Ceramic Hollow Blocks (Porotherm / Brikston)
Romanian Technical Denomination: Blocuri Ceramice cu Goluri Verticale
Fired clay masonry units with vertical perforations and tongue-and-groove interlocking profiles for exterior structural and infill envelope walls.
LEVEL 1: QUICK UNDERSTANDING (EXECUTIVE SUMMARY)
INVESTORS & DEVELOPERSFired clay masonry units with vertical perforations and tongue-and-groove interlocking profiles for exterior structural and infill envelope walls.
Confined masonry load-bearing exterior and interior walls (CR 6-2013), Infill exterior masonry walls in reinforced concrete framed structures
01. TECHNICAL OVERVIEW & ENGINEERING CHARACTERISTICS
Ceramic hollow blocks manufactured in accordance with SR EN 771-1:2015 and Romanian Masonry Code CR 6-2013. Available in thicknesses from 115mm (interior non-structural partitions) to 380mm (exterior load-bearing / infill walls). Designed with vertical voids (perforations typically 45-55%) to optimize thermal insulation while maintaining adequate normalized compressive strength (fb ≥ 10-15 N/mm²).
02. CONSTITUENTS & MANUFACTURING SPECIFICATION
- ▸Natural refined alluvial clay and mineral pore-forming additives (sawdust / polystyrene beads)
- ▸Extruded, dried, and kiln-fired at 900°C - 1050°C
- ▸Tongue-and-groove (nut-feder) lateral joint profiles
✓ ADVANTAGES & STRENGTHS
- •Excellent thermal inertia dampening daily temperature swings
- •Outstanding fire resistance (Euroclass A1, walls achieve EI 180 to REI 240)
- •High vapor permeability allowing building envelope breathability
- •High mechanical durability and chemical inertness
⚠ LIMITATIONS & RISK FACTORS
- •Brittle material behavior vulnerable to shear cracking in high-seismic zones if unconfined
- •Requires specialized rotary drilling without hammer action to prevent internal void collapse during fixing installation
- •Thermal conductivity (0.14-0.20 W/mK) still requires supplementary exterior insulation (ETICS/MW) to meet Romanian nZEB limits