Thermal expansion of clay building bricks

Abstract

The coefficients of thermal expansion of 139 bricks were measured over the range -10° to +400 C (140 to 1040 F). These bricks included 1 sample of sand-lime, 9 of fire-clay, and 61 of clay and shale bricks. The clay and shale bricks repre- sented a wide range in properties and included samples from various districts in the United States. The coefficients of 87 percent of the clay and shale bricks were between 5 and 7 millionths per 0 C (2.8 to 3.9 per 0 F). The average coefficient of the clay bricks was 6.0 (3.3), of the shale bricks 6.1 (3.4), and of the fireclay bricks 3.9 millionths per 0 C (2.2 per 0 F). No relation was observed between the thermal expansion and the other physical properties of the bricks.