Comparing the Emerging Walling Materials to the Burnt Clay Brick

Abstract

AbstractWall is one of the most important elements in architecture, as it provides an enclosure and defines the building elevation. It occupies a major part of the exposed building façade and plays a key role in optimizing energy, noise reduction, firefighting etc. In this regard, the selection of suitable walling material is very important. India has seen a steady upheaval in construction practices. Several walling materials have emerged like AAC block, fly ash brick, precast concrete wall etc. that possess unique benefits. However, the traditional burnt clay brick continues to be the predominant walling material in India. One of the major reasons is the unavailability of studies that provide an extensive idea about the selection of walling material, which fits the functional requirements. This research focuses on comparing the burnt clay brick with emerging walling materials - AAC block, fly ash brick, precast concrete wall, to find out an alternative in terms of cost and function.KeywordsEmerging walling materialsBurnt clay brickAAC blockFly ash brickPrecast concrete wall