Keywords: masonry, induced tension, joint mortar, probability, thin layer joint mortar, bearing capacity.

This paper deals with the bearing capacity of masonry walls under lateral loads. Four different series of experimental measures have been collected, representing a total number of twenty walls tested at the Scientific and Technical Center for Buildings (CSTB, France) [1]. The constitutive materials of the walls and the geometrical features of the walls are:

• Orthotropic blocks (masonry or concrete units), with either horizontal or vertical cells. Their geometrical dimensions are such that the thickness is either equal to 0.2m or 0.38m while the ratios (height/length) range from 0.4 up to 1. The compressive strength of the blocks are in relative ratios (horizontal/vertical strengths) ranging from 0.11 up to 3.11.
• Joints made of mortar or thin layers of mortar. The vertical joints might be either empty or full while the horizontal joints are full for the whole experiments reported in the paper.
• Walls with lengths ranging from 1 m up to 3.75 m while the height ranges from 2.5 m up to 2.8 m.

An existing model [2,3,4,5], relying on the principle of wall failure by its diagonal in compression, has herein been applied and its results have been compared with the experimental values for the twenty available walls. The model for the compression diagonal provides results that range within the interval [0.52 up to 2.67] times the experimental bearing capacity of the masonry walls.

The authors have therefore developed a simplified model that assumes that the wall will fail by induced tension in the perpendicular direction of the diagonal of either the blocks or the walls. Compared to the experimental values collected in this paper, this simplified mechanical model provides theoretical bearing capacity values that are in good agreement with the observed values.

1

CSTB, Rapport d'étude N^o ES 553 03 0142 (CSTB) and No ES 553 04 0181.

2

Cruz Diaz J.I., "Etude des murs de contreventement en maçonnerie d'éléments de terre cuite", Thèse de Doctorat Université de Marne La Vallée, France (2000).

3

Cruz Diaz I., Sellier A., Capra B., Delmotte P., Rivillon P. & Mébarki A., "Resistance of masonry wind braced walls. Simplified model and experimental validation", International Masonry Journal, 15 (3) 73-79 (2002).

4

Abdou L., Ami Saada R., Meftah F. & Mébarki A., "On the sliding behaviour of the brick-mortar interface: An experimental study", Masonry International Journal, British Masonry Society, UK, 17 (3) 129-134 (2004).

5

Abdou L., Ami Saada R., Meftah F. & Mébarki A., "Experimental investigation of the joint mortar behaviour", Mechanics Research Communications, Elsevier (in Press, 2005). doi:10.1016/j.mechrescom.2005.02.026

purchase the full-text of this paper (price £20)

go to the previous paper
go to the next paper
return to the table of contents
return to the book description
purchase this book (price £140 +P&P)