Reinforced Brick Masonry and Reinforced Brick Concrete in Construction

What Is Reinforced Brick Masonry?

The Reinforced brick masonry is totally different from the normal method of the brick masonry. The reinforced brick masonry consists of brick masonry which has Steel reinforcement embedded in the mortar.

Reinforced brick masonry is brickwork which is strengthened by using mild steel iron mesh or bars which are known as Reinforced brick masonry. The property of reinforced brick masonry is that it is capable of resisting compressive shear stress as well as tensile shear stress.

Reinforced brick masonry has the property of resistance to the lateral forces. The reinforced brick masonry is widely used in the seismic areas due to its resistance to the lateral forces. Generally, the first class bricks and reach and dense cement mortar are used in the reinforced brickwork.

The Reinforcement should be effectively surrounded by the mortar cover of 15 cm to 25 cm. It will help to protect the Reinforcement against corrosion.

The Reinforced Masonry has more resistance to the forces that produce tensile and shear stresses. The Reinforced Brick Masonry is used in the construction of the retaining walls, especially where the exposed brickwork is necessary from architectural consideration.

The construction by using reinforced brick masonry is cheaper as compared to reinforced cement concrete.

Reinforced Brick masonry has been used for the construction of different structures, especially in the countries where labour costs are very less, one of its principal uses has been for the construction of floor and roof slabs.

The applications of reinforced brick masonry range from the retaining walls to exterior cladding. The added tensile strength of the reinforcing steel opens the possibility for prefabricated brick panels.

Reinforced Brick masonry have higher ductility and stiffness as compared to normal masonry. This method of design and construction is utilized frequently to achieve unusual shapes and bold patterns in Brick masonry.

Reinforced Brick concrete construction has been adapted to a wide variety of applications such as Beams, column, pilasters, arches and other elements which have been used in buildings, culverts, retaining walls, silos, chimneys, pavements and bridges.

Research in the Reinforced brick masonry is going on to make it more economical and withstand all types of loadings.

Construction of the Reinforced Brick wall

1. Walls that are prone to tensile forces are needed to be reinforced, and both horizontal and vertical reinforcement is required.
2. Horizontal reinforcement is provided at every third or fourth course, consists of steel mesh spread flat on the cement mortar and pressed uniformly.
3. Construction of Reinforced brick walls are prone to the tensile forces are needed to be reinforced in both horizontal as well as vertical reinforcement.
4. It is necessary to provide horizontal reinforcement at your every three to four-course, which consists of the Steel mesh.
5. The vertical reinforcement is provided by using special bricks that have gross to pass the reinforcement bars.
6. The Reinforced brick wall is generally adopted where the regular walls could not provide for lack of load consideration.
7. The wall thickness of the reinforced brick wall is kept minimum, and the arrangement of the bricks are laid one after the other longitudinally.
8. After the construction of the Reinforced brick wall, it is important that to provide a plaster of minimum thickness of 15mm to protect the Reinforcement from corrosive action.

Advantages of a Reinforced Brick Wall as Compared to Reinforced Cement Concrete

1. The Reinforced brick wall has additional strength imparted to the masonry.
2. Reinforced brick wall requires less labour cost.
3. It plays an important role in the earthquake resistance as compared to the reinforced cement concrete.
4. The reinforced brick wall is cheaper as compared to reinforced cement concrete.
5. Reinforced brick construction such as beams and lintels allow the designer to achieve the exposed brick on the underside of these elements.

Construction of the Reinforced Brick Column

1. The construction of reinforced brick column required special types of brick which have screws for vertical reinforcement and by reinforcing the load-bearing capacity of the column is increased.
2. At every 4^th course, it is necessary to provide with the horizontal Steel plates of about 6 mm thickness and the vertical steel bars are used in the foundation concrete blocks.
3. Reinforced brick and reinforced brick concrete floors and roofs are widely used in construction.
4. This types of construction consist of laying high strength bricks directly over the formwork with reinforcements.

What Is Reinforced Brick Concrete?

Reinforced brick concrete is a combination of the brick, reinforcement and concrete. The concrete is weak in tension and strong in compression.

In the case of beams, lintels and slabs, the concrete present in the lower portion below the neutral axis is not able to resist the load. This concrete acts as only the filler material. Hence, to achieve the economy, the concrete in the tension zone can be replaced by bricks or tiles.

The construction by reinforced brick concrete for the roofs is generally seen in the areas where the brick available is of very good quality.

Bricks are porous and absorb more moisture. Hence, Reinforced brick concrete when exposed to the atmospheric conditions the bricks used remain exposed to absorb moisture and store in it and later transmit to the concrete joints.

The concept of the Reinforced brick concrete it is simply nothing but replacement of the concrete partly by the bricks.

It is observed that reinforced brick concrete is slightly economical as compared to reinforced cement concrete because the brick reinforced concrete consumes less concrete volume because of the presence of the bricks.

The Reinforced Brick Concrete also required less quantity of the steel because the replacement of bricks required steel to be placed at the wider spans.

It is observed that the price of Reinforced Brick concrete is 25% to 30% cheaper at compared to reinforced cement concrete.

Reinforced cement concrete slab has more strength as compared to Reinforced Brick concrete due to which Reinforced brick concrete not recommended in the construction of the heavy load-bearing structures.

FAQs about Reinforced Brick Masonry and Reinforced Brick Concrete

What is reinforced brick masonry?

Reinforced brick masonry is a construction technique where steel reinforcement, such as bars or mesh, is embedded within the mortar joints of brickwork to enhance its strength and ability to withstand tensile and shear stresses.

How is reinforcement provided in reinforced brick walls?

Horizontal reinforcement is typically placed every third or fourth course, using steel mesh embedded in the mortar. Vertical reinforcement can be achieved through specially designed bricks with voids to accommodate reinforcement bars.

Where is reinforced brick masonry commonly used?

It is widely employed in seismic regions due to its ability to resist lateral forces. Applications include retaining walls, exterior cladding, and structural elements like columns and lintels.

What are the advantages of reinforced brick masonry over reinforced cement concrete?

Reinforced brick masonry tends to be more economical, especially in areas with lower labor costs. It offers enhanced earthquake resistance and can achieve aesthetically pleasing exposed brick finishes.

What is reinforced brick concrete?

Reinforced brick concrete combines bricks, reinforcement (typically steel), and concrete. It replaces concrete in tension zones with bricks or tiles, making it economically viable while utilizing less concrete and steel compared to reinforced cement concrete.

Where is reinforced brick concrete used?

It is commonly used in roofs, floors, beams, and lintels where high-quality bricks are available. It offers cost advantages over reinforced cement concrete and can be more aesthetically appealing with exposed brick finishes.

What are the cost implications of using reinforced brick concrete?

Reinforced brick concrete is generally 25% to 30% cheaper than reinforced cement concrete due to reduced material and labor costs associated with brick usage.

Is reinforced brick concrete suitable for heavy load-bearing structures?

While reinforced brick concrete offers economic benefits, reinforced cement concrete typically provides higher strength and is preferred for heavy load-bearing structures due to its superior mechanical properties.

How does reinforced brick concrete perform in different weather conditions?

Bricks in reinforced brick concrete can absorb moisture, potentially affecting durability in humid or wet climates. Adequate protection, such as plastering, is recommended to prevent moisture ingress.

What ongoing research is there in reinforced brick masonry?

Current research aims to enhance the economic viability and structural performance of reinforced brick masonry, focusing on optimizing reinforcement placement, improving durability against corrosion, and expanding its application in modern construction practices.