Thermal performance and economic assessment of masonry bricks

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the thermal performance and economic assessment of different types of clay and concrete masonry brick wall samples used in building construction. In this study, eighteen types of clay bricks and two types of concrete bricks were analyzed for thermal performance. The bricks were classified and grouped based on the brick configuration, material, and size. The analysis of the results shows that the equivalent thermal conductivity does not depend only on the brick material and configuration but also on the brick thickness. The bricks having same configuration and size, the equivalent thermal conductivity variation is large depending on the type of material used, especially for concrete brick. In general, the brick with lesser thickness has lower conductivity as compared to those having higher thickness. However, the effect of brick length on equivalent thermal conductivity is insignificant. The economic analysis showed that the insulated clay brick type 16 is the most economical brick among the types of brick studied. Moreover, it is worthwhile to note that the net present value of normal concrete brick (type 19) is reduced by about 45% by making the concrete brick lightweight (type 20).