Civil Engineering Materials

CIVL2120
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Second level
Third level
Fourth level
Masonry
Fifth level

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 Lecture Topics
 Masonry units

 Concrete masonry units

 Clay bricks

 Mortar/Grout

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 Historical Structures/Monuments
 Masonry is one of the oldest construction
materials
Great Wall of China
Greek and Roman Ruins

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Wall_of_China

Pyramids of Egypt

3 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_pyramids
 Masonry Units
 Masonry is one of the oldest construction
materials

 Masonry Units:

 Concrete masonry units (CMU)

 Clay bricks
 Structural clay tiles
 Glass block
 Stone

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 Masonry Units
Concrete masonry units
Structural clay tiles

www.cvhardscapes.com/masonry.htm

Clay bricks
www.nexus.globalquakemodel.org/gem‐building‐
taxonomy/overview/glossary/fired‐clay‐hollow‐blocks‐or‐tiles‐‐
clblh

www.claybrick.ca

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 Concrete Masonry Units
 Types of CMU

 Solid units ‐ concrete bricks

 net cross sectional area parallel to bearing surface
at least 75% of gross cross sectional area

 Hollow units – concrete blocks, hollow blocks,

cinder blocks
 net cross sectional area parallel to bearing surface
less than 75% of gross cross sectional area

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 Concrete Masonry Units – Typical Units

Sturgeon, G. Metric Technical Manual – Physical Properties,

Canadian Concrete Masonry Producers Association, 2013
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 Concrete Masonry Units ‐ Area

Area Calculations Equivalent Thickness

Sturgeon, G. Metric Technical Manual – Physical Properties,
Canadian Concrete Masonry Producers Association, 2013
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 Concrete Masonry Units ‐ Classes
 CMU manufactured in three classes based on
density
ASTM C90
Weight Classification Dry Unit Weight Maximum Water
(kg/m3) Absorption (kg/m3)

Lightweight 1680 288

Medium Weight 1680 – 2000 240
Normal Weight 2000 – or more 208

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 Concrete Masonry Units ‐ Manufacture
 Manufactured using zero‐slump concrete
 Components include: Type GU Portland cement,
aggregates, water, and admixtures
 Load bearing and non‐load bearing units
 load bearing unit has higher minimum
compressive strength requirement
ASTM C90
Minimum Compressive Strength
(MPa)*
Type of Unit Average of 3 units Individual units

Load bearing 13.1 11.7

Non‐load bearing 4.1 3.5
* Based on net area
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 Concrete Masonry Units ‐ Absorption
 Water absorption is controlled to reduce effect of
weathering and to limit shrinkage (moisture loss
after construction)

, kg
, kg
, kg

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 Concrete Masonry Units ‐ Moisture
 Moisture content is percentage of total absorption

, kg
, kg
, kg

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 Concrete Masonry Units ‐ Dimensions
 Units are specified by nominal dimensions
 greater than specified dimensions by thickness of
mortar joint
 Specified dimensions – design sizes
 Actual dimensions – some shrinkage during firing
process

Modified from “Materials for Civil and Construction Engineers,”

Mamlouk and Zaniewski
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 Concrete Masonry Units ‐ Shapes
 Shape depends on the location within a masonry
wall

Modified from “Materials for Civil and Construction Engineers,”

Mamlouk and Zaniewski
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 Concrete Masonry Units ‐ Bricks
 Types of solid masonry units
Concrete Building Bricks
 General use, non‐facing, utilitarian applications
Concrete Facing Bricks
 One or more faces of the unit is exposed
 Stricter requirements than building bricks
ASTM C55 and C1634
Minimum Compressive Strength
(MPa)*
Type of Unit Average of 3 units Individual units

Building Bricks 17.3 13.8

Facing Bricks 24.1 20.7
* Based on net area
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 Clay Bricks
 Small, solid, rectangular blocks
 The final finish is a fired clay
 Composition
 Silica (grains of sand)
 Alumina
 Lime
 Iron
 Manganese
 Sulfur
 Phosphates

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 Clay Bricks
 Common uses
 Building
 Facing and aesthetics
 Flooring
 Paving www.eboss.co.nz/ebossnow/terca‐clay‐facing‐bricks‐combine‐
aesthetics‐tradition‐and‐innovation

www.marketwired.com/press‐release/getting‐to‐the‐art‐of‐the‐ www.theconstructioncivil.org/brick‐flooring
matter‐in‐toronto‐2028934.htm

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 Clay Bricks ‐ Absorption
ASTM C67
Absorption by 24‐hour submersion

x 100 % Efflorescence

Absorption by 5‐hour boiling

x 100 %
Saturation Coefficient

ppkbuildingsupplies.com/efflorescence‐cleaner

dry weight of specimen

saturated weight after 24 hour submersion in cold water
saturated weight after 5 hour submersion in boiling

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 Efflorescence
Crystaline deposit on surfaces of masonry,
stucco or concrete. It is whitish in
appearance. Efflorescence

Three conditions required:

1. Water‐soluble salts present in the

masonry

2. Sufficient moisture to render the salts

into a soluble solution ppkbuildingsupplies.com/efflorescence‐cleaner

3. Path for the soluble salts to migrate

through to the surface

NOTE: If trapped behind the surface of a wall, the

expansive properties of efflorescence can cause
cracking and spalling, or lead to structural problems
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 Clay Bricks – Physical Properties
ASTM C62
Min Compressive Max. Water Max. Saturation
Strength, Gross Area Absorption by 5‐hour Coefficient
(MPa) boiling (%)
Grade Average of Individual Average of Individual Average of Individual
5 bricks 5 bricks 5 bricks
SW 20.7 17.2 17 20 0.78 0.8
MW 17.2 15.2 22 25 0.88 0.9
NW 10.3 8.6 No limit No limit No limit No limit

SW (Severe Weathering) – areas subjected to frost action

MW (Moderate Weathering)
NW (Negligible Weathering) – interior construction

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 Mortar
 Mixture of cementitious material, aggregate, and
water
 Function:
 Bonding masonry units together
 Seating material for the units
 Leveling and seating the units
 Providing aesthetic quality of the structure
 Proportion specifications – ingredient quantities
 Property specifications – compressive strength,
water retention, air content, and aggregate ratio
 Types: M, S, N, O, and K

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 Mortar
PC
 Type M – strongest and least
workable; susceptible to shrinkage
and brittle
 Type S – more resistant to
weathering; used for exterior
masonry and commonly used for all
engineered masonry
 Type N
 Type O – weak and highly susceptible
to weathering
 Type K – weak and highly susceptible lime
to weathering ; weakest and most
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workable
 Mortar
 Cement mortar hardens as
it cures
 Provides a rigid aggregate
structure
 The mortar is intended to
be weaker than the building
blocks
 sacrificial element in the civilblog.org
masonry
 mortar is easier and less
expensive to repair than
the building blocks

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 Grout
 High‐slump concrete
 Portland cement, sand, fine
gravel, water, and lime
(sometimes)

 Grout is used to fill the cores

or voids in hollow units:
 Bonding of masonry units
 Bonding the reinforcing steel to
the masonry
 Increasing the bearing area
 Increasing fire resistance
 Improving the overturning
resistance by increasing weight
assets.dwell.com

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 Plaster
 Fluid mixture of Portland
cement, lime, sand, and
water

 Application:
 Finishing masonry walls
 Finishing framed wood
walls

 Example: stucco
i.ytimg.com/vi/FFZSX8QIq6A/maxresdefault.jpg

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 Example
A medium weight concrete masonry unit was tested for
absorption and moisture content. The results are as follows:

Mass of unit as received = 5435 g

Saturated mass of unit = 5776 g
Oven‐dry mass of unit = 5091 g
Immersed mass of unit = 2973 g

1. Calculate the absorption content (kg/m3).

2. Calculate moisture content of the unit as a percent of
total absorption.
3. Does the absorption satisfy the ASTM C90 requirements
for absorption?

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 Example
A concrete masonry unit is tested for compressive
strength. The results are as follows:

Failure load = 726 kN

Gross Area = 0.081 m2
Gross Volume = 0.015 m3
Net Volume = 0.007m3

1. Is the unit categorized as solid or hollow?

2. What is the compressive strength?
3. Does the compressive strength satisfy ASTM
requirements for load bearing units?
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 Example
A hollow concrete block unit is tested for
compressive strength. The outside dimensions of the
unit are approximately 190 mm x 190 mm x 190
mm. The thickness of the walls are 25 mm. The
failure load is 230 kN.

1. Determine the gross area compressive strength

2. Determine the net area compressive strength

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