Advances in Bricks and Blocks for Building Construction

Blocks are prefabricated material mainly used to build wall masonry. Like bricks, the blocks are stacked together and joined with mortar, usually consisting of cement, sand, and water. The blocks are solid or hollow inside to allow for steel bars and mortar filling. These blocks come in a variety of dimensions and textures, from traditional smooth surfaces to fluted or rough finishes, as well as special units for corners or beams with longitudinal reinforcements. These blocks can be incorporated creatively into our design. Although the first blocks were manufactured by hand, nowadays they are produced in an automated way and thousands of blocks can be made per hour. However, by not requiring firing, each unit can be manufactured on-site by unskilled masons.

This book 'Advances in Bricks and Blocks for Building Construction' contains nine chapters that describe the different types of bricks and blocks and also introduces the recent technological advancements for bricks and blocks for the construction industry, especially in the building construction sector. This book shall be beneficial to architects, civil engineers, building scientists, academicians and construction industry professionals.