ULTIMATE STRENGTH DESIGN OF REINFORCED BRICK SLABS

Abstract

The housing need in the country is enormous. The present urban housing shortage is around 15 million units and in the rural areas this is over 75 millions* There are shortages not only of finances but of building materials like cement. Economy in the consumption of cement through improved design techniques and adopting other cheaper, locally available materials for construction offer one of the solutions for this shortage* The use of brick work dates back to pre historic times and at present it is the back bone of the building industry. Floors and roof slabs are generally made of reinforced concrete, reinforced brick concrete or reinforced brick work. Out of these the last one consumes the least clement. Hence in order to economise the use of cement the slab should be made of reinforced brick work wherever possible. This is practicable within certain limits in places were good quality bricks are available. In areas were good bricks are not available economy in cement can be achieved by adopting reinforded brick oonorete for the construction of slabs. Here the main purpose of bricks is to serve as a filler material in the tension zone of the slab.