THE EFFECT OF STEAM ON THE TRANSVERSE STRENGTH OF FIRECLAY BRICKS1

In connection with an investigation of checker brick for carbureters of water-gas machines, it was considered desirable to find out whether or not fireclay brick suffered an appreciable decrease in transverse strength when exposed to the action of steam at a high temperature. Except for occasional references to the “destructive action” of steam, no information on this score was found in the literature. This paper describes experiments in which standard straight bricks at 11,00°C were subjected to the action of steam at the same temperature and the resulting change in transverse strength measured. No significant decrease in strength due to the action of steam alone was found.