Example 3: Analysis of brick walls stiffened with piers

A 3.5 m high wall shown in cross-section is constructed from clay bricks of standard
format size having a declared air dried mean compressive strength of 30 Nmm2 laid
in a 1:1:6 mortar. Calculate the ultimate load bearing capacity of the wall assuming
the partial safety factor for materials is 3.0 and the resistance to lateral loading is (A)
enhanced and (B) simple.

Solution:
ASSUMING ENHANCED RESISTANCE
Characteristic compressive strength (fk)
Conditioning factor = 1 since the declared strengths are on air dried units.
Shape factor = 0.85 since the bricks are standard format size.
Declared mean compressive strength of bricks is 30 Nmm2.
Normalised compressive strength, fb, is given by
fb = conditioning factor shape factor declared mean compressive
strength
= 1.0 0.85 30 = 25.5 Nmm2
1:1:6 mix corresponds to a grade M4 mortar. The characteristic compressive
strength of masonry, fk, is given by

Capacity reduction factor (S)

Slenderness ratio (SR)
With enhanced resistance the effective height of wall, hef, is given by

Hence stiffness coefficient t = 1.2. The effective thickness of the wall, tef, is equal to

Capacity reduction factor

Eccentricity at the top and bottom of the wall, ei
Mi/N = 0 since the wall is axially loaded
ehi = 0, since there are no horizontal loads present
einit = hef/450 = 2625/450 = 5.83 mm
ei = Mi/Ni + ehi einit = 0 + 0 + 5.83 < 0.05t = 0.05 215 = 10.75 mm
Hence ei = 0.05t and i = 1 2ei/t = 1 2 (0.05t)/t = 0.9
Eccentricity of the design load in the middle of the wall, emk
Mmd/Nmd = 0
ehm = 0, since there are no horizontal loads present
einit = hef/450 = 2625/450 = 5.83 mm
em = Mi/Ni + ehi einit = 0 + 0 + 5.83 < 0.05t = 0.05 215 = 10.75 mm
emk = em + ek = 0.05t + 0 = 0.05t, hence emk = 0.05t
Modulus of elasticity of masonry, E = 1000fk (Cl. 2.9 of National Annex to EC 6)

Design resistance of wall (NRd)

Safety factor for material (sM)
M = 3.0
Design resistance of wall

Hence the ultimate load capacity of wall, assuming enhanced resistance, is 434
kNm1 run of wall.
ASSUMING SIMPLE RESISTANCE
Characteristic compressive strength (fk)
As before, fk =
= 0.5 25.50.7 40.3 = 7.3 Nmm2
Capacity reduction factor (S)
2

Slenderness ratio (SR)

Since the end restraints are simple
hef = actual height = 3500 mm
tef = 258 mm (as above)
Hence

Capacity reduction factor

Eccentricity at the top and bottom of the wall, ei
Mi/N = 0 since the wall is axially loaded
ehi = 0, since there are no horizontal loads present
einit = hef/450 = 3500/450 = 7.77 mm
ei = Mi/Ni + ehi einit = 0 + 0 + 7.7 = 7.7 mm < 0.05t = 0.05 215 = 10.75
mm
Hence ei = 0.05t and i = 1 2ei/t = 1 2 (0.05t)/t = 0.9
Eccentricity of the design load in the middle of the wall, emk
Mmd/Nmd = 0
ehm = 0, since there are no horizontal loads present
einit = hef/450 = 3500/450 = 7.77 mm
em = Mmd/Nmd + ehm einit = 0 + 0 + 5.83 = 5.83 mm < 0.05t = 0.05 215 =
10.75 mm
emk = em + ek = 0.05t + 0 = 0.05t, hence emk = 0.05t.
Assuming E = 1000fk (as above), implies that

Design resistance of wall (NRd)

The design vertical load resistance of the wall, NRd, is given by:

Hence it can be immediately seen that, all other factors being equal, walls having
simple resistance have a lower resistance to failure.