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The Magazine of THE CLEMSON BRICK FORUM and The National Brick Research Center
BRICKYARD Volume 18
Number 1
January 2019
IN THIS ISSUE:
· March Short Course Information
· Update on X-Ray Diffraction Analysis
at the Brick Center
· A Primer on Standards
· Yard Talk
Thanks to the 2018 King Size Clemson Brick Forum Sponsors!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FEATURES EVENTS
CHAIRMAN’S CORNER SPRING MEETING INFORMATION
Page 3 Page 5
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES 2019 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Page 5 Page 6
JUST DOWN “BRICKYARD ROAD” 2019 WEBINAR SCHEDULE
Page 7 Page 6
A PRIMER ON STANDARDS MARCH 18-21 SHORT COURSE
Page 10 REGISTRATION INFORMATION
UPDATE ON X-RAY DIFFRACTION Page 27
ANALYSIS AT THE BRICK CENTER
Page 15
LAUGHS IN THE BREAKROOM
NBRC CONTACT INFORMATION
Page 23 YARD TALK
Page 24
PLEASE SEE PAGE 5 FOR
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
ON THE COVER
Up-close photo of our new X-Ray Diffraction machine (XRD). Read more
about our updated capabilities on page 15!
FOLLOW US:
Twitter.com/NBRCClemson John Sanders, Editor
Caroline Weaver, Copy Editor and Layout
Facebook.com/NBRCClemson Jim Frederic, Copy Editor
Instagram.com/NBRCClemson brick@clemson.edu
for the latest Center News and Updates! © 2019, Brick Education and Research Foundation
2 · BRICKYARD · January 2019
Chairman’s Corner
Brad Cobbledick, Brampton Brick
Chairman, Executive Committee
The National Brick Research Center
For Manufacturers:
Happy New Year everyone! I trust everyone enjoyed • More talks about manufacturing by manufacturers.
the holiday season and is looking forward to a profitable This was the strongest recurring theme.
2019. • Consider changing the start / end time to make travel
arrangement easier.
One point of emphasis for 2019 for the NBRC is to • Vendor talks on the Tuesday afternoon are great but
improve the value of the Forum for all attendees. We they should focus more on technical content such as
sent out a survey to all attendees of the 2018 Forum. We problem solving.
analyzed the results by both manufacturer and vendor
attendees. The average ratings were in the “satisfied” For Vendors:
range. However, the real meat of the survey is in the • Too few customers attending.
comments. Other than dissatisfaction with the venue • Poor customer traffic and interaction at the booths.
conditions, here are some of the common threads we • More customer (manufacturers) presentations on
saw in the comments: their problems / needs.
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www.jcsteele.com ©2017 J.C. Steele and Sons, Inc. • Statesville, NC 28677 • 1.704.872.3681
January 2019 · BRICKYARD · 3
“Chairman’s Corner” continued
progress in subsequent Brickyard Road issues.
In support of these comments, we analyzed the attendees
by type. It confirms what we knew and is consistent I look forward to the challenges of the coming year and
with the feedback from the survey: working to improve the value that the NBRC adds to
Total attendees: 354 our industry. If you have any thoughts on improvement
Manufacturers: 111 (31 %) or other comments, you can email me anytime at
Vendors: 215 (61 %) bcobbledick@bramptonbrick.com.
General Interest: 28 (8 %) Best Regards,
If we were to focus on one thing to improve value Brad Cobbledick
of the Forum for everyone, it would be increased Chair, NBRC ■
manufacturing participation. The NBRC staff and
Executive Committee will set goals for the key
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4 · BRICKYARD · January 2019
Technical Director – Endicott Clay Products Company
Endicott Clay Products Company (Endicott), a nationally recognized manufacturer of high quality face brick, thin brick,
pavers and tile is seeking a Technical Director. Nearly 100 years old, Endicott is a family-owned business based near Fair-
bury, Nebraska. Endicott has a diverse architectural product line that is synonymous with high quality and aesthetic beauty
that is sold throughout the United States and Canada.
The successful candidate will report directly to Endicott’s President & CEO. Position requirements and job
responsibilities include the following:
• A qualified applicant should have a BS degree in Ceramic Engineering or Materials Science and Engineering
• Experience in a manufacturing environment or the ceramics industry is preferred
• Hands-on operational support, improvement, and troubleshooting of kilns and dryers
• Conducts research and development for new products
• Conducts raw material and finished product analysis
• Proactively identifies areas for improvement in efficiency and quality
• Works well with manufacturing personnel to effectively resolve technical issues
• Assists with environmental and regulatory compliance
A complete job description, company videos, products, and pictures of some of our most recent projects can be found on
www.endicott.com. For consideration, send your cover letter and resume to judyb@endicott.com.
Plant Manager - Morin Brick Company
RJF Morin Brick in Auburn, Maine is currently seeking applicants for a Plant Manager. Morin Brick manufactures both
water-struck and extruded brick. This position will involve providing technical support thRoughout the entire process of
the manufacturing to include mining, grinding, water-struck and extrusion lines, dryer and kiln controls, packaging, safety
and environmental concerns.
The successful candidate will have previous management experience, knowledge of the clay industry with technical
ability to include production, kilns and quality control. BS in Ceramic Engineering is preferred, relevant brick
manufacturing experience will be considered.
Applicants should be self-motivated, flexible, and driven to identify problems and develop innovative solutions. Excellent
computer and communication skills are a must along with the ability to work as part of a team and individually.
Please email resume to: lwilkinson@morinbrick.com
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January 2019 · BRICKYARD · 5
NBRC 2019 Calendar of Events
DATE EVENT
Brick and Heavy Clay Manufacturers Short Course (1)
March 18–21 Location: The National Brick Research Center
Anderson, SC
ASTM C15 Meeting
June 4–6
Location: Denver, CO
NBRC Spring Meeting held in conjunction with the 2019 ACerS
June 24–27 Structural Clay Products Division & Southwest Section Meeting
Indianapolis, IN
Brick and Heavy Clay Manufacturers Short Course (2)
August 5–8 Location: The National Brick Research Center
Anderson, SC
65th Clemson Brick Forum
Sept. 30–Oct. 2 Location: Anderson Sports and Entertainment Center
(Civic Center), Anderson, SC
NBRC Fall Industrial Advisory Board Meeting
September 30 Location: Anderson Sports and Entertainment Center
(Civic Center) Anderson, SC
ASTM C15 Meeting
December 10–12
Location: Houston, TX
NBRC 2019 Webinar Schedule
all at 2:00 p.m. EST
DATE TOPIC PRESENTER
John Sanders
January 23 Gradient Firing for Body and Color Development
The National Brick Research Center
Manufacturing Methods to Improve Brad Cobbledick
March 27
Durability/Fracture Toughness Brampton Brick
Mike Walker
May 22 Update on Rheometer Testing
The National Brick Research Center
John Sanders
July 31 Using Recycled Glass to Reduce Emissions
The National Brick Research Center
Nate Huygen
September 25 Update on Thermal Performance Testing
The National Brick Research Center
John Sanders
November 20 Improving the Physical Properties of Fired Brick
The National Brick Research Center
6 · BRICKYARD · January 2019
Just Down “Brickyard Road”
Director’s Column
John Sanders, Ph.D, P.E.
As we start 2019, we have a number of priorities at For the hotbox, we are completing a campaign of
the Brick Center. Foremost among these priorities measurements on commercial (steel stud) systems
is the continuation of our thermal performance which should be completed in early 2019. We have
program. The most notable aspect of this program also been aggressively publishing our findings in a
was the development of a climate simulation tool number of venues. As of this writing four separate
in the later half of 2018 by Nate Huygen. The tool articles are in various stages of publication with
allows for a simple comparison of wall systems based an additional three already published. Along with
on local climate data which is freely available on the the publications we will be presenting our work at
internet. It also allows for some optimization of wall two major conferences (North American Masonry
sections. Right now, it includes the most common Conference and ASHRAE Conference).
residential wall systems, but we will be expanding the
available wall systems as we continue to collect data In 2018 we also did some preliminary missile impact
in our hotbox. We have shared this tool with BIA and tests and intend to do additional tests in 2019. The
look forward to more collaboration to use this tool to resiliency of brick is an aspect that really sets us apart
promote brick sales. from other building materials and should be something
that we aggressively emphasize along with the non-
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January 2019 · BRICKYARD · 7
“Just Down ‘Brickyard Road’” continued
combustible nature of fired clay brick. As I have said restoration process. The search function is working
before, when we look at the big picture and consider better than ever before, and we hope it will continue
the long service life of brick which is demonstrated improving with the needs of the industry. If you need
by ancient masonry structures around the world, life help accessing this resource please contact Caroline
safety aspects like resistance to missile impact and fire Weaver at ceweave@clemson.edu.
and then add potential thermal mass benefits, we have
an unbeatable material. In closing, I would like to thank you for your support.
We welcome any input or suggestions you might have
Finally, I would like to mention the work that several about articles you would like to see, webinars that you
members of our team have been doing to upgrade would like to hear or any thing else. Please do not
our website to restore and improve Wikibrick. New hesitate to contact us. Happy New Year! ■
content is being added daily as we continue the
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Connect with us!
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
@NBRCClemson
“Like” us on Facebook!
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January 2019 · BRICKYARD · 9
A Primer on Standards
John Sanders
National Brick Research Center
Standards are used in our industry to define products make sure that there is representation from each group.
and test methods as well as provide guidance on ASTM standards also have a designation (number)
how physical properties can potentially relate to and a title. For example, the test methods used in the
product performance. Primarily the standards used Brick Industry are given in ASTM C67-18 – Standard
in the Brick Industry are administered by ASTM Test Methods for Sampling and Testing Brick and
International (www.astm.org). Other industries may Structural Clay Tile. In addition to the designation
use other standards writing bodies such as ANSI or and title, the current version of the standard is also
ISO in addition to ASTM. This article will focus on indicated. For this example, C67-18 indicates that
some basics of ASTM standards. this version of the standard was published in 2018.
We will discuss the importance of the version number
Firstly, ASTM standards are produced through an later in this article.
open and transparent consensus-based process where
all “stakeholders” have a chance to participate. In addition to test methods, ASTM publishes six types
For ASTM, “stakeholders” include everyone from of standards as shown in Table 1. The most commonly
producers to consumers and the staff at ASTM works to used standards are Test Methods and Specifications
cage mills • HSI • lump breakers • hammer mills • chain mills • testing & toll processing • parts & service
10 · BRICKYARD · January 2019“Primer on Standards” continued
which are often used to together. For example, in the based on many years of experience. Having said
Brick Industry, most of our products are described this, it is really important to remember that the actual
in either ASTM C216 or ASTM C652 (See Table 2 performance of any brick depends on a lot of factors
for full title). These two specifications assign grades including the quality of the mason’s workmanship
or classes based on selected physical properties. The and proper detailing of the wall to name a few. The
physical properties are in turn measured by the test properties used to assign the grade are measured using
methods described in ASTM C67. the standardized procedures described in ASTM C67.
Table 1: Types of Standards
ASTM standards are important in that they provide All types of standards are subjected to a rigorous
a level playing field for defining and comparing development and maintenance process. ASTM follows
products. The grades (SW – severe weather, or MW a very specific set of procedures, which are available
– moderate weather) provided in C216 and C652, as on their website, that describe how consensus is
well as several other specifications, provide some achieved for these standards. This process includes
assurance about the potential performance of brick multiple voting stages and periodic reviews once
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January 2019 · BRICKYARD · 11“Primer on Standards” continued
a standard has been published. In particular, all emphasized that proscribed or dictated “standards”
negative ballots that are cast during these processes like the PCI standard used by precasters for thin brick
must be considered, discussed, and resolved before do not follow an open and transparent process like
the standard can progress to the next level. This can ASTM standards do and therefore do not carry the
be very time consuming but is intended to ensure that same significance.
the final standard is fair to all parties. It should be
Table 2: Common Standards Used in the Brick Industry
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The most common standards used in the brick website (www.ASTM.org) individually or as part of a
industry are listed in Table 2. The type of standard volume of other standards in print or electronic form
has been emphasized in Table 2 (bold) to highlight the (.pdf). When using or referencing an ASTM standard,
differences. In addition to the facing brick standards please make sure to pay attention to the version (year)
(C216 and C652), there are standards for thin brick of publication as indicated previously. For the most
(C1088), pavers (C902 and C1272), and glazed brick common standards like C67, C216 and C652, small
(C126 and C1405). In addition to these standards, changes tend to be made annually.
there are a number of less common specifications, a
terminology standard (C1232) and a guide (C1400) If you look at any of these standards, you will notice
that are also relevant to the Brick Industry. Some of that the arrangement of the standard is very uniform.
these other standards are also reported in Table 2. All Every standard has a scope that describes the intent
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potential limitations for application of the standard. procedures described in ISO 17025 to perform the test
The standard also contains a terminology section. methods in ASTM C67 where applicable. For example,
For our industry, we actually have a standard for the efflorescence test is a pass/fail based on physical
terminology (C1232) so all of our standards refer to appearance and does not lend itself to the procedures
this document. For test methods, there are standardized in ISO 17025. We then use these test methods to
sections for the equipment (apparatus) and products determine which specifications a particular product
used for the test along with a detailed procedure. One meets. For more information on any of this please do
other important section, at least for test methods, is not hesitate to contact Mike Walker (mdw8@clemson.
the precision and bias. Put simply, this section lets edu or 864-656-7358) who manages the ASTM testing
you know what kind of scatter can be expected either here at the NBRC. ■
between labs or within labs. Again, there is a very
detailed procedure within ASTM about how these
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The standards listed in Table 2 are maintained by
ASTM Committee C15 (Manufactured Masonry
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Structural Clay Tile) which meets twice a year. The
work program for this Subcommittee is available
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14 · BRICKYARD · January 2019Update on X-Ray
Diffraction Analysis at
the Brick Center
John Sanders Randi Sims
National Brick Research Center
The NBRC has recently replaced a 35 year old X-Ray since the Scintag was produced. This improved
Diffraction unit with a modern instrument. We will technology lets us make measurements with a lower
take this chance to discuss X-Ray Diffraction and how power X-Ray tube which results in the smaller unit.
we use it to understand raw materials and fired brick. The improved detector technology also allows us to
The units are shown side by side in Figure 1. The large make high quality (low background) measurements
unit on the left side of the picture is Scintag PAD in about a third of the time that the older unit took to
V unit, that we are replacing, which also has a large achieve the same results.
chiller that is not shown. The unit on the right is the
new Rigaku Miniflex which does the same thing in The interior of the Rigaku unit is shown in Figure
a much smaller footprint. Replacement parts for the 2. The diffractometer consists of an X-Ray source
Scintag had become unavailable due to the age of the (tube) on the left, a multi-position sample holder in
instrument and the fact that the company no longer the middle and the detector on the right. For this unit,
exists which caused us to make this change. The main the detector and the sample holder move during the
difference between the units is the detector that collects measurement to sweep a range of angles. At certain
and measures the X-rays from the sample. Detector angles, depending on the material being tested,
technology has advanced significantly in the 35 years constructive interference occurs according to the
9001:2015
January 2019 · BRICKYARD · 15“X-Ray Diffraction” continued
Bragg’s Law and peaks are recorded. Simply put, the increase in the number of samples we can measure in
pattern of these peaks, known as a diffraction pattern, a day.
serve as a fingerprint for the minerals in the sample.
A typical measurement on the Rigaku takes about 30 X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) is used for a number of
minutes where the same measurement on the older tests on both raw materials and fired brick. To be
unit took 3-4 hours. The faster measurement time in clear, X-Ray Diffraction tells us how the elements are
conjunction with the sample changer allow for a big organized in a material. In other words, it tells us what
Figure 1: Comparison of X-Ray Diffraction Units Figure 2: Interior of Rigaku Miniflex X-Ray
Diffractometer
16 · BRICKYARD · January 2019“X-Ray Diffraction” continued
minerals are present in a raw material. In contrast A list of common uses of X-Ray Diffraction is
X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) tells us what elements are shown in Table 1. These include the identification of
in the sample but nothing about how the elements are the minerals, also sometimes known as phases, in a
assembled. XRF is used for chemical analysis. An sample. Some examples of common minerals that
easy way to think about this is that XRF tells us what might be seen in a brick raw material are kaolin clay,
pieces are present and XRD tells us how the pieces are quartz or muscovite mica. Undesirable accessory
put together. For more information on the differences minerals like limestone (calcite or calcium carbonate)
between the two instruments see “Characterizing or pyrite can be positively identified using this
Raw Materials – Part 1” (Brickyard, October 2011, technique which could be used to help avoid defects
pg. 9) and “Characterizing Raw Materials – Part 2” by selective mining. It is also possible to estimate how
(Brickyard, February 2012, pg. 5). The two analysis much of each phase is in a material using a technique
techniques are complementary and are often used called whole pattern fitting. The quartz content of a
together. sample can also be measured using XRD.
Table 1: Common Uses of X-Ray Diffraction in Ceramic Engineering
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January 2019 · BRICKYARD · 17“X-Ray Diffraction” continued
The typical steps in XRD analysis are shown in Figure analysis of the data. An example diffraction pattern is
3. Typically, a sample is crushed to a fine powder for shown in Figure 4 for a simple sand.
analysis. This is done to achieve a random orientation
of the minerals in the sample for the analysis. Some The order of the peaks seen in Figure 4 act as a
materials, that tend to be platy, like clay or mica, finger print for the mineral quartz and are used for
have a tendency to orient preferentially which can identification. The International Center for Diffraction
skew the diffraction pattern that is collected. This is Data (ICDD) publishes a database of these patterns that
not ideal but sometimes unavoidable and can be dealt can be accessed for a fee. At the NBRC, we subscribe
with during data analysis. In many cases, a chemical to the Minerals database which has 46,000 entries
analysis is also measured using XRF to help with the that can be used to identify the mineral constituents
Figure 3: Flow Chart for Analysis of X-Ray Figure 4: Typical X-Ray Diffraction Pattern
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in a raw material sample. In this example, we simply
matched the peaks that we measured for the sample
with a pattern from the minerals database to identify
the material. This is usually done with an automated
search/match software tool. The search/match and
identification is very simple for this example, but
for some samples the identification can be much
more difficult. In many cases, also having a chemical
analysis significantly improves the confidence in
a match.
While the example shown in Figure 4 for quartz is
relatively simple, the pattern for most raw materials
is considerably more complicated and contains
various amounts of several minerals. The X-ray
diffraction pattern for a shale is shown in Figure 5.
The chemical analysis for this sample, as measured
by X-Ray Fluorescence, is shown in Table 2. In this
example, we have taken the analysis to the next level
and estimated how much of each mineral (phase) is
present. The first step in this analysis is identification
of the minerals using the search/match tool. In this
case, the sample appears to contain quartz, kaolin,
some mica type material (muscovite), rutile, and some
material we could not identify. A known amount of
zinc oxide (ZnO or zincite) has been added to the
sample to help with the next step.
Once we have a good idea about what phases are
present, we can estimate how much of each is present
using something known as a whole pattern fitting
technique. In this analysis we use the relative intensity
of each phases, which we get from the ICDD database.
The relative intensity is shown in Figure 4 as the RIR
on the right side of the report. For example, the RIR
for quartz is approximately 4 while kaolin is 1. This
means that for equal amounts of quartz and kaolin,
the peaks for quartz would be approximately 4 times
larger than the kaolin peaks. Using this parameter
and information on each phase from the database, the
software attempts to recreate the measured diffraction
pattern by varying the amount of each phase until the
difference between the measured pattern and the fitted
pattern are as small as possible. The known addition
of ZnO that was mentioned earlier can then be used
to further refine the fit. The ZnO is not part of the
final estimation of phase content or chemical analysis
since it is just added to act as an internal standard and
January 2019 · BRICKYARD · 19“X-Ray Diffraction” continued
improve the analysis. In the end, the software also identification is good (and this can be hard for some
reports a calculated chemistry based on the selected of the phases that are present in very small amounts),
phases and amount of each phase calculated by the and we have a chemical analysis to compare to, we
whole pattern fitting. This calculated chemistry can be fairly confident in the results. Whole pattern
should be checked against the measured chemistry fitting should be used mostly as a comparative tool
to determine how good the fit is. The calculated and and less as an absolute tool. Having said this about
whole pattern fitting, X-Ray Diffraction is the primary
tool to measure and quantify the crystalline phases of
quartz in a sample. It is used for everything from raw
materials to filter samples taken from OSHA exposure
tests. For more information about this please see
“Understanding Silica” (Brickyard, July 2008, pg.
12). For this type of analysis, known as an external
standards method, a series of standards have been
created specifically for this analysis to improve the
quality of the analysis.
One last thing to point out about X-ray diffraction is
that we can also use it on fired products to determine
how much glassy material may be present. This is
another indication of how well fired something is.
Glass is by definition amorphous or lacking a regular
structure. Instead of sharp peaks like you see in Figure
Figure 5: Typical X-Ray Diffraction Pattern for a
Raw Material
measured chemistries will likely never match exactly
since there will be some trace material that we cannot
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identify, and we do not know the composition of the
amorphous or glassy phase, but it should be similar
with the same general elements.
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pattern fitting. This type of determination is not a Jacksonville, TX 75766
quantitative result like the chemical analysis where we
have multiple traceable standards for each element.
Unfortunately, we do not have phase standards
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20 · BRICKYARD · January 2019“X-Ray Diffraction” continued
4 for quartz, glass shows up as a broad hump which is the size of this hump, is determined by comparison
also often referred to as an “amorphous hump”. The using the previously mentioned ZnO addition and the
chemical analysis of this sample is shown in Table 3. area of the hump. This type of analysis is becoming
An example pattern for a fired material is shown in more import as crystalline silica regulations become
Figure 6. In this example, there is a small hump centered more stringent where we may need to determine
around 25°. The amount of glassy material, based on how much residual quartz is in a fired brick and how
Table 2: Chemical Analysis for Raw Material
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January 2019 · BRICKYARD · 21“X-Ray Diffraction” continued
Table 3: Chemical Analysis for Fired Sample
much glassy material is present. For this example,
the SiO2 content was actually fairly high for a brick
based on the chemical analysis shown in Table 3 but
the actual quartz content is roughly half that based on
the whole pattern fitting analysis shown in Figure 6.
The remaining SiO2 shown in the chemical analysis is
distributed in the glass and other phases.
X-Ray diffraction is a tool that is used to determine
the structure of materials including the amorphous
content of fired brick. It is also used to determine the
crystalline silica content of materials. In conjunction
with chemical analysis, X-Ray Diffraction gives a
very complete picture of the composition of a material.
If you have specific question about material analysis
using X-Ray Diffraction, do not hesitate to contact us
at the NBRC. ■
Figure 6: Typical X-Ray Diffraction Pattern for
Fired Sample
22 · BRICKYARD · January 2019Need Help?
Topic Contact Phone Number E-Mail
John Sanders 864-656-0604 jpsand@clemson.edu
Technical Questions Jim Frederic 864-656-1094 jfreder@clemson.edu
Mike Walker 864-656-7358 mdw8@clemson.edu
John Sanders 864-656-0604 jpsand@clemson.edu
Raw Materials or Analytical Testing
Mike Walker 864-656-7358 mdw8@clemson.edu
Mike Walker 864-656-7358 mdw8@clemson.edu
ASTM Testing
Gary Parker 864-656-1473 parkerg@clemson.edu
Meetings, Membership or General Questions Caroline Weaver 864-656-1094 ceweave@clemson.edu
Dues, Invoicing, Accounting and The Forum Jessica Wagner 864-656-1104 roches2@clemson.edu
John Sanders 864-656-0604 jpsand@clemson.edu
Brickyard Magazine, The Forum
Caroline Weaver 864-656-1094 ceweave@clemson.edu
Webinars - Connection Issues Caroline Weaver 864-656-1094 ceweave@clemson.edu
Webinars - Content Jim Frederic 864-656-1094 jfreder@clemson.edu
THANK YOU FOR SPONSORING THE 2018 CLEMSON BRICK FORUM
KING SIZE SPONSORS
Basic Machinery Co., Inc. • Hellmich GmbH & Co. KG • J.C. Steele & Sons • Lingl
Power Pusher, Div. of Nu-Star, Inc. • Prince Minerals • Reymond Products International, Inc.
Signode Industrial Group • Stedman Machine Company
QUEEN SIZE SPONSORS
Bongioanni Macchine S. P. A. • Danser • De Boer Machines Nederland BV
Direxa Engineering, LLC • E.H. Wright Co.
Halbert Mill Company • KELLER HCW GmbH • Lhoist North America • LignoTech USA
Magneco/Metrel Inc. • The Manufacturers Equipment Company (MECO)
Midwestern Industries, Inc. • MoistTech Corp. • Niokem, Inc. • Norheat Treatment Inc.
Rockett, Inc. • Samuel Packaging Systems • STAR Engineering Inc. • Venator
MODULAR SPONSORS
Aggregates Equipment, Inc. • Ceratec • DuBose Strapping • E. Dillon and Company
Euipceramic, S. A. • FLSmidth • Interstate Paper Supply Company (IPSCO)
KIMPE SAS • McHale & Associates • McLanahan Corporation
Orton Ceramic Foundation • Polychem Corporation • Silike Keramika, Spol. S. R. O.
TMI-USA, Inc. • Vitreus GmbH
January 2019 · BRICKYARD · 23Yard Talk
Jim Frederic
As I’m writing this article, it’s mid-December and we in 2020. He might as well be. Now that the mid-term
are having a major ice / snow storm here in the Southeast elections are over, we’re already getting survey calls from
(dubbed “Winter Storm Diego” by the Weather Service). various potential 2020 candidates about their agendas.
We’ve mainly had sleet and ice in our local area, but just We have also already had some visits in our area from
a couple of hours north of here in the foothills the snow candidates that are “testing the waters” as they call it.
totals have reached 12-24”. It’s hard to believe that just 2 Can you imagine 2 more years of this and the number of
weeks ago the temperature was 70 degrees and I was out robo calls we’ll get! I can handle the” weather” climate,
in the yard washing a car (Okay, I know the “washing” but boy the “political” climate needs to change. I can’t
part is as is just as unbelievable as the temperature, but envision that our forefathers ever had these present
it’s true.). We went straight from summer to winter with conditions in mind. Where are George W (#1), Thomas J
only a hint of fall. It seems like the weather has been (#3), and Honest Abe (#16) when you need them?
about as volatile as politics lately with all these sudden
changes. By the way, I saw where Al Gore is still trying We want to send a big “Thanks” to all those who came
to combine the two by blaming the fires out West and to the Brick Forum in October. The crowd was about
the present winter storms in the East on global warming. the same size as last year, but the enthusiasm seemed
Maybe he’s getting geared up for another run at office to be at a higher level. The attendance at the seminars,
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24 · BRICKYARD · January 2019“Yard Talk” continued
the technical sessions, and the vendor booths was great. on their work in making brick that are environmentally
Everybody seemed to be more interested in making the friendly and “solidify at room temperature”. The brick
most of the time spent at the meeting. There were a lot are very similar to limestone brick and they are made
of new faces and we hope this is a trend that continues. in essentially the same way that coral is made in the
Everybody at the Brick Center is dedicated to filling ocean. The researchers combine urine with sand and
in the gaps as many of the experienced technical folks bacteria (leftover liquid from using urine to make solid
are retiring. Many of you (vendors and brick industry fertilizer) in molds and let them sit between four and
personnel) also participated in the survey about the six days “to grow”. The bacteria break down the urine,
Forum. We appreciate the input and will use that forming calcium carbonate, which acts as a binder. The
information to make further changes as possible in the report says “If you want a stronger brick, then you leave
meeting format. Hopefully, through all our efforts, we it for longer”. Brick having compressibility strengths
can keep the Forum adapting and changing to meet the that are double those of a 40% limestone brick have
needs of the brick industry and all the members of the been produced in the lab. The data states that “to make
Center. one brick, the average person would need to go to the
restroom about 100 times”. It clarifies, however, that
Some of the topics presented during the Forum were the “This may sound like a lot, but most of this urine is also
results of various research projects. If you are involved used to produce about 1 kg of fertilizer”. I thought it was
in product development or research at your company and very interesting that the urine used in the testing was from
didn’t hear something that was of interest, then I may men’s toilets. Maybe the local beer manufacturers have
have another idea for you. Someone recently sent me been participating in an effort to increase production. If
a copy of a BBC article released on October 25, 2018. interested, we can provide the link to the reference.
The title is “Human Urine Bricks Invented by South
African Students”. The BBC interviewed students and I just celebrated my 75th birthday in early December.
faculty at the University of Cape Town and reported And, even though I still use a flip phone, I can navigate
through most computer sites and accomplish what I need
to do. So, I felt pretty good about where I was at 75 and
how “up-to-date” I was. Then, one night last week, the
bottom fell out. My wife was staying up late to finish a
presentation she was working on so I decided to stay up
and watch TV until she got finished. It was about 11:30
PM so I tuned in the various late night shows on the 3
main networks (Jimmy Fallon on NBC, Jimmy Kimmel
on ABC, and Steven Colbert on CBS). I went back and
forth between the 3 shows for about 30 minutes just to
see who the guests were. It soon dawned on me that I had
NO idea who any of these people were. Some were from
the movies, some from TV, and some were performers
(mostly singers) and I had never heard of any of them
(and, based on the way some of them sounded, that
was probably a good thing). I felt so out of place that I
changed over to the Food Network and watched some
reruns of “Diners, Drive-In’s, and Dives”. Now, that’s
real entertainment. At least I know good food when I
see it! By the way, the next morning, my 15-year old
grandson came over and I asked him about the people I
had seen on TV. He explained to me who each one was
and how popular they were. He couldn’t believe that I
didn’t know them. I asked him who Steve Allen, Jack
January 2019 · BRICKYARD · 25“Yard Talk” continued
Paar, and Johnny Carson were and he couldn’t tell me so had 269 actual miles on it and looked just like new. It still
I figured we were even. You just have to put everything had all the tags under the hood and on the dash, and the
in perspective. plastic on the floor mats. The original elderly owner had a
stroke just after he bought it. He told his wife to park it in
I’ve watched a lot of car shows on TV and I’m always the carport until he could drive again. Well, he was able
amazed at how many low-mileage vehicles are stored to drive again after therapy, but he couldn’t get in and out
away (“barn finds” as they are called). I was recently of the truck; he tried for almost 3 years and then decided
involved in a newer version of this situation when I to trade it on a small SUV. The dealership changed all the
started to look for another truck. I gave my old Ford filters and fluids, detailed it, and test drove it for about
F150 (2007 model with 96,000 miles) to my grandson 300 miles to make sure there were no problems. They
when he got his driver’s license in December. He needed had just released it for sale when I looked at it. After a
a vehicle, and he and his Dad had been borrowing the little negotiating on the warranty (the bumper-to-bumper
truck anyway to pull their fishing boat on long trips. So, coverage ran out after 36 months), I bought it (with about
the 2007 was donated. A couple of weeks later I went by 600 miles on it at that point). So, I have a “new” truck at
the local Ford dealer to look at some new 2018 models. a good price with a very interesting history. I even heard
The salesman I knew asked if I would be interested in through the dealership that the original owner was very
a 2015 model. I had ignored used trucks to this point optimistic (he’s much older than I am!). He told them to
since many have been treated badly and almost all were tell me to be sure to let him know if I ever wanted to sell
overpriced compared to a new one with factory year-end it because he might want it back. Good luck!
discounts. He insisted that I take a look saying that it was
the model I wanted, in a desirable color, very clean, and I hope everybody had a great Christmas and has a happy
with very low mileage. So, I checked it out. The truck and meaningful 2019. Be sure to keep an eye on the
was traded in by the original owner (during the fall of NBRC schedule for a full calendar of activities. ■
2018) when it was 1 month short of being 3 years old. It
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26 · BRICKYARD · January 2019Brick and Heavy Clay Manufacturers Short Course
DATE: March 18-21, 2018
The Brick Short Course is an outgrowth of the original Plant Operator’s Forum that
was held in 1956. The course is a combination of lectures on all aspects of brick
manufacturing reinforced by hands-on-testing of raw materials and brick from
each student’s plant. The course follows material through the plant, and
lectures are included on factors that are used to judge the quality of brick
products.
This course is for anyone interested in the technology of manufacturing – from
Plant Supervisors to Presidents and is recommended for those employees that
want to gain new skills to further help them advance in their usefulness to their
employers.
REGISTRATION FORM is available at:
https://brickandtile.org/short-course-registration/
REGISTRATION FEE: $425.00 for NBRC Members
$1,200.00 for Non-Members
https://brickandtile.org/short-course-registration/
LOCATION:
The National Brick Research Center/Bishop Materials Laboratory
100 Clemson Research Boulevard
Anderson, SC 29625
Tel: 864-656-1094
Email: brick@clemson.edu
Web site: www.brickandtile.org
January 2019 · BRICKYARD · 27Brick and Heavy Clay Manufacturers Short Course
March 18–21, 2019
Check Payment Registration Form
Brick Short Course Registration Fee: Member: $425.00 Non-Member - $1,200.00
Check one: _______NBRC Member ________Non-Member
Total Fee: $_______________
Name: ________________________________________________________________________
Preferred First Name: ______________________ Title: _________________________________
Company: _____________________________________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________________________
City, State, Zip code: _____________________________________________________________
Business Tel: ________________________________ Fax No: ____________________________
Email address: __________________________________________________________________
PAYMENT MUST BE INCLUDED WITH REGISTRATION FORM
MAKE CHECK** PAYABLE TO: Brick Education and Research Foundation
(In US Dollars drawn on US Banks)
MAIL CHECK TO:
Brick Education and Research Foundation
100 Clemson Research Blvd.
Anderson, SC 29625
CHECKS PREFERRED
https://brickandtile.org/short-course-registration/
To Pay by Credit Card please visit https://brickandtile.org/short-course-registration/
28 · BRICKYARD · January 2019You can also read
