The Effectiveness of using Interlocking Bricks in Housing Walls

Abstract

Nowadays, wall-building material is dominated by clay brick, which requires combustion. Therefore, interlocking brick must be introduced as wall installation material in house construction that is easy to install, strong, without combustion, and environmentally friendly. Several interlocking bricks have been developed and implemented in building constructions. This study aims to determine the effectiveness and characteristics of using interlock bricks as wall materials in house construction in terms of cost, time, and work methods. The properties of interlocking brick were investigated, including the compressive strength, measurement of the volume of the holes, and water absorption. At the same time, data analysis was carried out to determine the effectiveness of using interlock bricks by comparing the cost of work, work methods, and work time of interlock brick walls with conventional bricks. The test results found that the average compressive strength of the interlock bricks was 24.34 kg/cm2, the hole volume was 131.55 cm3, and the absorption of water content was 0.246%. Based on the analysis of calculations for manufacturing type 42 house walls with an area of 112.04 m2. It was found that interlocking bricks are more economical than conventional bricks. Interlock brick takes 168.3 working hours in the same area, while conventional brick takes 638.38 hours. The reduced working time happens because the interlocking bricks use fewer wall installation items than the clay brick. Also, the interlocking brick does not require plastering as with conventional bricks when installation.