Essential Construction Materials: Foundations and Bricks

Building Foundations: Types and Techniques

Fundamental Foundation Components

• Cement: Binder material deposited at the bottom.
• Claw.
• Wall.

Primary Foundation Types

• Continuous foundation on trench walls or strip foundations
• Pillar Foundations
• Pile Foundations

Key Phases in Foundation Construction

• Trenching
• Backfilling

Detailed Foundation Methods

Pillar Foundation Construction

Pillar foundations are constructed by reaching solid ground through vertical wells. Once solid ground is achieved, concrete is poured, filling the well. The arched part is then built with brick, upon which a thin wall is finally constructed.

For dry, consistent ground, the foundation is applied as described above.

If the ground is weak and easily crumbles, an initial excavation or central layer is made with a brick structure, and the ends are filled with concrete. The subsequent steps then follow the standard procedure.

Pile Foundation Construction

Conditions:

• The ground must be consistent, not exceeding 7 to 9 meters in depth.
• The area must be rich in timber.
• The ground layer being crossed should not be overly resistant.

A pile driver (Martinet) is used.

Pylon model machinery using ropes or straps.

Construction Materials: Bricks and Clays

Clays: Composition and Uses

Clays are used for making bricks and tiles. They are decomposition products formed by the methodical weathering of rocks, especially feldspars.

During their formation, many chemical compounds are incorporated into their composition, making them rarely pure.

These materials can be found in two primary forms:

Types of Clay Deposits

Primary Clay Deposits: Kaolin Earth

• The product remains at the site of its formation, where the breakdown of parent rock occurred.

Secondary Clay Deposits: Sedimentary

• The product is carried by fluid currents and deposited as sediment in locations both near and far from the original decomposition site.
• This type of clay is the most widespread in nature.

Characteristics of Clays

• They have a great affinity for water when dry (adhere strongly to the tongue).
• When moistened or wet, they produce a characteristic odor.
• When moistened, they soften and form a firm paste that can be cut or molded.
• When mixed with a lot of water, they form a soft clay slurry.
• When subjected to the action of water, they release heat, shrink, and tighten, becoming hard and resonant when struck. When subjected to high temperatures, they lose their plasticity and turn red.

Bricks: Manufacturing and Quality

Bricks are a building material, typically rectangular, made from clay soils that are kneaded, molded, dried, and fired. Not all clays are suitable for brick manufacturing. The most recommended clays contain between 10% and 15% calcium carbonate, yielding high-quality bricks.

Brick Quality Classification

Adobe Bricks

From the Arabic at-tub (the brick), adobe bricks are building blocks whose hardening is solely due to sun exposure. As such, they are raw, and their cohesion and hardness are relatively low. To increase cohesion and hardness, straw or hay is added to the clay mixture during paste formation. Their construction requires careful design, often occurring on-site due to their fragility during transportation. Adobe is frequently used in hot and dry climates, as it is susceptible to damage from rain and frost.