Excerpt from Cement, Concrete and Bricks
Of all building materials which are not found in a state of nature, the most important are, unquestionably, cement, concrete and bricks. The first of these includes a large variety of materials used to bind together particles of stone, sand, and other naturally occurring materials; the second - used in a broad sense - includes all kinds of artificial stones made by cementing various materials together without the aid of heat, and the last - bricks - includes an even larger number of different articles, distinguished by their general form and by the fact that heat has been used to render their shape permanent. It is a mistake to suppose that all bricks are made of clay; at the present time they are made from a number of other materials, such as destructor refuse, sand, slag, etc. Indeed, the composition of some bricks so closely resembles that of concrete as to render it necessary to include them as one of the forms taken by this material.
It is important, in considering the chemical and other properties of these three typical building materials, to observe the genetic relationships between them. To neglect this is to enter upon a course of study which is exceptionally difficult, and to follow a pathway of thought along which many men have lost their way. So long as cement and concrete are considered as having nothing in common with bricks, and vice versa, it is almost impossible to understand the constitution of any of these materials. Separately, they lead to no important conclusions, but considered together they throw a light on each other's characteristics which is as important as it is unexpected.
Until a few years ago the brick industry of this country had no men of sufficient scientific training to study adequately the constitution of the materials used or the chemical and physical changes which occur during manufacture.
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