Water Absorption Test On Brick | Lab Procedure

Water Absorption test on brick is conducted to determine the moisture absorbed by the brick when subjected to extreme conditions like rain.

The absorption test can be used as an indicator of the durability properties of the brick such as quality, degree of burning, and behavior of brick in weathering.

  Water Absorption Test On Brick  

The test can be briefly explained as follows:

  1. Apparatus Required  

1. A ventilated oven.

2. A weighing balance with a sensitivity of less than 0.1%.

3. Sample of whole bricks

  2. Lab Procedure  

The procedure for the absorption test on brick includes the following series of steps:

i. The brick specimen is first dried in the ventilated oven at a temperature ranging from 105 Degrees Celsius to 115 Degrees Celsius until the specimen attains a constant mass.

ii. The heated specimen is then allowed to cool at room temperature.

iii. The specimen is weighed and its mass is recorded as ( M1).

iv. Then, the specimen is immersed in water at a temperature of about 27 Degrees Celsius for 24 hours.

v. The brick specimen is taken out from the water and wiped with a clean cloth to remove the traces of water that may be present.

vi. The specimen thus obtained is then weighed as (M2).

  3. Calculation of Water Absorption of Bricks  

Water absorbed by the brick specimen is given by the formula;

The average result shall be reported.

where,

M1 = Dry Weight after oven drying of brick at 105-110 deg. C

M2 = Wet Weight of brick after immersion of brick in water for 24 hours

  4. Result  

Water absorption of the given brick = ………….%

  5. Water Absorption Test on Brick – Table   

After the water absorption test on brick; the obtained value should not be more than 20% for first-class brick, 22% for second-class brick, and 25% for third-class brick.