Instead of casting concrete structures in place, does anyone ever use concrete to cast regular, rectangular blocks and then used the blocks like bricks? That is, to assemble a structure out of the blocks?
Yep, they’re pretty common in Florida. This is the most common type of block.
They call them concrete, but isn’t that a cinder block? I was thinking more of solid cast concrete rather than hollow, light cinder material.
There’s a 30 mph wind howling past my house, so I might have missed the whoosh.
If it’s a joke, I still don’t get it.
Here’s an article about a place that has made them since 1946. Cook Block and Brick.
http://www.besser.com/concreteimpressions/2003-ThirdQuarter.pdf
ETA: You can get the same block in either cinder concrete or the heavier, stronger sand concrete. If you like, you can buy solid blocks, too, but they’re not that much stronger than the hollow ones.
It’s made of concrete, the correct term is CMU or Concrete Masonry Unit. You could make solid ones but the standard shape is stronger and more efficient than a solid shape plus you get the benefit of an air pocket for insulation/grouting for reinforcing steel.
CMUs are stacked like bricks, and to provide vertical stability, every fourth (or so) cell is filled with grout and rebar. There is no gain in using solid concrete bricks, indeed, you’ll have to move more mass around, and you lose vertical tie in and some insulation from the unfilled cells.
Thanks.
Generally there is a bond beam of concrete at these intervals, but core-filled block is also an option, as are vertical rebar throughout. Also, reinforcing wire, called railroad track, is placed between courses. Concrete has tremendous compressive strength, but relatively little shear strength.
I know nothing about the business, but as a layman it seems that the majority of non-residential construction uses concrete blocks, with a steel frame to support the roof. Is that true, or is it a regional thing?
It’s probably regional. We see a lot of tilt wall construction here for commercial buildings. You see more concrete construction where the raw materials are readily available because concrete is pretty heavy and expensive to ship. (in Texas we have lots of the raw aggregate and sand needed so we use it a lot) In places without the right materials, you’ll see more steel and stick-built.
As an aside, I’ve been noticing a lot of stick-built lately due to the soaring price of steel.
My house, in addition to its many other “interesting” design features, has cinder-block basement walls and a cinder-block chimney, and I sure as heck wouldn’t design anything that way. As a basement wall, they’re too porous, and as a chimney, they’re not weather-resistant enough.
There’s a concrete delivery outfit near here that has solid concrete blocks about 3’ all sides (IOW,a yard). They have a non-protruding lift lug on top and keyway formed on the bottom. A mason friend said they’re made from material that comes back on the truck.