Chapter 35: Defects in masonry walls

Bricks and blocks, either clay or cement based, are manufactured products, and therefore by their nature require raw materials to be won, processed, put through a manufacturing process and then shipped to site, and finally used in construction projects. At each stage of this process there is the potential for problems to occur resulting in defects and failures of the bricks and blocks themselves or the brickwork and blockwork masonry structure. These vary in significance and range from serious structural implications through to just an impact upon the aesthetic quality of the finished structure. Examples of some of the commonly occurring defects that affect brickwork and blockwork (inclusive of cement-bonded reconstituted (manufactured) stone, aggregate concrete and aerated autoclaved concrete) masonry are presented here.