BULETINUL INSTITUTULUI POLITEHNIC DIN IAŞI Publicat de Universitatea Tehnică „Gheorghe Asachi” din Iaşi Volumul 64 (68), Numărul 4, 2018 Secţia CONSTRUCŢII. ARHITECTURĂ INFLUENCE OF WATER ABSORPTION BY CAPILLARY ON THE MECHANICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CONCRETE BRICKS BY GABRIEL OPRIŞAN 1,* , DORINA NICOLINA ISOPESCU 1 , IULIAN DANIEL ZAPODEANU 1 , IOANA SORINA ENŢUC 1 , OVIDIU BUTNARU 2 and SEBASTIAN GEORGE MAXINEASA 1 1 ”Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iaşi, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Building Services 2 LEGO EKOBRICK SRL Received: October 29, 2018 Accepted for publication: December 3, 2018 Abstract. Technical approval of building materials like concrete bricks requires a series of investigations that relate to dimensions and tolerances, flatness, density, adhesion, compressive strength, water absorption through capillary, thermal conductivity, frost-thaw resistance, and reaction to fire. The authors conducted a series of experimental tests to study the effect of water absorption on compressive strengths and tensile strength from bending on concrete bricks. Thus, comparative graphs were plotted to highlight the differences; the specimen failure modes were also identified. Keywords: concrete bricks; water absobtion; compressive strength; tensile strength from bending. 1. Introduction Concrete bricks are obtained in the factory using special steel molds by hydraulic pressing. The composition of the concrete bricks utilised in this * Corresponding author: e-mail: gabriel.oprisan@tuiasi.ro