Alternative Building
Materials
MODULE 3 – BEHAVIOUR AND DESIGN OF
MASONRY
Overview
Masonry in Compression
Factors influencing compressive strength of masonry,
Behavior of masonry in compression,
Masonry in Shear and Flexure
Masonry bond between masonry unit and mortar
Test methods for determining flexural and shear bond strengths,
Factors affecting bond strength
Masonry wall: Design of unreinforced masonry under gravity loads
Factors influencing compressive strength of
masonry
Strength of masonry units
Height of masonry units
Solidity/ Hollowness
Moisture absorption
Strength of mortar
Plasticity and flow characteristics of mortar
Thickness of mortar, Type of masonry loading, The modular ratio, Direction of loading.
Factors influencing compressive strength of
masonry
Strength of masonry units
Masonry strength Increases with increase in masonry
unit strength
The increment of strength is not proportional
The masonry develops lateral tensile cracks – Higher
tensile strength is needed
Increase in compressive strength tensile strength
increases
The height to thickness ratio of prism/walletts > 3
Factors influencing compressive strength of
masonry
Strength of masonry units
Masonry strength Increases with increase in masonry
unit strength
The increment of strength is not proportional
The masonry develops lateral tensile cracks – Higher
tensile strength is needed
Increase in compressive strength tensile strength
increases
The height to thickness ratio of prism/walletts > 3
Factors influencing compressive strength of
masonry
Height of masonry units
The height of the burnt brick in wall is 75cm / 90cm
The height of the one course stone will be 18 to 19cm
The height of the unit has influence on
1. The strength of the unit – 3
2. Masonry efficiency – 0.2 to 0.9
Masonry efficiency is ratio of strength of masonry to
strength of masonry unit
The strength of unit decreases with increase in height
Factors influencing compressive strength of
masonry
Solidity of masonry unit
A masonry unit offers solid horizontal surface
It may have surface hollowed
The masonry with hollow will have a lower strength
The hollow masonry tested parallel to load has less
strength
The hollow masonry tested perpendicular to load has
greater strength
However strength of hollow brick masonry is less
compared to solid bricks
Factors influencing compressive strength of
masonry
Solidity of masonry unit
A masonry unit offers solid horizontal surface
It may have surface hollowed
The masonry with hollow will have a lower strength
The hollow masonry tested parallel to load has less
strength and Tested perpendicular to load has greater
strength
However strength of hollow brick masonry is less
compared to solid bricks
Factors influencing compressive strength of
masonry
Moisture absorption
The moisture absorption is important during cement
mortar application
The dry masonry unit absorbs the water from mortar
If loss moisture is significant the mortar strength
drastically reduces
A good masonry unit has moisture absorption values
between 10 to 15%
A wire cut brick needs 45 to 60 minutes soaking
Factors influencing compressive strength of
masonry
Strength of mortar
The compressive strength of masonry is insensitive to
mortar strength
The strength of mortar is important when high bond
strength is expected
The bond strength required when lateral loads to be
resisted
BIS suggests a mortar strength of 3MPa is adequate for
masonry application
Factors influencing compressive strength of
masonry
Plasticity and flow characteristics
Workability is an important parameter during early stage
The mortar shall be easily spread on brick unit
The brick placed on fresh mortar – It must flow and wet entire
surface of the brick
There must be good contact between the mortar and brick
Thickness of mortar
Increase in thickness of joint strength of brick masonry reduces
Factors influencing compressive strength of
masonry
Types of masonry bonding
Masonry bonds – Stack, English, Flemish bond
Blocks – Stretcher or Header bond is preferred
Stack bonded walls give better strength than English bond
Flemish bond is widely used in construction
The presence of middle joint is causes weakness – Masonry
fails by splitting through the middle.
Rat trap bond is famous amongst architects – Economy and
Better Thermal insulation
Factors influencing compressive strength of
masonry
Types of masonry bonding
Masonry bonds – Stack, English, Flemish bond
Blocks – Stretcher or Header bond is preferred
Stack bonded walls give better strength than English bond
Flemish bond is widely used in construction
The presence of middle joint is causes weakness – Masonry
fails by splitting through the middle.
Rat trap bond is famous amongst architects – Economy and
Better Thermal insulation
Factors influencing compressive strength of
masonry
Types of masonry bonding
Masonry bonds – Stack, English, Flemish bond
Blocks – Stretcher or Header bond is preferred
Stack bonded walls give better strength than English bond
Flemish bond is widely used in construction
The presence of middle joint is causes weakness – Masonry
fails by splitting through the middle.
Rat trap bond is famous amongst architects – Economy and
Better Thermal insulation
Factors influencing compressive strength of
masonry
Types of masonry bonding
Masonry bonds – Stack, English, Flemish bond
Blocks – Stretcher or Header bond is preferred
Stack bonded walls give better strength than English bond
Flemish bond is widely used in construction
The presence of middle joint is causes weakness – Masonry
fails by splitting through the middle.
Rat trap bond is famous amongst architects – Economy and
Better Thermal insulation - Mortar 1:4 is recommended
Factors influencing compressive strength of
masonry
Modular ratio
The ratio of modulus of mortar and brick shall be as close as
possible
It is desirable to have bricks of modulus higher than the mortar
Direction of loading
The vertical loads acts perpendicular to bed joints –
The strength of masonry parallel to the bed joint is important
Masonry in domes and vaults – Biaxial compression develops
The compressive strength in both direction in important
Factors influencing compressive strength of
masonry
Modular ratio
The ratio of modulus of mortar and brick shall be as close as
possible
It is desirable to have bricks of modulus higher than the mortar
Direction of loading
The vertical loads acts perpendicular to bed joints –
The strength of masonry parallel to the bed joint is important
Masonry in domes and vaults – Biaxial compression develops
The compressive strength in both direction in important
