Brick vs. Plastic PMMA

Compare Brick vs. Plastic PMMA strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

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Plastic PMMABulk polymer (molded or machined)

Mechanical
Try it on a partA sample part to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser	Open in LessCAD	Open in LessCAD
Yield strength	not given (tensile used)	not given (tensile used)
Ultimate tensile strength	5.1MPasourcemodulus of rupture (no direct tensile value)	80MPasourcetypical, 23 °C
Compressive strength	77.9MPasourcemean unit compressive strength, solid extruded brick (survey mean; SD 30.8 MPa)	110MPasourcecompressive yield stress, typical
Flexural strength	not sourced	115MPasourcetypical
Elongation at break	not sourced	5.5%sourcetypical
Young's modulus (stiffness)	not sourced	3.3GPasourcetypical, short-term
Density	2,082kg/m³sourceface brick density row used for k (BIA notes most fired clay brick 120-130 lb/ft3)	1,190kg/m³sourcetypical
Strength to weight	2.45kN·m/kg	67.2kN·m/kg27.4x higher
Stiffness to weight	not sourced	2.77MN·m/kg
Poisson's ratio	not sourced	0.37sourcetypical
Shear modulus	not sourced	1.2GPa
Bulk modulus	not sourced	4.23GPa
Speed of sound	not sourced	1,665m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity	0.92–1.12W/m·Ksourcerange for 130 lb/ft3 face brick (ASHRAE 2013 via BIA)	0.19W/m·Ksourcetypical
Thermal expansion	7.2µm/m·KsourceTMS Code average coefficient, clay/shale unit masonry	70µm/m·Ksource0-50 °C
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing	36µm growth9.72x less	350µm growth
Specific heat	837J/kg·Ksourcevalue used in BIA heat-capacity sample calculation	1,470J/kg·Ksourcetypical
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)	0.585mm²/s5.39x faster	0.109mm²/s
Thermal shock resistance	not sourced	41.5W/m
Max service temperature	not sourced	80°Csourcemax. permanent service temperature
Values for	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	Röhm PLEXIGLAS GS 0F00 cast acrylic sheet, typical values at 23 °C / 50 % RH (Röhm Technical Information Ref. No. 211-1)

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 Brick stronger than Plastic PMMA?

Plastic PMMA is stronger: its tensile strength is 80 MPa against 5.1 MPa for Brick (15.7x).

Which is lighter, Brick or Plastic PMMA?

Plastic PMMA is lighter: 1,190 kg/m³ against 2,082 kg/m³ for Brick.

Which is lighter for the same job, Brick or Plastic PMMA?

For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic PMMA is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.

Part that must be	Brick	Plastic PMMA
Strong rod or tie	27.4x heavier	lighter
Strong beam	11x heavier	lighter
Strong panel or plate	6.93x heavier	lighter

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, Brick or Plastic PMMA?

Brick conducts heat better: 1.02 W/m·K against 0.19 W/m·K for Plastic PMMA.

Which expands less with temperature?

Brick expands less: 7.2 µm/m·K against 70 µm/m·K for Plastic PMMA.

Among 59 materials

Stiffness against density

Strength against density