Civil Engineering Materials
CIVL2120
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Second level
Third level
Fourth level
Masonry
Fifth level
1
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
5
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
7
Concrete Masonry Units ‐ Area
Area Calculations Equivalent Thickness
Sturgeon, G. Metric Technical Manual – Physical Properties,
Canadian Concrete Masonry Producers Association, 2013
8
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
11
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
23
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
24
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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