Dear Experts,
Can you please share info on whethere it is true that blocks life is less compared to bricks. I am planning to consider hollow blocks for the construction of my home for insulation purposes.
Shahid,
Khanjee replied on Tuesday, January 10, 2012 02:24 PM
Dear Shahid, psi strength of Hollow block is 1900 where as brick psi is around 900.In view of seismic waves, a good architect will always go for frame structure where bricks or hollow blocks will be used for filling the frame, hence your choice to spend more on bricks or less on blocks with more psi strength.By using blocks your expenses will be less by 40% in structure as compared to bricks. In Karachi 100% construction of residential/commercial buildings is done with concrete solid/hollow blocks.Hollow blocks are surely most suitable in winters/summer. In Bahria town Islamabad, all their own projects are made of concrete blocks.In Islamabad famous "Centaurus Mall-Residencia" is made of hollow blocks.The one who has not used these blocks will not advise you to go for hollow blocks.
Any how choice is yours.
I myself using hollow blocks in my kanal house construction in Islamabad.
Regards |
jk replied on Tuesday, January 10, 2012 03:30 PM
This topic is being asked many time and I never intervene as it is not easy to sum up in few lines neither easy to make understand for those who have no knowledge of construction field.
For those who have no knowledge should agree with this wise men’s proverb saying “Do as the Romans do”
Simple thing is that our work force is not familiar for the use of concrete blocks neither local manufacturer ( 99%) make the blocks in standard.
By nature two different concrete mix design of different age do not bind to each other therefore special fixtures and tying are required. Block works walls need to fix with columns and beams. Similarly block work need special attention at opening and treatment for expansion and attraction point and in local market these fixture and skill is not available or very expensive to deal with.
reinforcement is very expensive and if the wall comes under compression with any reason walls get crack and to avoid this normally reinforcement is used vertically and horizontally within block work walls and it will cost a lot.
Blocks are also more absorbing then bricks and in heavy rain paint on inner side of wall can get corroded.
Normally people give advantage of concrete structure saying one can remove any wall he needs in later stage but you can do so with bricks as well by providing roof beam while casting roof slab.
So my suggestion are use bricks. |
hollowblock replied on Tuesday, January 10, 2012 05:02 PM
Can anybody from Lhr mention here some good suppliers of Hollow blocks? |
Habib replied on Wednesday, January 11, 2012 06:58 AM
Hollow Block should have 1900 PSI strength but most vailable in Karachi where mostky Blocks are used it not true
Good Brick has 3000 PSI strength
Sold Concrete blocks have strencth Comparable to Brick or even high , if good ratio of cement is used |
shahid replied on Thursday, January 12, 2012 01:08 AM
Thanks to all for valuable comments,
my concern is the life of the building ?Has block building got lesser life ? |
