The document provides an in-depth guide on brick masonry, describing its characteristics, types, and tools used in construction. It details the different bonds in brick work, including English and Flemish bonds, and explains their structural significance and aesthetic qualities. Additionally, it covers various tools essential for brick laying, types of walls, and construction practices for stability and strength.

1. CONSTRUCTION PROCEDURE AND DETAILS
Presentation Topic: Brick Masonry
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2. BRICK MASONRY
■ When bricks are laid in mortar in a proper systematic manner, they form a homogeneous mass, which can withstand forces without
disintegration. This mass of the structure, so made by the use of bricks is called "Brick Masonry" or simply "Brick work".
■ Bricks are of uniform size and shape, light in weight, durable, fire resistant, have high resale value, low maintenance cost and are easily
available in plain areas.
■ Brick Masonry is commonly used for construction of ordinary as well as important buildings in plain areas now-a-days.
BRICK
■ An artificial structural element in the form of a rectangular block of clay is called a “Brick ". Bricks can be manufactured of any required
shape and size.
■ These sizes are called "Nominal, designated or format sizes" and are used while estimating the number of bricks in a given volume of
structure.
■ The actual sizes in which bricks are manufactured, are slightly smaller to allow for the layer of mortar present all around the brick,
usually taken as 3/8 in thick.
■ The Actual or Work size of English standard brick, which is mostly used in Pakistan, is usually taken as 8 5/8 in 4 1/8 in x 2 5/8 in.
BRICK MASONRY
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3. BRICK MASONRY-UNIQUENESS
 Fire resistance
 Size
 Durability
 Workability
 Economical
CHARACTERISTIC OF GOOD BRICKS
 Uniform Color, Size, and Shape:
 Hardness of brick:-
 Homogeneity
 Water absorption
 Check for efflorescence on bricks
 Brick Earth
 Soundness of Brick
 Examine frog in brick
TYPES OF BRICK MASONRY
 Brick work in mud
 Brick work in cement
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4. TOOLS USED IN BRICK MASONRY
• Trowel
• Plumb bob
• Hammer
• Spirit level
• Mason square
• Steel tape
BONDS IN BRICK WORK
•Facing bond.
•Dutch bond.
•English cross bond.
•Brick on edge bond.
•Raking bond.
•Zigzag bond.
•Garden wall bond.
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Standard Brick Dimensions
Besides any other various dimension of bricks, the global construction agencies maintain a standard dimension of brick.
Standard brick size for working purpose is 225 x 112.5 x 75 in mm dimension (length x depth x height). In addition, this
includes 10 mm mortar joints, and then the actual dimension of brick is 215 x 102.5 x 65 in mm dimension.

5. Bonds in brick-work:
1. On account of their uniform size and shape, the bricks
can be rise to different types of bonds.
2. Bonding is essential because it
• Eliminates continuous vertical joints both in the
body as well as in the face of the wall.
• Imparts strength to the masonry
3. Defective Arrangement of Bricks reduces the strength
and stability of the structure.
4. A wall having continuous vertical joints does not act as a
homogeneous mass to distribute the superimposed
load.
• There are different types of bond. Such as,
1. English Bond.
2. Flemish Bond.
Fig: 01:stable wall Fig: 1.1: Defective wall
BONDS IN BRICK WORK
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6. English Bond:
• English Bond consists of alternate course of headers
• and stretches.
• In this arrangement, vertical joints in the header
• courses come over each other and the vertical joints
• in the stretcher course are also in the same line.
• Avoid this vertical joints, used queen closer.
• The following additional points should be noted in English
• Bond construction:
• A heading course should never start with a queen
• closer.
• Walls having their thickness to an even number of half
• bricks, one brick thick wall, two brick thick wall so on,
• a course consisting of headers on the front face will
• show headers on the back face also.
• Odd number of half brick, the same course will show
• stretchers on one face and headers on the other.
Queen closer
Fig: 03: queen closer
Fig: 02: English Bond
Fig: 04: English Bond
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7. Flemish Bond:
 Each course consists of alternate headers and stretchers.
 The alternate headers of each course are centered over the
stretchers in the course below.
 Every alternate course starts with a header at the corner.
 For breaking the vertical joints, we used closers.
• There are two types of Flemish Bond. Such as:
• 1. Single Flemish Bond.
• 2. Double Flemish Bond.
•
1. Single Flemish Bond:
• Combination of English Bond and Flemish Bond.
• The facing of the wall consists of Flemish bond and the
• backing consists of English bond in each course.
• This bond cannot be adopted in wall less than one and half
brick in thickness.
• For aesthetic view only.
Fig: 05: Flemish Bond Fig: 06: Flemish Bond
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8. 2. Double Flemish Bond:
• In this Bond, each course presents the same
appearance both in the front and back elevations.
• Every course consists of headers and stretchers laid
alternately.
• This type of bond is best suited from considerations of
• economy and appearance.
• This type of Bond are weaker than English Bond.
Comparative Merits And Demerits Of English Bond And Flemish Bond:
1. English bond is stronger than Flemish bond.
2. Flemish bond more attractive and pleasing.
3. Flemish bond is slightly economical.
4. Flemish bond requires good workmanship and careful supervision and also need extra attention.
Other Types Of Bonds:
1. Stretching Bond.
2. Heading Bond.
3. Garden wall Bond.
4. Facing Bond.
5. Raking Bond.
6. Dutch Bond.
7. English cross-bond.
8. Zig-Zag Bond.
9. Silver lock’s Bond. 8

9. OTHER TYPES OF BONDS
1. Stretching Bond:
• Bricks are laid as stretchers on the faces of wall, length of
bricks is along the face.
• Used in walls of half-brick in thickness.
• Due to its constant occurrence in the last position it is also
called Chimney Bond, Running Bond.
• Used as Partition walls, chimney stacks.
• This bond is not possible if thickness is more.
• This bond doesn’t develop proper internal bond.
2. Heading Bond:
• Bricks are laid down as headers, width is along the
direction of wall.
• Used only when thickness of wall is equal to one brick.
• This bond is not suitable for transmitting pressure in the
direction of wall, hence not used for load bearing walls.
• Used for curved brick work.
Heading Bond
Stretching Bond
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10. 3. Garden Wall Bond:
• This type of bond is used for construction of garden walls, boundary walls, compound walls, where the thickness of
the wall is one brick and the height does not exceed 2 meters.
• This type of bond is not strong as English bond, but is more attractive.
Garden wall bonds are of two types:
a. English Garden Wall Bond
b. Flemish Garden Wall Bond
a. English Garden Wall Bond:
• In this bond, the header course is provided only
after 3 to 5 stretchers courses.
• In each header course, a queen closer is placed
next to the quoin header, to provide necessary
lap. In stretcher courses, quoin header are placed
in alternate courses.
English Garden Wall Bond
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11. b. Flemish Garden Wall Bond:
• Each course contain one header after 3 to 5
stretchers continuously placed, through out the
length of the course.
• Each alternate course contains a ¾ brick bat
placed next to the quoin header, develop
necessary lap, and a header laid over the middle
of each central stretcher.
• Also known as scotch bond.
4. Facing Bond:
• Facing bond is used where the bricks of
specific thickness are to be used in the facing
and backing of the wall.
• In this bond, a header course is provided after
several stretcher courses.
• As the thickness of bricks is different in the
facing and backing, the vertical distance
between the successive header courses is kept
equal to the least common multiple of the
thickness of backing and facing brick.
• This type of bond is not structurally efficient
and load distribution is not uniform.
Flemish Garden Wall Bond
Facing Bond
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12. 5. Raking Bond:
• Generally used in thick wall.
• In this type of bond, the bonding bricks are kept at an inclination to the direction of the wall. Due to this, the longitudinal
stability of thick wall built in English bond is very much increased.
• This bond introduced at certain intervals along the height of the wall.
• The bricks are arranged in inclined direction, in the space between the external stretchers of the wall.
• The raking of inclination should be in opposite direction in alternate courses of raking bond.
• Raking bond is not provided in the successive courses. It is provided at a regular interval of 4 to 8 courses in the height of a
wall.
• The raking course is generally provided between the two stretcher courses of the wall having thickness equal to even multiple
of ½ bricks, to make the bond more effective.
Raking bonds are of two types:
a. Herring Bone Bond
b. Diagonal Bond
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13. a. Herring Bone Bond:
• This bond is more suitable for walls which are thicker than four bricks thick.
Bricks are arranged 45° in two opposite directions from the center of the
wall thickness.
• The bond is introduced in the wall at regular vertical interval. In every
alternate course the direction of bricks are changed.
• The bond is also used for ornamental finish to the face work, and also for
brick flooring.
b. Diagonal Bond:
• In this type of bond bricks are arranged at 45° in such a way that extreme
corners of the series remain in contact with the external line of stretchers.
• Brick cut to triangular shapes and of suitable sizes are packed in the small
triangular spaces at the ends.
• This bond is best suitable for walls which are 2 to 4 bricks thick. The bond is
introduced at regular vertical interval, generally at every fifth or seventh
course.
• In every alternate course of the bond the direction of bricks is reversed.
Herring Bone Bond
Diagonal Bond
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14. 6. Dutch Bond:
• Modified form of English bond.
• In the bond the corner of the wall are
strengthened.
• Alternate courses of headers and stretchers are
provided as in English bond.
• Every stretcher course starts at the quoin with a ¾
bat.
• Every alternate stretcher course, a header is
placed next to the ¾ brick bat provided at the
quoin.
7. English Cross Bond:
• English cross bond is a modified form of English bond used to
improve the appearance of the wall.
• This bond provides both the beauty and strength requirements.
• In this bond the alternate courses of headers and stretchers are
provided as in English bond.
• The queen closer are set next to quoin headers. A header is
added next to the quoin stretcher in every alternate stretcher
course.
• This bond is sufficiently strong and shows a great elevation.
Dutch Bond
English Cross Bond
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15. 8. Zig – Zag Bond:
• This bond is similar to herring bone bond, except
that the bricks are laid in zig-zag fashion.
• This bond is commonly used for making
ornamental panels in the brick flooring or walls.
9. Silverlock’s Bond:
• This bond is inspired by English bond but in this
bond the stretcher courses are replaced by
laying the brick on edges and header courses
laid on the beds.
• Queen closer is provided after quoin header in
the header course.
• This type of bond is weak in strength but
economical so usually used as garden walls,
compound walls etc.
Zig – Zag Bond
Silverlock’s Bond
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16. Tee – Junction :
A tee junction is formed when two walls meet each other at right angles forming the letter ‘T’ in plan.
T-junctions between English bond
walls
T-junction between a Flemish external wall and English
internal wall
T-junction in a Flemish bond wall
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17. Bonds in Piers:
1. DETACHED PIERS
a. English Bond Piers:
o VERTICAL JOINTS AVAILABLE
o THREE HEADERS
o TWO ¾ BATS
o COURSE 2 = MIRROR OF COURSE 1
o B3 = THREE QUARTER BATS
• 1½ Brick Thick:
o VERTICAL JOINTS NOT
AVAILABLE
o SIX STRETCHERS
o FOUR QUEEN CLOSURES
o COURSE 2 = 90dg OF COURSE 1
o Q = QUEEN CLOSURE
• 2 Brick Thick:
b. Double Flemish Bond:
o CONTINUOUS VERTICAL JOINTS
o TWO HEADERS
o TWO STRETCHERS
o ONE ½ BATS
o B2 = HALF BATS
• 1½ Brick Thick:
o CONTINUOUS VERTICAL JOINTS
o FOUR HEADERS
o TWO QUEEN CLOSURES
o FOUR ¾ BATS
o Q = QUEEN CLOSURE
o B3 = THREE QUARTER BATS
• 2 Brick Thick:
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18. Piers
In general, it is an upright support for a structure or superstructure, but it can also refer to the sections of load-bearing structural
walls between openings and different types of column. Piers are most commonly made of concrete, masonry or treated timber, and
installed into prepared holes or shafts. Piers may be built any shape e.g. square, rectangular octagonal etc., but if circular it is
termed a column. Attached piers may occur on one or both sides of a wall, or be formed at the end of a wall. The purpose of an
attached pier is to :
• Provide the wall with additional strength to counter against lateral pressure.
•Accommodate loading and transfer this load to the walling.
Piers attached to main walls:
The stability of the walls is increased by the use of these piers at intervals . The function of the piers is to provide a large bearing area for
giving support to the roof . They can be formed in English bond and Flemish bond as well.
One brick thick English bonded attached pier:
1,3,5 courses plan:
The pier have headers facing in it. It will place one stretcher such as the
header of the wall comes in the centre of it.
2,4,6 courses plan:
In this course two headers penetrating inside the wall to create an overlap between wall and
pier to make the bond strong.
1,3,5 courses plan
2,4,6 courses plan
Piers
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19. One and a half brick thick English bonded attached pier:
1,3,5 courses plan:
It places two ¾ bat
2,4,6 courses plan:
Here use three headers which will be half inside the wall and half outside then they
create a strong lap joint in every alternate couse without any vertical joint.
Two brick thick English bonded attached pier:
It is attached to one and half brick thick wall. This size has more strength and is mostly used for
heavy loads.
1,3,5 courses plan:
Six stretchers and four queen closers are used that half of the pier goes inside and half outside.
2,4,6 courses plan:
Three headers and two queen closer outside the wall.
1,3,5 courses plan
2,4,6 courses plan
1,3,5 courses plan
2,4,6 courses plan
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20. Double Flemish bonded attached piers:
One and a half brick thick pier:
It used to create a tight overlap between the wall and the pier
1,3,5 courses plan:
Here use two beveled closer joining each other at the beveled edges. A queen closer quarter and a
stretcher at the end to finish the pier.
2,4,6 courses plan:
A header which is half inside the wall and half outside and then place two header which are fully
inside the wall.at last the pier finish by placing a stretcher.
Two brick thick double Flemish bonded pier:
It is better than one and half brick thick pier in strength.
1,3,5 courses plan:
Here placed four ¾ bat in which two bats are placed as header and rest two are placed as stretcher
outside the wall
2,4,6 courses plan:
Here used four ¾ bat and a stretcher in which four ¾ bats are placed as a header and between
them placed stretcher.
2,4,6 courses plan
2,4,6 courses plan
1,3,5 courses plan
1,3,5 courses plan
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21. SQUINT JUNCTION
A squint junction is formed when two walls meet each
other at an angle other than a right angle without forming
a quoin. The junctions may be in English or Flemish bond.
They are rarely used.
SQUINT QUOINS
When two walls meet at an angle other than a right angle,
the junction or quoin thus formed is termed as squint. A
squint quoin is any corner that is not built at 90°. The squint
quoins may be divided into the following two categories :
(1) Obtuse squint quoins : An obtuse squint quoin is a
corner built at an angle greater than 90° .
(2) Acute squint quoins : An acute squit quoin is a corner
buit at less than 90°.
Acute and obtuse squint quoins
in English bond
Acute and obtuse squint quoins in
Flemish bond
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22. TOOLS OF BRICK-LAYER
These tools are used for brick masonry construction .
(1) Hammer
(2) Line and pins
(3) Brick axe
(4) Spirit level
(5) Plumb rule
(6) Mason's square
(7) Trowel
(8) Two foot four fold rule.
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23. RETAINING WALL
• It may be defined as a wall built to resist the pressure of liquid, earth
filling, sand, or other granular material filled behind it after it is built.
• It is commonly required in the construction of hill roads, masonry
dams, abutments and wings walls of bridges and so on.
• Retaining walls are relatively rigid walls used for supporting soil
laterally so that it can be retained at different levels on the two sides.
• Retaining walls are structures designed to restrain soil to a slope that it
would not naturally keep to.
• It may be built in dry stone masonry, stone masonry, brick masonry,
plain cement concrete and rein forced cement concrete.
RETAINING WALL
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24. DRY STONE RETAINING WALL
• This is the simplest form of retaining wall. The stability of such walls depends upon the arrangement of stones in the wall and the
friction between the individual stones.
• The stones used in the wall should be of large size and roughly hammer-dressed so as to ensure maximum bedding area.
• The wall should have a minimum top width of 60 cm.
• In principle, the height of dry stone masonry wall should be restricted to 6 m.
• In height, the upper 45 m. of the walls is usually built of dry rubble stone masonry and the portion below this height is built with
mortar.
• The stones used in the wall construction are laid at right angle to the face batter.
• The filling immediately behind the wall should consist of stone chips gravel or similar granular material and not earth.
DRY STONE PITCHING OR REVETMENT
• It is generally provided to protect the slopping face of an earthen cutting or embankment from erosion.
• In case of channels and dams, pitching erosion should be carried at least 90 cm. above the high flood level and to ensure its
stability, the toe should be prevented from slipping by suitable construction.
• The slopes of embankment should not be steeper than 1:1, a slope of 1½ : 1 being usually adopted.
• The thickness of pitching varies from 30 cm. to 75 cm.
• Every stone in pitching is laid flat and no projecting stones are allowed.
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25. BREAST WALLS
• They are stone walls provided to protect the slopes of cutting in natural ground from the action of weather.
• The section of wall to be adopted depends upon the height of wall, the nature of the backing and the slope of cutting.
• The front and back batters of the wall vary from 1 in 4 to 1 in 2 (1 in horizontal: 4 or 2 vertical), with the minimum top width of 60
cm.
BRICK MASONRY, STONE MASONRY OR PLAIN CONCRETE RETAINING WALLS:
• These walls are also provided to support earth, loose stone, coal etc.
• The wall acts as one mass to resist the thrust from the backing and is much more stronger than dry stone masonry wall.
• The stability of the wall depends entirely upon its dead weight.
• In order that the walls may be stable they have to be very thick in section and as such they are seldom constructed for heights
beyond 6 m.
• The top width of masonry walls and concrete walls should not be less than 60 cm. and 45 cm. respectively.
• The bottom width of the walls varies with the height.
• It is necessary to have proper drainage of the retaining wall from consideration of structural safety and stability.
DESIGN OF RETAINING WALLS
• The thrust from the backing which tends to overturn the wall or causes it to slide, is the deciding factor in the selection of the
section and type of the wall.
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26. • There are many conditions upon which thrust exerted by the backing depends, such as cohesion of the soil, dryness of the backing
material, the manner in which the material is filled against the wall and so on.
• There are various theories by the help of which the value of thrust under different conditions can be worked out.
• It is equally essential to ascertain that the maximum stress at the toe of the wall does not exceed the safe bearing capacity of the
soil.
CALCULATION OF EARTH PRESSURE
• The thrust due to the back filling, which may be assumed to be earth, is generally calculated by Rankine's Theory.
• The theory is based on the assumption that the backing material or earth consists of cohesionless granular particles. The formulae
derived from this theory under different conditions of back filling are given below:
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27. CONDITIONS OF STABILITY OF RETAINING WALLS
1. Capable of resisting the pressure applied to it.
2. Section of the wall should be proportioned that will not
overturn by the lateral pressure.
3. Safe from being pushed out by the lateral pressure.
4. The weight of the wall and the force resulting from earth
pressure should not stress its foundation and the value
should be lower than the bearing capacity of the soil.
5. Prevent accumulation of water behind a retaining wall.
6. Long masonry retaining wall should be provided with
expansion joints located at 6 to 9 meter apart
Various types of failure if the conditions are not properly applied
STRENGTH OF BRICK MASONRY
1. Type and strength of brick
2. Mix of mortar
3. Size and shape of masonry construction.
Note: “The strength of brick masonry depends upon the strength of bricks ,the strength
of bricks depends upon the nature of soil used for brick making. Since the nature of soil
varies from region to region.”
CONDITIONS OF STABILITY OF RETAINING WALLS
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28. DEFECTS IN BRICK MASONRY
Defects in brick work may occur due to the following:
 Sulphate attack
• Continual heavy percolation of water.
• Water soluble sulphate content which is not in limit .
• Tri-calcium aluminate in cement.
It can be avoided by good design and conscientious workmanship Sulphate attack in brick work
 Crystallization of salts from bricks
• Bricks which contains excessive soluble salts.
• Contact with water . The soluble salts get dissolved and appear in the form
of line whitish crystals on the surface of brick work.
As a result the surface of brick works gets disfigured and present an ugly look
Efflorescence can be remedied by brushing and washing the effected surface
repeatedly. Crystallization of salts from brick
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29. DEFECTS IN BRICK MASONRY
 Corrosion of embedded iron or steel
• When steel corrodes, the resulting rust occupies a greater
volume than the steel and creates tensile stresses in the concrete
which cause cracking.
• Two metals at different energy levels or metallic connection.
This defect can be prevented by encasing the reinforcement or iron
member in dense cement mortar and providing a cover of 15 to 25
mm. around the embedded member.
 Shrinking on drying
• reduction of capillary water by evaporation and the water in the
cement paste.
• The higher amount of water in the fresh concrete, the greater the
drying shrinkage affects.
If the mortar is lean , the cracks are distributed over large number of
joints.
This defect can be prevented by using good quality bricks and by protecting
masonry from moisture penetration.
Cracks caused by shrinking on drying
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30. REINFORCED BRICK WORK
 This type of masonry is capable of resisting both compressive as well as tensile and stress.
( It is essential to use first class brick and rich and dense
cement mortar , also the reinforcement should be effectively
bedded and surrounded with mortar cover of 15 to 25 cm.)
 Brick work strengthen by introduction of mild steel flats , hoop iron,
expanded mesh or bars in termed as reinforced brickwork.
 Deformed steel reinforcing bars
used in concrete to strengthen a
brick wall or lintel
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31. REINFORCED BRICK COLUMN
 Half brick walls are invariably reinforced by providing 6. to 8 mm φ bars or hoop iron at every third or fourth course
 Construction of reinforced brick column is more or less similar to that of reinforced brick wall except that the
horizontal steel mesh is replaced by stirrups.
• Arrangement of bricks and
brick having groove for
accommodating
reinforcement.
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