Materials / Compare
Aluminum 5052-H32 vs. Brick
Compare Aluminum 5052-H32 vs. Brick strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.
| Try it on a partA sample part to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser | Open in LessCAD | Open in LessCAD |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | ||
| Yield strength | 195MPasourcetypical, 0.2% offset | not given (tensile used) |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 230MPasourcetypical | 5.1MPasourcemodulus of rupture (no direct tensile value) |
| Compressive strength | not sourced | 77.9MPasourcemean unit compressive strength, solid extruded brick (survey mean; SD 30.8 MPa) |
| Elongation at break | 12%sourcetypical | not sourced |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 70GPasourcetypical | not sourced |
| Density | 2,685kg/m³sourcenominal | 2,082kg/m³sourceface brick density row used for k (BIA notes most fired clay brick 120-130 lb/ft3) |
| Strength to weight | 72.6kN·m/kg29.6x higher | 2.45kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 26.1MN·m/kg | not sourced |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.33sourcetypical (handbook physical constant) | not sourced |
| Shear modulus | 26.3GPa | not sourced |
| Bulk modulus | 68.6GPa | not sourced |
| Speed of sound | 5,106m/s | not sourced |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 138W/m·Ksourcebase material: 5052 in O temper (same alloy, annealed); Kaiser typical | 0.92–1.12W/m·Ksourcerange for 130 lb/ft3 face brick (ASHRAE 2013 via BIA) |
| Thermal expansion | 23.8µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 20-100 °C | 7.2µm/m·KsourceTMS Code average coefficient, clay/shale unit masonry |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 119µm growth | 36µm growth3.31x less |
| Specific heat | 963J/kg·Ksourceat 100 °C (212 °F); table covers O, H32, H34, H36, H38 | 837J/kg·Ksourcevalue used in BIA heat-capacity sample calculation |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 53.4mm²/s91.2x faster | 0.585mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | 10,822W/m | not sourced |
| Melting point | 605–650°Csourcemelting range | not sourced |
| Values for | 5052-H32, Kaiser Aluminum tube & pipe typical datasheet (mechanical, CTE, melting); MIL-HDBK-5J (Poisson, density, specific heat) | Solid extruded clay/shale brick units (BIA 1993 manufacturer survey, TN 3A 2024); face brick of 130 lb/ft3 for thermal properties (BIA TN 4, from ASHRAE 2013); CTE is the TMS Code value for clay/shale masonry |
Every value links to the document that states it. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.
Questions
Is Aluminum 5052-H32 stronger than Brick?
Aluminum 5052-H32 is stronger: its yield strength is 195 MPa against tensile strength 5.1 MPa for Brick (38.2x).
Which is lighter, Aluminum 5052-H32 or Brick?
Brick is lighter: 2,082 kg/m³ against 2,685 kg/m³ for Aluminum 5052-H32.
Which is lighter for the same job, Aluminum 5052-H32 or Brick?
For the same stiffness or strength: Aluminum 5052-H32 is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
| Part that must be | Aluminum 5052-H32 | Brick |
|---|---|---|
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 29.6x heavier |
| Strong beam | lighter | 8.8x heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 4.79x heavier |
For the same stiffness or strength, mass scales with density over stiffness (or strength) raised to a power set by how the part is loaded: 1 for a rod in tension, 1/2 for a beam in bending, 1/3 for a panel (the standard material-selection indices).
Which conducts heat better, Aluminum 5052-H32 or Brick?
Aluminum 5052-H32 conducts heat better: 138 W/m·K against 1.02 W/m·K for Brick.
Which expands less with temperature?
Brick expands less: 7.2 µm/m·K against 23.8 µm/m·K for Aluminum 5052-H32.