200GPasourcebase material: AISI 1025 plain carbon steel (MIL-HDBK-5J design value; ASTM A108 bar is the cold-finished carbon-steel bar spec that also covers 1018)
Density
2,082kg/m³sourceface brick density row used for k (BIA notes most fired clay brick 120-130 lb/ft3)
7,861kg/m³sourcebase material: AISI 1025 plain carbon steel (MIL-HDBK-5J design value; ASTM A108 bar is the cold-finished carbon-steel bar spec that also covers 1018)
Strength to weight
2.45kN·m/kg
47.3kN·m/kg19.3x higher
Stiffness to weight
not sourced
25.4MN·m/kg
Poisson's ratio
not sourced
0.32sourcebase material: AISI 1025 plain carbon steel (MIL-HDBK-5J design value; ASTM A108 bar is the cold-finished carbon-steel bar spec that also covers 1018)
Shear modulus
not sourced
75.7GPa
Bulk modulus
not sourced
185GPa
Speed of sound
not sourced
5,043m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity
0.92–1.12W/m·Ksourcerange for 130 lb/ft3 face brick (ASHRAE 2013 via BIA)
51.9W/m·Ksourcebase material: AISI 1025 plain carbon steel (MIL-HDBK-5J design value; ASTM A108 bar is the cold-finished carbon-steel bar spec that also covers 1018)
Thermal expansion
7.2µm/m·KsourceTMS Code average coefficient, clay/shale unit masonry
12µm/m·Ksourcebase material: unalloyed carbon steel, Ovako family table (S275JR, 'none alloyed structural steels', C <= 0.21%); mean 20-300 °C
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing
36µm growth1.67x less
60µm growth
Specific heat
837J/kg·Ksourcevalue used in BIA heat-capacity sample calculation
486J/kg·Ksourcebase material: AISI 1025 plain carbon steel (MIL-HDBK-5J design value; ASTM A108 bar is the cold-finished carbon-steel bar spec that also covers 1018)
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)
0.585mm²/s
13.6mm²/s23.2x faster
Thermal shock resistance
not sourced
5,473W/m
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
AISI 1018 cold drawn bar (Niagara LaSalle, cold-finished bar producer)
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 Steel AISI 1018?
Steel AISI 1018 is stronger: its yield strength is 372 MPa against tensile strength 5.1 MPa for Brick (72.9x).
Which is lighter, Brick or Steel AISI 1018?
Brick is lighter: 2,082 kg/m³ against 7,861 kg/m³ for Steel AISI 1018.
Which is lighter for the same job, Brick or Steel AISI 1018?
For the same stiffness or strength: Steel AISI 1018 is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
Part that must be
Brick
Steel AISI 1018
Strong rod or tie
19.3x heavier
lighter
Strong beam
4.62x heavier
lighter
Strong panel or plate
2.26x 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 Steel AISI 1018?
Steel AISI 1018 conducts heat better: 51.9 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 12 µm/m·K for Steel AISI 1018.