This article will help you to understand the detailed procedure used while working on brickwork.
While working at the site engineer, as well as constructor need to follow the specific guideline to achieve an effective working result.
Read the detail specification of Brickwork with Cement mortar and follow the guidelines while working at the site.
Brickwork Specification – Procedure for Brickwork
1) Selection of Materials for Brickwork
For the good quality of work, you need to select the good quality of materials. While selecting the materials for brickwork you need to follow the standard guidelines and code.
a) Bricks
- Bricks shall be a uniform size, thoroughly well burnt but not over burnt.
- The bricks shall have rectangular faces with parallel sides and shall have sharp, straight right-angled edges.
- Brick should give clear metallic sound when struck and shall be free from lumps cracks, chips, flaws, etc.
- On saturation, the increase in weight shall not exceed 20% of dry weight when tested according to IS:1077-1957.
- And, Crushing strength of the brick shall not be less than 40kg/cm² when dry and 30kg/cm² when saturated.
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b) Cement
- The cement should conform to I.S. 269-1976.
- Ordinary Portland cement should be used unless otherwise specified.
- The weight of О.Р.С. should be 1440 kg/m³ and rapid hardening Portland cement should be 1210kg/m³.
- The minimum compressive strength of OPC should be 25kg/cm².
- The initial setting time should not be less than 30 min and the final should not less than 10 hrs.
c) Fine aggregate (Sand)
- Sand shall be natural sand obtained from the river or pit.
- It shall consist of siliceous material having hard, strong, durable, uncoated particles.
- Sand should be free from dust, soft or flaky particles or other deleterious substances.
- All sand shall conform to IS 383-1952 and the relevant portion of IS 515-1959.
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d) Water
- Potable water shall be used for mixing mortar and curing.
- Only the water sources recommended by Engineers should be used
2) Combination of materials in the proper way
Cement and sand are mixed in the proportion of 1:4 by volume or according to the specification provided during the contract.
- Cement and sand shall be mixed in a mixer of the approved pattern at the site of work.
- The drum shall be rotated for a minimum period of 2 minutes.
- If the quantity of mortar to be mixed is less than 1m³ hand mixing shall be permitted.
- Mixing shall be carried out on the smooth watertight platform of sufficient size to allow efficient turning of a mix.
- The platform shall be so arranged that mixing in water shall not flow out and no foreign matter shall get mixed with mortar.
- Cement and sand shall be thoroughly mixed to give a uniform color.
- Cement and sand mixture shall be turned 3 times in dry condition and 3 times after adding water.
3) Preliminary work before laying bricks
a) Wetting bricks
- All bricks shall be soaked in water for at least 2 hours before they are part of the work.
- Brick shall not be too wet at the time of use, as they are likely to slip in the mortar bed and there will be difficulty in working.
- Shocked bricks shall be in a clean place where they are not again spoilt by dirt.
b) Scaffolding
- Double scaffolding shall be used.
- It shall be sufficiently strong for all construction, operations and must be approved by the Engineer.
c) Old works
The tops of any walls where work is suspended shall be cleaned and thoroughly wetted before work is recommended.
4) Laying of brickwork
a) Laying
- The brick shall be laid flush in cement mortar with frog upward in English bond unless otherwise specified.
- The brickwork shall be true to the line in plumb.
- When laying, the brick shall be slightly pressed so that the mortar can get into the pores of the brick surface.
b) Facework
- Bricks of uniform color shall be used when the face work is not to be plastered.
- Brick faces which are to be plastered or rendered shall have their joints raked back at least 12mm.
c) Joints
- The joint shall not exceed 12mm in thickness.
- The bed joint shall be truly horizontal and side joint truly vertical.
d) Uniform raising of bricks
- Brickwork shall be carried out not more than the 90cm height at a time.
- When one part of the wall has to be delayed, stepping shall be left at an angle of 45 degrees.
5) Curing and Protection of brickwork
- The brickwork shall be kept wet for a period of at least 10 days after laying.
- Wetting the brickwork shall be done either by spraying water or by keeping wet jute bags.
- The brickwork shall be protected from the effects of sun, rain, frost by suitable coverings.
6) Mode of measurement and payment of brickwork
- Brickwork shall be measured in cu.m. (cu ft).
- Different kinds of walls with different kinds of mortars shall be treated differently.
- The thickness of brickwork shall be taken as the multiple half bricks as half-brick 10cm, 1 brick 20 cm And so on.
- The rate for brickwork shall include necessary materials, labor, and equipment for the proper execution of work and that all auxiliary work is included rates shall include the works at all the levels.
The above procedure is a standard method to perform brickwork. Every civil engineer should follow this working method at the site.
If you have any confusion read similar types of article: Specifications of Brickwork
You may also love to read: Calculation process to find the quantity of cement sand for plastering.
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