to high wind forces or seismic forces
Type N
Nonloadbearing masonry
Exterior masonry not subject to severe lateral loads
Type O
Interior nonloadbearing masonry
Historic masonry restoration
Type K
Lowest strength
(not part of ASTM C270 standard)
Designations for mortar types, in decreasing order of strength, come from every other letter in the phrase “MaSoN wOrK”.
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16. Mortar Type Specification: Proportion Specification
Mortar types are defined by the proportion of ingredients.
Proportion specification is the simpler and more common method of defining mortar requirements.
Note the higher lime content of lower-strength mortar types.
Note that no lime is added to mortar cement or masonry cement mixes.
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Copyright © 2009 J. Iano. All rights reserved.

17. Mortar Type Specification: Property Specification
Mortar types are defined by minimum strength and other properties demonstrated through laboratory testing for the proposed mix.
This specification method is most suitable to large projects, where the added cost and complexity of laboratory testing can be offset by more flexibility in selecting ingredients and proportions in the mortar mix.
Fundamentals of Building Construction, Materials & Methods, 5th Edition
Copyright © 2009 J. Iano. All rights reserved.

18. BRICK MASONRY 8 BRICK MASONRY
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19. Brick Raw Materials Preparation
BRICK MASONRY
Brick Raw Materials Preparation
Natural clays are excavated from the earth.
These raw materials are ground up and screened to control particle size.
Water is added to achieve a plastic consistency ready for molding into bricks.
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20. Brick Forming: Extruded or Stiff mud process bricks
BRICK MASONRY
Brick Forming: Extruded or Stiff mud process bricks
Moderately moist clay is extruded through dies and then sliced into individual units.
Generally least expensive molding method
Accounts for approximately 90% of US made bricks
The extrusion process naturally produces brick units with a smooth face and high dimensional uniformity.
Various post-extrusion distressing steps can be used to create bricks with greater variation in shape and surface texture (right).
Fundamentals of Building Construction, Materials & Methods, 5th Edition
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21. Brick Forming: Molded bricks
BRICK MASONRY
Brick Forming: Molded bricks
Soft mud process: Relatively moist clay is pressed into individual molds
Water-struck: Molds are pre-wetted
Sand-struck: Molds are pre-dusted with sand
May be hand- or machine-pressed
Dry-press process: Low-plasticity clays are kept relatively dry and stiff, and machine-pressed into steel molds at high pressure.
Molded bricks frequently are associated with more natural variation in texture and dimensional uniformity than extruded bricks.
Molded brick costs vary with the molding process, but are frequently more expensive than extruded brick.
Fundamentals of Building Construction, Materials & Methods, 5th Edition
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22. BRICK MASONRY
Brick Firing
After forming, bricks are dried and then packed into a firing kiln, where they pass through various stages of drying and chemical transformation.
Tunnel kiln (right): Brick loads pass continuously from one end of the kiln to the other.
Periodic kiln: Batches of bricks are loaded, fired, cooled, and removed.
Firing takes 10 to 40 hours.
Brick placement and firing conditions affect finished brick color, uniformity of shape, hardness, and other physical properties.
Fundamentals of Building Construction, Materials & Methods, 5th Edition
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23. Example Modular–Sized Brick Sizes
BRICK MASONRY
Brick Sizes
Bricks are available in many sizes and standard sizes vary regionally.
Some bricks are sized so that the dimension of one brick plus one mortar joint equals a convenient nominal dimension.
Example: A modular brick combined with a mortar joint occupies 4 inches in width (3 5/8" + 3/8") and 8 inches in length (7 5/8" + 3/8"). Three courses occupy 8 inches in height( 3 x [2 1/4" + 3/8"] ).
Example Modular–Sized Brick Sizes
Nominal Dimensions, in.
Joint Thickness, in.
Actual Dimensions, in.
Vertical Coursing W H L
Modular 4
2 2/3 8
3/8
1/2
3 5/8
3 1/2
2 1/4
7 5/8
7 1/2
3 courses =
8 in.
Engineer Modular
3 1/5
2 3/4
2 13/16
5 courses =
Closure Modular
1 course =
4 in.
Roman 2 12
1 5/8
1 1/2
11 5/8
11 1/2
2 course =
Meridian 16
15 5/8
15 1/2
Fundamentals of Building Construction, Materials & Methods, 5th Edition
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24. Example Non-Modular-Sized Brick Sizes
BRICK MASONRY
Brick Sizes
Other bricks do not necessarily conform to convenient dimensions. Note the non-modular-sized lengths of the example bricks in the table below.
Example Non-Modular-Sized Brick Sizes
Nominal Dimensions, in.
Joint Thickness, in.
Actual Dimensions, in.
Vertical Coursing W H L
Standard
3/8
1/2
3 5/8
3 1/2
2 1/4 8
3 courses = 8 in.
Engineer Standard
2 3/4
2 13/16
5 course = 8 in.
Closure Standard
1 course = 4 in.
King
2 3/4 - 3
2 5/8
- 2 3/4
9 5/8
- 9 3/4
5 courses = 16 in.
Fundamentals of Building Construction, Materials & Methods, 5th Edition
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25. Special Shapes and Sizes
BRICK MASONRY
Special Shapes and Sizes
Special or custom-shaped bricks can be used to form arches, water tables, and many other surfaces and features.
Fundamentals of Building Construction, Materials & Methods, 5th Edition
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26. Brick Classifications
BRICK MASONRY
Brick Classifications
Solid brick: Not less than 75% solid (in any section cut perpendicular to bearing).
Solid bricks are frequently not 100% solid, to reduce weight and the costs of firing.
Cored, solid bricks are lighter in weight than fully solid units.
Frogged, solid bricks are less prone to shifting on a wet mortar bed.
Fundamentals of Building Construction, Materials & Methods, 5th Edition
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27. Brick Classifications Hollow brick: Up to 60% void
BRICK MASONRY
Brick Classifications
Hollow brick: Up to 60% void
With hollow brick, larger sized units can be kept lighter in weight
Because of their lighter weight, hollow bricks require less energy to fire.
The larger voids in hollow brick readily accommodate steel reinforcing in reinforced brick masonry.
Fundamentals of Building Construction, Materials & Methods, 5th Edition
Copyright © 2009 J. Iano. All rights reserved.

28. Brick Classifications
BRICK MASONRY
Brick Classifications
Facing brick: Brick with appearance characteristics graded for exposed applications
Building brick (right): Brick intended for concealed locations where appearance is not a concern
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29. Grade SW: Any weathering region, above or below grade
BRICK MASONRY
Brick Grade: Defines durability (e.g., compressive strength, absorption, freeze-thaw resistance)
Grade NW: Interior brick, concealed building brick, and other brick not exposed to the weather
Grade MW: Above grade brick only, in regions of negligible weathering (see map)
Grade SW: Any weathering region, above or below grade
Fundamentals of Building Construction, Materials & Methods, 5th Edition
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30. Brick Type: Defines uniformity in size and shape
BRICK MASONRY
Brick Type: Defines uniformity in size and shape
Applies only to facing brick
Less uniform bricks, which may be considered more aesthetically desirable, may be more expensive than more uniform bricks.
More uniform bricks are more suitable to applications where close dimensional tolerances must be maintained, such as in a brick masonry curtain wall.
Fundamentals of Building Construction, Materials & Methods, 5th Edition
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31. Brickwork Terminology Course: One horizontal row of bricks
BRICK MASONRY
Brickwork Terminology
Course: One horizontal row of bricks
Bed Joint: Horizontal joint between courses
Head Joint: Vertical joint between bricks in same course
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32. Brickwork Terminology: Wythe: One vertical stack of bricks
BRICK MASONRY
Brickwork Terminology:
Wythe: One vertical stack of bricks
Collar Joint: Vertical joint between wythes
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33. Brickwork Terminology:
BRICK MASONRY
Brickwork Terminology:
Rowlock: Brick laid on its face, with end visible
Stretcher: Brick laid flat, with face visible
Header: Brick laid flat, with end visible
Soldier: Brick laid on its end, with its face visible
Sailor: Like a soldier, but with its broader side visible
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34. BRICK MASONRY
Brick Bonds
Headers or rowlocks in a multi-wythe wall serve an important functional purpose, tying together the two wythes.
In a single-wythe wall, different brick bonds may be chosen purely for the visual patterns they create in the exposed face of the wall.
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35. Running Bond: All stretchers
BRICK MASONRY
Brick Bonds:
Running Bond: All stretchers
Common Bond: Stretcher courses, with a header row usually every 5 or 6 courses
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36. English Bond: Alternating stretcher and header courses
BRICK MASONRY
Brick Bonds
English Bond: Alternating stretcher and header courses
Flemish Bond: Alternating stretchers and headers in each course
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37. Brick Masonry Dimensions
To the greatest extent possible, brick masonry wall dimensions should be conform to the brick module, minimizing the need to cut bricks or work with very small pieces.
Depending on the type measurement, the number of joint widths in the dimension may be one more, the same, or one less, than the number of bricks.
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38. Corner leads are constructed ahead of the rest of the wall.
BRICK MASONRY
Laying Bricks
Corner leads are constructed ahead of the rest of the wall.
Levels and string lines are used to keep the wall straight and true.
Fundamentals of Building Construction, Materials & Methods, 5th Edition
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39. Compacts joint surface to make it more durable and water-resistant
BRICK MASONRY
Joint Tooling
Compacts joint surface to make it more durable and water-resistant
Neatens joint appearance
The concave joint and vee joint shed water most effectively and are the most resistant to freeze-thaw.
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40. Lintels (steel angle, stone, precast concrete, reinforced) Arches
BRICK MASONRY
Spanning Openings
Lintels (steel angle, stone, precast concrete, reinforced)
Arches
Corbelling
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41. Reinforced Brick Masonry (RBM)
Steel reinforcing and grouting are added to the masonry wall, to increase its strength, especially in bending and shear.
Bottom image: a two-wythe RBM panel is load tested.
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