Identifying unusual bricks / blocks (12" x 9" x ?")

Hi,

The gable end of my 1930/40s brick house has these strange bricks/blocks (picture attached) on the inner leaf. They seem to be made of clay like conventional bricks. I have been googling images but find nothing comparable. Does anyone know what they are called so that I can research them to check their load bearing strength?

I will need to rest an RSJ on a bearing plate on this wall (next to the purlin, and to support new floor joists), however I'm concerned that these bricks might be "hollow" as when I have tried drilling into them I hit air. Structural engineer to follow in the future, but assessing feasibility for now. In this picture there might be conventional bricks lower down, but at the other end I'm definitely going to need them to take some load.

Thanks,
Peter

They look like clay pot bricks from the continent. Seen them on a few over here and had to do some lintel bearing remedial work on a house local to Staffs. Not the best structurally speaking. They are not designed to take large structural point loads.

Thanks, noseall. How did you get around this? Perhaps with an extended length of bearing?

Jonesyme said:

Does anyone know what they are called so that I can research them to check their load bearing strength?

Click to expand...

google terracotta blocks

Thanks, that helped. I have found lots of info under structural clay tile prisms. I think BS5628-1 table 2c is relevant for compressive strength (using the Bennet article below for typical unit strengths).

useful links:
Bennet "COMPRESSIVE PROPERTIES OF STRUCTURAL CLAY TILE PRISMS"
http://www.iitk.ac.in/nicee/wcee/article/13_1601.pdf

My mid 50's gough cooper house has them in various places.
Yes they're hollow but with internal divisions presumably for strength.
A bloody nightmare if putting up shelves!

They tend to be in odd places but I have a lot more upstairs so maybe weight was a motive?

Jonesyme said:

Thanks, noseall. How did you get around this? Perhaps with an extended length of bearing?

Click to expand...

I employed an SE who recommended we remove all immediate lintel bearings and replace with solid engineering bricks.