Masonry Magazine June 1981 Page. 13
BIA Technical Notes
on Brick Construction
43D
Sept/Oct 1980
Brick Institute of America
000
4d BRICK
MASONRY
1 ENERGY
GENERAL DATA
ENERGY CONSERVATION
13d
TOTAL ENERGY SYSTEMS
SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION
BRICK PASSIVE SOLAR HEATING SYSTEMS
MATERIAL PROPERTIES-PART IV
Abstract: The inherent properties of brick masonry make it one of the most advantageous storage media materials for passive solar energy systems. Brick masonry may be used to provide an aesthetic effect, structural capacity and other design considerations in addition to thermal storage. Most of these inherent properties of brick masonry are already well understood for conventional applications. However, in order to properly use brick masonry as a thermal storage media for passive solar energy systems additional information may be needed by the designer. This additional information has to do with the effective thermal storage of brick masonry.
Keywords: absorptivity, bricks, density, emissivity, energy heat transfer, masonry, material properties, passive solar energy systems, reflectance, solar radiation, specific heat, temperature, effective thermal storage, thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity.
INTRODUCTION
Brick masonry can be used most advantageously as the thermal storage media in direct gain systems, thermal storage wall systems and attached sunspaces. The general concepts, empirical procedures for sizing systems and performance calculations are discussed in Parts I through III of this Technical Notes Series. This Technical Notes provides information and references regarding the material properties of the basic components of passive solar energy systems. This information includes the properties of brick masonry when used for thermal storage, with major emphasis on the effective thermal storage of brick masonry and a general discussion of the properties of glazing materials when used as collectors.
BRICK MASONRY
# General
Most of the design requirements and performance of brick masonry as a general building material are discussed in other Technical Notes. The inherent properties of brick masonry offer many design advantages in addition to those required for use as a thermal storage material.
# Structural
Brick masonry has many applications as a structural element in buildings. Brick masonry is commonly used as loadbearing elements in commercial and residential structures. Brick masonry when considered as a thermal storage media for passive solar energy systems may also be considered as a structural element. Information on loadbearing brick masonry is provided in Technical Notes 24 Series.
One of the reasons brick masonry is less frequently considered as a structural element in one and two-family construction is because of the difficulties in insulating solid masonry walls to meet prescriptive energy code requirements for the reduction of heat loss. This can be overcome by using loadbearing insulated cavity walls which provide a durable facade, sufficient space for insulation and interior brick masonry which may be used as thermal storage in direct gain systems. Cavity wall construction is addressed in Technical Notes 21 Series.
The structural design may require reinforced brick masonry. Reinforcement in brick masonry usually has little if any effect on the thermal performance of the wall. This is because the reinforcement is usually horizontal and/or vertical in the plane of the wall, and occurs at or near the center of the wall section resulting in very little increase of thermal transmission through the wall. Information regarding reinforced brick masonry is provided in Technical Notes 17 Series.
# Durability
Brick masonry is an extremely durable building material requiring little or no maintenance. It does not require coatings or coverings which could reduce its thermal performance as a storage media. Coatings and coverings may decrease the emissivity and thermal conductivity of the brick masonry. This is not desired