Concrete masonry unit, solid, various sizes (90mm, 140mm, 190mm wall thickness)
Solid concrete masonry units (CMUs) are factory-made blocks for masonry walls. Adbri's Besser Block guide lists standard series sizes 390 x 190 x 90/140/190 mm (L x H x W) and includes full-length solid units (e.g., 390 x 190 x 90). Adbri Masonry notes concrete blockwork is manufactured to AS/NZS 4455.1 and tested to AS/NZS 4456, and AS 3700 sets the method for determining masonry fire resistance.
- Loadbearing walls in residential and commercial construction
- Fire-rated wall assemblies and fire compartments
- Acoustic barriers and sound isolation walls
- Retaining walls and basement construction
- Industrial and warehouse structural walls
- Educational and healthcare facility walls
- Boundary walls requiring fire separation
- Lift and stair shaft construction
Portland cement (1832) enabled precast concrete blocks; Harmon S. Palmer patented a solid block machine (1889) and a hollow block machine (1899), which with a 1901 concrete wall patent marked the start of modern concrete blocks. Modern block use expanded again in the early 1950s with mechanised block-making (including Besser Vibrapac machines in 1953), and since 1983 manufacture has been harmonised under AS/NZS 4455.1.
DISCLAIMER: This specification document is generated from the CLAD Materials Atlas Database. Information is for general guidance only and does not constitute professional engineering advice. Values are typical and may vary by batch, manufacturer, and production run. Verify suitability for specific project applications independently.