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Designation: C 62 – 01

Standard Specification for

Building Brick (Solid Masonry Units Made From Clay or
Shale)1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C 62; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of original
adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A superscript
epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.

1. Scope * C 216 Specification for Facing Brick (Solid Masonry Units

1.1 This specification covers brick intended for both struc- Made from Clay or Shale)2
tural and nonstructural masonry where external appearance is C 902 Specification for Pedestrian and Light Traffic Paving
not a requirement. The brick are prismatic units available in a Brick2
variety of sizes, shapes, textures, and colors. The specification E 835/E 835M Guide for Modular Coordination of Clay
does not cover brick intended for use as facing units or where and Concrete Masonry Units3
surface appearance is a requirement, (see Specification C 216). 3. Grades
This specification does not cover brick intended for use as
paving brick (see Specification C 902). 3.1 Grades classify brick according to their resistance to
1.2 The property requirements of this standard apply at the damage by freezing when wet, as defined in Note 1. Three
time of purchase. The use of results from testing of brick grades are covered and the grade requirements are shown in
Table 1.
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extracted from masonry structures for determining conform-
ance or nonconformance to the property requirements (Section 3.1.1 Grade SW (Severe Weathering)—Brick intended for
3) of this standard is beyond the scope of this standard. use where high and uniform resistance to damage caused by

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1.3 Brick are manufactured from clay, shale, or similar
naturally occurring earthy substances and subjected to a heat
cyclic freezing is desired and where the brick may be frozen
when saturated with water.
3.1.2 Grade MW (Moderate Weathering)—Brick intended
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treatment at elevated temperatures (firing). The heat treatment
must develop sufficient fired bond between the particulate
constituents to provide the strength and durability requirements
for use where moderate resistance to cyclic freezing damage is
permissible or where the brick may be damp but not saturated
of this specification. (See firing, fired bond, and incipient with water when freezing occurs.
fusion in Terminology C 43.) ASTM C62-013.1.3 Grade NW (Negligible Weathering)—Brick with little
resistance to cyclic freezing damage but which are acceptable
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1.4 Brick are shaped during manufacture by molding, press-
ing, or extrusion, and the shaping method is a way to describe for applications protected from water absorption and freezing.
the brick (see Terminology C 43). NOTE 1—The word “saturated,” with respect to this standard, refers to
1.5 The text of this standard references notes and footnotes the condition of a brick that has absorbed water to an amount equal to that
which provide explanatory material. These notes and footnotes resulting from submersion in room temperature water for 24 h.
(excluding those in tables and figures) shall not be considered
4. Physical Properties
as requirements of the standard.
1.6 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded 4.1 Appearance—If brick are required to have a particular
as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for color, texture, finish, uniformity, or limits on cracks, warpage
information only. or other imperfections detracting from the appearance they are
purchased under Specification C 216.
2. Referenced Documents 4.2 Durability—When Grade is not specified, the require-
2.1 ASTM Standards: ments for Grade SW shall govern. Unless otherwise specified
C 43 Terminology of Structural Clay Products2 by the purchaser, brick of Grade SW or MW shall be accepted
C 67 Test Methods for Sampling and Testing Brick and instead of Grade NW; and Grade SW instead of Grade MW.
Structural Clay Tile2 4.2.1 Physical Property Requirements—The brick shall
conform to the physical requirements for the Grade specified as
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C15 on
prescribed in Table 1. For the compressive strength require-
Manufactured Masonry Units and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee ments in Table 1, test the unit with the compressive force
C15.02 on Brick and Structural Clay Tile.
Current edition approved March 10, 2001. Published April 2001. Originally
published as C 62–27. Last previous edition C 62–00.
2 3
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.05. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.07.

*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard.

Copyright © ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

1
 NOTICE: This standard has either been superceded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.

C 62
TABLE 1 Physical Requirements
Minimum Compressive Strength Maximum Water Absorption Maximum Saturation
gross area, psi (MPa) by 5-h Boiling, % CoefficientA
Designation
Average of Average of Average of
Individual Individual Individual
5 Brick 5 Brick 5 Brick
Grade SW 3000 (20.7) 2500 (17.2) 17.0 20.0 0.78 0.80
Grade MW 2500 (17.2) 2200 (15.2) 22.0 25.0 0.88 0.90
Grade NW 1500 (10.3) 1250 (8.6) no limit no limit no limit no limit
A
The saturation coefficient is the ratio of absorption by 24-h submersion in cold water to that after 5-h submersion in boiling water.

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ASTM C62-01
FIG. 1 Weathering Indices in the United States
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perpendicular to the bed surface of the unit, with the unit in the 4.2.4 Waiver of Absorption and Saturation Coeffıcient
stretcher position. Requirements—If the brick are intended for use exposed to
4.2.2 Absorption Alternate—The saturation coefficient re- weather where the weathering index is less than 50 (see Fig. 1),
quirement does not apply, provided the 24–h cold water and unless otherwise specified, the requirements given in Table
absorption of each unit of a random sample of five brick does 1 for 5 h boiling water absorption and for saturation coefficient
not exceed 8.0 %. shall not apply but the minimum average compressive strength
4.2.3 Freezing and Thawing Alternative—The requirements requirement of 2500 psi (17.2 MPa) shall apply.
for 5 h boiling water absorption and saturation coefficient do NOTE 3—Weathering Index: The effect of weathering on brick is related
not apply, provided a sample of five brick, meeting the strength to the weathering index, which for any locality is the product of the
requirements of Table 1, passes the freezing and thawing test as average annual number of freezing cycle days and the average annual
described in the Rating Section of the Freezing and Thawing winter rainfall in inches defined as follows:4
test procedures of Test Methods C 67. A Freezing Cycle Day is any day during which the air temperature
4.2.3.1 Grade SW: Weight Loss Requirement—Not greater passes either above or below 32°F (0°C). The average number of freezing
than 0.5 % loss in dry weight of any individual unit. cycle days in a year may be taken to equal the difference between the
mean number of days during which the minimum temperature was 32°F
NOTE 2—The 50 cycle freezing and thawing test is used as an or below and the mean number of days during which the maximum
alternative only when the brick do not conform to either Table 1 temperature was 32°F or below.
requirements for maximum water absorption and saturation coefficient, or Winter Rainfall is the sum, in inches, of the mean monthly corrected
to the requirements of the Absorption Alternate in 4.2.2. precipitation (rainfall) occurring during the period between and including
the normal date of the first killing frost in the fall and the normal date of
4.2.3.2 Grade SW: Breakage Requirement—No individual
unit separates into two or more significant pieces.
4.2.3.3 Grade SW: Cracking Requirement—No individual 4
Data needed to determine the weathering index for any locality may be found
unit develops a crack that exceeds, in length, the unit’s least or estimated from the tables of Local Climatological Data, published by the Weather
dimension. Bureau, U. S. Department of Commerce.