Question

Statement (I): Bricks are soaked in water before using in brick masonry for removing dirt and dust.

Statement (II): Bricks are soaked in water before using in brick masonry so that bricks do not absorb moisture from the bonding cement mortar.

1. Both Statement (I) and Statement (II) are individually true and Statement (II) is the correct explanation of Statement (I)
2. Both Statement (I) and Statement (II) are individually true but Statement (II) is not the correct explanation of Statement (I)
3. Statement (I) is true but Statement (II) is false
4. Statement (I) is false but Statement (II) is true

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 2 : Both Statement (I) and Statement (II) are individually true but Statement (II) is not the correct explanation of Statement (I)

Concepts:

Advantages of soaking bricks before using it in brick masonry:

• If dry (not soaked in water) bricks are used in brick masonry it will start absorbing water from the wet mortar. Thus because of loss of water from mortar, hydration of cement will not take place and mortar will not gain strength. Hence, it will fail to make a strong bond between bricks and mortar leading to weak brick masonry wall.
• If the bricks are soaked in water for the required time, then soluble salt in the bricks will be leached out, and subsequently, efflorescence will be reduced.

Hence, both statement I and statement 2 are correct. But there is no cause-effect relation between these two statements, so statement II is not the correct explanation of statement I.