Advantages & Disadvantages of Bricks

Masonry structures are the oldest structures. These are structure built by using masonry units with mortar. The masonry units may be:

Clay Bricks
Concrete Blocks
Structural Clay Tiles
Stone

Bricks

Brick is a solid unit of building having standard size and weight. Its history traces back thousand years (almost 7500 BCE). Clay bricks made of fired clay. The composition of clay varies over a wide range. Usually clays are composed mainly of silica (grains of sand), alumina, lime, iron, manganese, sulfur, and phosphates, with different proportions. Clay bricks have an average density of 125 pcf. Bricks are manufactured by grinding or crushing the clay in mills and mixing it with water to make it plastic. The plastic clay is then molded, textured, dried, and finally fired.

Bricks are manufactured in different colors, such as dark red, dark brown, or dull brown, depending on the fire temperature during manufacturing. The firing temperature for brick manufacturing varies from 900°C to 1200°C (1650°F to 2200°F).

Uses of Bricks

1. As a Structural Unit

Since the clay bricks or burnt bricks are strong, hard, durable, resistive to abrasion and fire, therefore, they are used as a structural material in different structures

Buildings
Bridges
Foundations
Arches
Pavement (Footpath, Streets)

2. As an Aesthetic Unit/Surface Finish

Bricks can be used in different colors, sizes and orientations to get different surface designs. As an aesthetic material bricks can be used:

In Pavements
As Facing Brick
For Architectural Purposes

3. As a Fire Resistant Material

Advantages of Bricks

Economical (Raw material is easily available)
Hard and durable
Compressive strength is good enough for ordinary construction
Different orientations and sizes give different surface textures
Very low maintenance cost is required
Demolishing of brick structures is very easy, less time consuming and hence economic
Reusable and Recyclable
Highly fire resistant
Produces less environmental pollution during manufacturing process

Disadvantages of Bricks

Time consuming construction
Cannot be used in high seismic zones
Since bricks absorb water easily, therefore, it causes fluorescence when not exposed to air
Very Less tensile strength
Rough surfaces of bricks may cause mold growth if not properly cleaned
Cleaning brick surfaces is a hard job
Color of low quality brick changes when exposed to sun for a long period of time