Author

RONALDO BASTOS DUARTE
CIENTEC and Federal University of Rio Grande do Sid, Brazil

Abstract

This paper presents the results of experimental investigations carried out by several researchers on the most commonly used type of brick in Brazil, the 4-, 6- or 8-hole horizontally perforated extruded clay brick. This was introduced in the 1960’s for use in cladding and partition walls of concrete framed buildings and has also been used as a structural unit for buildings of up to four storeys. The conclusions based on tests performed on bricks and wallettes — compression, ftexural and shear – show that these units are not suitable for structural use.