Engineering key Point

S Tests on Bricks The following laboratory tests may be conducted on the bricks to find their suitability: (i) Crushing strength                      (ii) Absorption (iii) Shape and size and (iv) Efflorescence. (i) Crushing Strength: The brick specimen are immersed in water for 24 hours. The frog of the brick is filled flush with 1:3 cement mortar and the specimen is stored in damp jute bag for 24 hours and then immersed in clean water for 24 hours. The specimen is placed in compression testing machine with 6 mm plywood on top and bottom of it to get uniform load on the specimen. Then load is applied axially at a uniform rate of 14 N/mm2 . The crushing load is noted. Then the crushing strength is the ratio of crushing load to the area of brick loaded. Average of five specimen is taken as the crushing strength. (ii) Absorption Test:  Brick specimen are weighed dry. Then they are immersed in water for a period of 24 hours. The specimen are taken out and wiped

PAINTS Paints are applied on the surfaces of timber, metals and plastered surfaces as a protective layer and at the same time to get pleasant appearance. Paints are applied in liquid form and after sometime the volatile constituent evaporates and hardened coating acts as a protective layer. Constituents of Paint The essential constituents of paints are: 1. Base 2. A vehicle        3. A pigment 4. A drier 5. A thinner. 1. Bases:  It is a principal constituent of paint. It also possesses the binding properties. It forms an opaque coating. Commonly used bases for paints are white lead, red lead, zinc oxide, iron oxide, titanium white, aluminium powder and lithophone. A lead paint is suitable for painting iron and steel works, as it sticks to them well. However it is affected by atmosphere action and hence should not be used as final coat. While zinc forms good base but is costly. Lithophone, which is a mixture of zinc sulphate and barytes, is cheap. It gives good