Volumes of Brickwork

CHAPTER IX.

Quantities of Materials (Cont'd.)

IV. Special Methods of Measurement of Quantities.

1. Volumes of Brickwork.

In most instances of the use of brick in engineering construction work the amount of brickwork is estimated and paid for at a given price per thousand brick “laid” or “in the work.” In a great many cases the operation of determining the number of brick used in any given work is a very uncertain and often unsatisfactory one due to the irregular shape of brickwork and its varying quantity in different portions of the work.

This is especially true in the case of oval or irregular shape brick sewers where the very nature of the material excavated may cause a most irregular shape of cross-section, or in case of a tunnel such as shown in Fig. 6 of Plate V, where the cross-section of the brick linking would be constantly varying and would require measurements at near intervals— often a very difficult and almost impossible operation by ordinary methods.

The ability of the Planimeter to accurately measure the area of any figure regardless of the irregularity of its outline, and to give the measurement of that area in any desired unit and for any scale of drawing makes the instrument of very great value in this connection.

In Table 10 are given the Settings, Vernier Units and other factors for adjusting the Planimeter for use in the measurement of brickwork for all the commonly used scales.

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