Building Materials Notes for SSC JE Civil Engineering
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
In this note
PDF Notes: Building Materials Notes for SSC JE Civil Engineering
Premium PDF · one-time payment of ₹5 · instant access
Building materials are the first subject of civil engineering, and the Civil paper of SSC JE asks many direct questions on bricks, lime, mortar, stones, timber and steel. These questions are based on standard values and facts, so they are easy to score. These building materials notes for SSC JE give all the important facts in simple tables with practice questions.
Bricks
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Standard size | 19 cm × 9 cm × 9 cm (20 cm × 10 cm × 10 cm with mortar joints) |
| Weight | About 3 kg |
| Classes (IS) | First class, second class and third class bricks |
| Water absorption of first class brick | Not more than 20 per cent after 24 hours of soaking |
| Compressive strength | A first class brick has a high strength of at least about 10 N/mm2 |
| Tests | Water absorption, compressive strength, hardness, soundness and efflorescence |
Composition of a Good Brick Earth
| Ingredient | Percentage | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Silica | 50 to 60 | Gives strength and prevents shrinkage |
| Alumina | 20 to 30 | Gives plasticity to the clay |
| Lime | 5 to 10 | Binds the particles; excess lime melts the bricks |
| Iron oxide | Up to 7 | Gives red colour; excess makes the bricks dark |
| Magnesia | Less than 1 | Gives yellow colour, reduces shrinkage |
- Efflorescence is the white powder of salts on the surface of bricks and walls.
- Bricks are burnt in a clamp or in a kiln; the Hoffmann kiln is a continuous kiln.
Lime
| Type | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Quicklime (CaO) | Made by burning limestone; used to make slaked lime |
| Slaked lime (Ca(OH)2) | Quicklime mixed with water; used for whitewash and mortar |
| Fat lime (rich lime) | More than 95 per cent calcium oxide; slakes quickly and does not set under water |
| Hydraulic lime | Contains clay (5 to 30 per cent); sets and hardens under water |
| Lean (poor) lime | Contains more than 30 per cent clay impurities; weak |
Mortar
- Mortar is a mixture of binding material (cement or lime), sand and water.
- Cement mortar of ratio 1 : 3 or 1 : 4 is used for brick masonry, and 1 : 6 for ordinary walls.
- Lime mortar is used for walls of light load and for plastering.
- Sand in mortar should be clean and free from clay and organic matter.
Stones
| Stone | Type | Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Granite | Igneous (very hard) | Foundations, road metal, steps |
| Basalt | Igneous | Road metal, railway ballast |
| Sandstone | Sedimentary | Building walls, flooring |
| Limestone | Sedimentary | Making cement and lime |
| Marble | Metamorphic (from limestone) | Flooring, decoration |
| Slate | Metamorphic (from shale) | Roofing sheets |
| Laterite | Sedimentary | Wall blocks in rainy regions |
Timber
- Teak is the best timber for furniture and doors, and sal is used for beams and columns.
- Seasoning means removing the extra moisture from timber, so that it does not shrink, warp or decay.
- Plywood is made by gluing thin sheets of wood with the grains at right angles.
- Common defects of timber are knots, shakes, warping, decay and insect attack.
Steel and Cement
| Material | Facts |
|---|---|
| Mild steel | Low carbon steel (carbon about 0.15 to 0.25 per cent); used in reinforcement |
| TMT bars Fe 415 and Fe 500 | Thermo-mechanically treated bars with yield strength of 415 and 500 N/mm2 |
| Cement | Made from limestone and clay; gypsum is added to control setting |
| Bitumen | Used in roads and waterproofing |
| Glass | Made by melting sand with soda and lime |
Tests on Stones
- Crushing strength test for the load-bearing capacity.
- Water absorption test; a good stone absorbs less than 5 per cent of water.
- Abrasion test (Los Angeles test) for the wear of road stones.
- Hardness and toughness tests.
Paints and Plaster
- Plaster protects the wall and gives a smooth surface; cement plaster is commonly 12 mm thick.
- Paint protects the surface and gives colour; distemper is used on interior walls and cement paint on exterior walls.
Quick Tips
- Learn the standard size of the brick: 19 × 9 × 9 cm.
- Remember the function of silica, alumina and lime in a brick earth.
- Learn the stones with their type: igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic.
- Remember that hydraulic lime sets under water.
Quick Revision Points
- The standard brick size is 19 cm × 9 cm × 9 cm.
- Alumina gives plasticity and silica gives strength.
- Hydraulic lime contains clay and sets under water.
- Marble is metamorphic and granite is igneous.
- Fe 500 TMT bar has a yield strength of 500 N/mm2.
Practice Questions With Answers
- What is the standard size of a brick?
Answer: 19 cm × 9 cm × 9 cm - Which ingredient of brick earth gives plasticity?
Answer: Alumina - Which ingredient of brick earth gives strength?
Answer: Silica - What is the white powder on the surface of bricks called?
Answer: Efflorescence - Which lime sets under water?
Answer: Hydraulic lime - Which stone is a metamorphic rock formed from limestone?
Answer: Marble - What is the maximum water absorption of a first class brick?
Answer: 20 per cent - What is the process of removing moisture from timber called?
Answer: Seasoning - What is the yield strength of Fe 500 steel?
Answer: 500 N/mm2 - Which kiln is a continuous kiln for burning bricks?
Answer: Hoffmann kiln
How to Practise This Chapter
Make tables for bricks, lime, stones and steel, and revise them daily for a week. Then solve questions from our practice papers, the free SSC quizzes and the previous year papers page. Read the previous chapter, Soil Mechanics, and the related Concrete Technology. See all topics on the SSC JE Civil Engineering notes page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the standard size of a brick in India?
The standard size is 19 cm by 9 cm by 9 cm, and with mortar joints it is 20 cm by 10 cm by 10 cm.
What are the main ingredients of a good brick earth?
The main ingredients are silica, alumina, lime and iron oxide, with a little magnesia.
What is the function of alumina in bricks?
Alumina gives plasticity to the clay, so that it can be moulded.
What is efflorescence?
Efflorescence is the white powder of salts that appears on the surface of bricks and walls.
What is the difference between fat lime and hydraulic lime?
Fat lime is almost pure calcium oxide and does not set under water, while hydraulic lime contains clay and sets under water.
What is mortar?
Mortar is a mixture of cement or lime, sand and water used to join bricks and stones and for plastering.
Which is the hardest building stone?
Granite is a very hard igneous rock used for foundations and road work.
What is seasoning of timber?
Seasoning is the process of removing extra moisture from timber to prevent shrinking and decay.
What are TMT bars?
TMT bars are thermo-mechanically treated steel bars with high strength and ductility, such as Fe 500.
What is the best timber for furniture?
Teak is considered the best timber for furniture and doors.
Are building materials important for SSC JE Civil?
Yes. They give many direct and easy questions in the Civil Engineering section.
How many questions come from building materials in SSC JE?
Usually three to five questions come from building materials, but the number changes from year to year.
Previous chapter
Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering Notes for SSC JE Civil
Next chapter
Strength of Materials and Structural Analysis Notes for SSC JE Civil
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
Rahul is a senior SSC exam strategist with 8+ years of experience helping aspirants crack CGL, CHSL and MTS exams. He writes in-depth notification breakdowns, exam pattern guides and preparation strategies.