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MasonryWikipedia

Masonry
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Masonryisthebuildingofstructuresfromindividualunits,
whichareoftenlaidinandboundtogetherbymortarthe
termmasonrycanalsorefertotheunitsthemselves.The
commonmaterialsofmasonryconstructionarebrick,
buildingstonesuchasmarble,granite,travertine,and
limestone,caststone,concreteblock,glassblock,andcob.
Masonryisgenerallyahighlydurableformofconstruction.
However,thematerialsused,thequalityofthemortarand
workmanship,andthepatterninwhichtheunitsare
assembledcansignificantlyaffectthedurabilityofthe
overallmasonryconstruction.Apersonwhoconstructs
masonryiscalledamasonorbricklayer.

Contents

Amasonlayingmortarontopofafinishedcourse
ofblocks,priortoplacingthenextcourse.

1 Applications
1.1 Advantages
1.2 Disadvantages
1.3 Structurallimitations
2 Veneermasonry
3 Drysetmasonry
3.1 EnergyDissipationDevices
3.1.1 SemiInterlockingMasonry
4 Brick
4.1 Uniformityandrusticity
4.2 Serpentinemasonry
5 Concreteblock
6 Ajacks
7 Stonework
8 Gabions
9 Baggedconcrete
10 Masonrytraining
11 Passivefireprotection(PFP)
12 Mechanicalmodellingofmasonrystructures
13 Seealso
14 References
15 Externallinks

Applications
Masonry[1]iscommonlyusedforthewallsofbuildings,retainingwallsandbuildings.Brickandconcrete
blockarethemostcommontypesofmasonryinuseinindustrializednationsandmaybeeitherweightbearing
oraveneer.Concreteblocks,especiallythosewithhollowcores,offervariouspossibilitiesinmasonry
construction.Theygenerallyprovidegreatcompressivestrength,andarebestsuitedtostructureswithlight
transverseloadingwhenthecoresremainunfilled.Fillingsomeorallofthecoreswithconcreteorconcrete
withsteelreinforcement(typicallyrebar)offersmuchgreatertensileandlateralstrengthtostructures.

Advantages
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Theuseofmaterialsuchasbricksandstonescanincreasethethermalmassofabuildingandcanprotect
thebuildingfromfire.
Mosttypesofmasonrytypicallywillnotrequirepaintingandsocanprovideastructurewithreduced
lifecyclecosts.
Masonryisnoncombustibleproduct.
Masonrywallsaremoreresistanttoprojectiles,suchasdebrisfromhurricanesortornadoes.
Masonrystructuresbuiltincompressionpreferablywithlimemortarcanhaveausefullifeofmorethan
500yearsascomparedto30to100forstructuresofsteelorreinforcedconcrete.
Bricksarefireresistingmaterial

Disadvantages
Extremeweather,undercertaincircumstances,cancausedegradationofmasonryduetoexpansionand
contractionsforcesassociatedwithfreezethawcycles.
Masonrytendstobeheavyandmustbebuiltuponastrongfoundation,suchasreinforcedconcrete,to
avoidsettlingandcracking.
Otherthanconcrete,masonryconstructiondoesnotlenditselfwelltomechanization,andrequiresmore
skilledlaborthanstickframing.
Masonryconsistsofloosecomponentsandhasalowtolerancetooscillationascomparedtoother
materialssuchasreinforcedconcrete,plastics,wood,ormetals.

Structurallimitations
Masonryhashighcompressivestrengthunderverticalloadsbuthaslowtensilestrength(againsttwistingor
stretching)unlessreinforced.Thetensilestrengthofmasonrywallscanbeincreasedbythickeningthewall,or
bybuildingmasonrypiers(verticalcolumnsorribs)atintervals.Wherepractical,steelreinforcementssuchas
windpostscanbeadded.

Veneermasonry
Amasonryveneerwallconsistsofmasonryunits,usuallyclaybasedbricks,installedononeorbothsidesofa
structurallyindependentwallusuallyconstructedofwoodormasonry.Inthiscontextthebrickmasonryis
primarilydecorative,notstructural.Thebrickveneerisgenerallyconnectedtothestructuralwallbybrickties
(metalstripsthatareattachedtothestructuralwall,aswellasthemortarjointsofthebrickveneer).Thereis
typicallyanairgapbetweenthebrickveneerandthestructuralwall.Asclaybasedbrickisusuallynot
completelywaterproof,thestructuralwallwilloftenhaveawaterresistantsurface(usuallytarpaper)andweep
holescanbeleftatthebaseofthebrickveneertodrainmoisturethataccumulatesinsidetheairgap.Concrete
blocks,realandculturedstones,andveneeradobearesometimesusedinaverysimilarveneerfashion.
Mostinsulatedbuildingsthatutilizeconcreteblock,brick,adobe,stone,veneersorsomecombinationthereof
featureinteriorinsulationintheformoffiberglassbattsbetweenwoodenwallstudsorintheformofrigid
insulationboardscoveredwithplasterordrywall.Inmostclimatesthisinsulationismuchmoreeffectiveonthe
exteriorofthewall,allowingthebuildinginteriortotakeadvantageoftheaforementionedthermalmassofthe
masonry.Thistechniquedoes,however,requiresomesortofweatherresistantexteriorsurfaceoverthe
insulationand,consequently,isgenerallymoreexpensive.

Drysetmasonry
Thestrengthofamasonrywallisnotentirelydependentonthebondbetweenthebuildingmaterialandthe
mortarthefrictionbetweentheinterlockingblocksofmasonryisoftenstrongenoughtoprovideagreatdeal
ofstrengthonitsown.Theblockssometimeshavegroovesorothersurfacefeaturesaddedtoenhancethis
interlocking,andsomedrysetmasonrystructuresforgomortaraltogether.

EnergyDissipationDevices
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SemiInterlockingMasonry
orSIMisamortarlessmasonrysystem.Thisisanewtypeofmasonry
blockusesspecialcurvaturetoallowthemasonryblocktostable
throughselfweightwhenconstructedasapanel.Theprincipalpractice
ofthispanelistohelpdissipateexternalenergy,primarilydueto
seismicloadings.Thebasicconceptistogeneratefrictionbetweeneach
elementofthepanelthroughmovementstodissipateenergy.SIM
blockswascreatedbasedondrystackmasonrybyDrYuriTotoevfrom
UniversityofNewcastle,[2]firstintroducedinprintin2011inthe
AdvanceMaterialResearchJournal.[3]Thistheorywasbasedonthe
previouslyresearchedideaondrystackmasonrywall,energy
dissipationdependsignificantlyonthetexturalarrangementofthe
stones.[4]TheideaofSIMpanelistoimproveonthetraditional
reinforcedmasonry.Thedesignprincipalistoallowconstruction
withouttherequirementsoftraditionalreinforcedmasonry.
Wheneachblocksareconstructedasapanelwithinsupportingcolumn,
itisknownas"Infillpanels".TwotypesofSIMblockareavailable,
mechanicalandtopological.MechanicalaredescribedasTraditional
shapedbrickswithspecialperforationsanddowelsallowsSIMblocks
tointerlock.Topologicalcanbedescribedasmasonryblockscontains
specificcurvaturewhichallowstheblockstointerlockingwitheach
other,whileaddingadditionalwaterresistanceproperties.

Brick

Drysetmasonrysupportsarusticlog
bridge,whereitprovidesawell
drainedsupportforthelog(which
willincreaseitsservicelife).

SIMInfillPanel(Left),Topological
SIMblock(TopRight)and
Mechanical(BottomLeft)

Solidbrickworkismadeoftwoormorewythesofbrickswiththeunits
runninghorizontally(calledstretcherbricks)boundtogetherwithbricksrunningtransversetothewall(called
"header"bricks).Eachrowofbricksisknownasacourse.Thepatternofheadersandstretchersemployed
givesrisetodifferentbondssuchasthecommonbond(witheverysixthcoursecomposedofheaders),the
Englishbond,andtheFlemishbond(withalternatingstretcherandheaderbrickspresentoneverycourse).
Bondscandifferinstrengthandininsulatingability.Verticallystaggeredbondstendtobesomewhatstronger
andlesspronetomajorcrackingthananonstaggeredbond.

Uniformityandrusticity
Thewideselectionofbrickstylesandtypesgenerallyavailablein
industrializednationsallowmuchvarietyintheappearanceofthefinal
product.Inbuildingsbuiltduringthe1950s1970s,ahighdegreeof
uniformityofbrickandaccuracyinmasonrywastypical.Intheperiod
sincethenthisstylewasthoughttobetoosterile,soattemptswere
madetoemulateolder,rougherwork.Somebricksurfacesaremadeto
lookparticularlyrusticbyincludingburntbricks,whichhaveadarker
colororanirregularshape.Othersmayuseantiquesalvagebricks,or
newbricksmaybeartificiallyagedbyapplyingvarioussurface
treatments,suchastumbling.Theattemptsatrusticityofthelate20th
centuryhavebeencarriedforwardbymasonsspecializinginafree,
artisticstyle,wherethecoursesareintentionallynotstraight,instead
weavingtoformmoreorganicimpressions.

Masonryrepairworkdonetoabrick
wall.

Serpentinemasonry
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Acrinklecranklewallisabrickwallthatfollowsaserpentinepath,ratherthanastraightline.Thistypeofwall
ismoreresistanttotopplingthanastraightwallsomuchsothatitmaybemadeofasinglewytheof
unreinforcedbrickandsodespiteitslongerlengthmaybemoreeconomicalthanastraightwall.

Concreteblock
Blocksofcinderconcrete(cinderblocksorbreezeblocks),ordinary
concrete(concreteblocks),orhollowtilearegenericallyknownas
ConcreteMasonryUnits(CMUs).Theyusuallyaremuchlargerthan
ordinarybricksandsoaremuchfastertolayforawallofagivensize.
Furthermore,cinderandconcreteblockstypicallyhavemuchlower
waterabsorptionratesthanbrick.Theyoftenareusedasthestructural
coreforveneeredbrickmasonry,orareusedaloneforthewallsof
factories,garagesandotherindustrialstylebuildingswheresuch
appearanceisacceptableordesirable.Suchblocksoftenreceivea
stuccosurfacefordecoration.Surfacebondingcement,whichcontains
syntheticfibersforreinforcement,issometimesusedinthisapplication
andcanimpartextrastrengthtoablockwall.Surfacebondingcement
isoftenprecolouredandcanbestainedorpaintedthusresultingina
finishedstuccolikesurface.

Concretemasonryunits(CMUs)or
blocksinabasementwallbefore
burial.

TheprimarystructuraladvantageofconcreteblocksincomparisontosmallerclaybasedbricksisthataCMU
wallcanbereinforcedbyfillingtheblockvoidswithconcretewithorwithoutsteelrebar.Generally,certain
voidsaredesignatedforfillingandreinforcement,particularlyatcorners,wallends,andopeningswhileother
voidsareleftempty.Thisincreaseswallstrengthandstabilitymoreeconomicallythanfillingandreinforcing
allvoids.Typically,structuresmadeofCMUswillhavethetopcourseofblocksinthewallsfilledwith
concreteandtiedtogetherwithsteelreinforcementtoformabondbeam.Bondbeamsareoftenarequirement
ofmodernbuildingcodesandcontrols.Anothertypeofsteelreinforcement,referredtoasladder
reinforcement,canalsobeembeddedinhorizontalmortarjointsofconcreteblockwalls.Theintroductionof
steelreinforcementgenerallyresultsinaCMUwallhavingmuchgreaterlateralandtensilestrengththan
unreinforcedwalls.
CMUscanbemanufacturedtoprovideavarietyofsurfaceappearances.Theycanbecoloredduring
manufacturingorstainedorpaintedafterinstallation.Theycanbesplitaspartofthemanufacturingprocess,
givingtheblocksaroughfacereplicatingtheappearanceofnaturalstone,suchasbrownstone.CMUsmayalso
bescored,ribbed,sandblasted,polished,striated(rakedorbrushed),includedecorativeaggregates,beallowed
toslumpinacontrolledfashionduringcuring,orincludeseveralofthesetechniquesintheirmanufactureto
provideadecorativeappearance.[5]
"Glazedconcretemasonryunitsaremanufacturedbybondingapermanentcoloredfacing(typicallycomposed
ofpolyesterresins,silicasandandvariousotherchemicals)toaconcretemasonryunit,providingasmooth
impervioussurface."[6]
Glassblockorglassbrickareblocksmadefromglassandprovideatranslucenttoclearvisionthroughthe
block.

Ajacks
Ajacks(usedinerosioncontrolwallsandseawalls)arehighlystable,concrete6prongedarmorunits
designedtointerlockintoaflexible,highlypermeablematrix.Theycanbeinstalledeitherrandomlyorina
uniformpattern.Theylooklikegiant3footversionsofthemetaljacksthatchildrenplaywith.
Intheuniformplacementpattern,eachunitisincontactwiththesixadjacentunits,providinghighstability.
Theyarepatternedafterthebuckyballmodel.[7]
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Stonework
Stoneblocksusedinmasonrycanbedressedorrough,thoughinbothexamples:corners,doorandwindow
jambs,andsimilarareasareusuallydressed.Stonemasonryutilizingdressedstonesisknownasashlar
masonry,whereasmasonryusingirregularlyshapedstonesisknownasrubblemasonry.Bothrubbleandashlar
masonrycanbelaidincoursedrowsofevenheightthroughthecarefulselectionorcuttingofstones,buta
greatdealofstonemasonryisuncoursed.
Slipformstonemasonryproducesahybridwallofreinforcedconcretewitharubblestoneface.
NaturalstoneveneersoverCMU,castinplace,ortiltupconcretewallsarewidelyusedtogivethe
appearanceofstonemasonry.
Sometimesriverrockofsmoothovalshapedstonesisusedasaveneer.Thistypeofmaterialisnot
favoredforsolidmasonryasitrequiresagreatamountofmortarandcanlackintrinsicstructural
strength.
Manufacturedstone,orculturedstone,veneersarepopularalternativestonaturalstones.
Manufacturedstoneveneersaretypicallymadefromconcrete.
Naturalstonesfromquarriesaroundtheworldaresampledandrecreatedusingmolds,aggregate,and
colorfastpigments.
Tothecasualobservertheremaybenovisualdifferencebetweenveneersofnaturalandmanufactured
stone.

Gabions
Gabionsarebaskets,usuallynowofzincprotectedsteel(galvanizedsteel)thatarefilledwithfracturedstoneof
mediumsize.Thesewillactasasingleunitandarestackedwithsetbackstoformarevetmentorretainingwall.
Theyhavetheadvantageofbeingbothwelldrainedandflexible,andsoresistanttoflood,waterflowfrom
above,frostdamage,andsoilflow.Theirexpectedusefullifeisonlyaslongasthewiretheyarecomposedof
andifusedinsevereclimates(suchasshoresideinasaltwaterenvironment)mustbemadeofappropriate
corrosionresistantwire.Mostmoderngabionsarerectangular.
Earliergabionswereoftencylindricalwickerbaskets,openatbothends,usedusuallyfortemporary,often
military,construction.
Similarworkcanbedonewithfineraggregatesusingcellularconfinement.

Baggedconcrete
Alowgradeconcretemaybeplacedinwovenplasticsackssimilartothatusedforsandbagsandthen
emplaced.Thesacksarethenwateredandtheemplacementthenbecomesaseriesofartificialstonesthat
conformtooneanotherandtoadjacentsoilandstructures.Thisconformationmakesthemresistantto
displacement.Thesackbecomesnonfunctionalandeventuallydisintegrates.Thistypeofmasonryis
frequentlyusedtoprotecttheentrancesandexitsofwaterconduitswherearoadpassesoverastreamordry
wash.Itisalsousedtoprotectstreambanksfromerosion,especiallywherearoadpassescloseby.

Masonrytraining
Stonemasonryisoneoftheearliestcraftsinthehistoryofconstruction.Itisacentraltraditionalskill.

Passivefireprotection(PFP)
Masonrywallshaveanendothermiceffectofitshydrates,asinchemicallyboundwater,aswellasunbound
moisturefromtheconcreteblock,aswellasthepouredconcreteifthehollowcoresinsidetheblocksarefilled.
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Masonrybuildingscanalsobebuilttoincreasesafetybyreducingfiredamage,suchastheuseoffirecuts
duringconstruction.

Mechanicalmodellingofmasonrystructures
Fromthepointofviewofmaterialmodelling,masonryisa
specialmaterialofextrememechanicalproperties(witha
veryhighratiobetweenstrengthincompressionandin
tension),sothattheappliedloadsdonotdiffuseastheydo
inelasticbodies,buttendtopercolatealonglinesofhigh
stiffness,[8][9]seethefigureontherightandwatchavideo
(http://www.ing.unitn.it/dims/ssmg/masonry.html)formore
details.

Seealso
Mason
Contractors
Associationof
America
Caststone
Castle
TC125
(European
Union)
Defensive
wall
Drystonewall
Fireprotection
International
Unionof
Bricklayers
andAllied
Craftworkers

Listofstone
Operative
Plasterers'and
CementMasons'
International
Association
Concretefinisher
NISTstonetest
wall
Passivefire
protection
Rubblemasonry
Stonewall
Stonemasonry
Tuckpointing

Acomparison(usingtransmissionphotoelasticity)
betweenthestressdiffusioninanelasticbody(on
theleft)andamodelofmasonry(ontheright).A
highlylocalizedstresspercolationisvisibleonthe
right.

References
1.RepairingMasonry(2015)."TipsforRepairingMasonry".Retrieved20150414.
2."Developmentofearthquakeresistantmasonry".www.newcastle.edu.au.20130911.Retrieved20160516.
3.Kun,Lin,Z.,Totoev,YuriJun,Liu,Hong(20110101)."InPlaneCyclicTestonFramedDryStackMasonry
Panel".AdvancedMaterialsResearch.163167:38993903.doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.163167.3899.
ISSN16628985.
4."http://ascelibrary.org/doi/10.1061/%2528ASCE%2529ST.1943541X.0000053".JournalofStructuralEngineering.
135:12691277.doi:10.1061/(asce)st.1943541x.0000053.Externallinkin|title=(help)
5.http://www.ncma.org/resources/productuse/products/concrete/Pages/GroundFaceUnits%28Burnished,Honed%29.aspx
6.http://www.ncma.org/resources/productuse/products/concrete/Pages/Glazed%28Prefaced%29Units.aspx
7.EROSIONCONTROL|StabilizingStreambanks(http://www.gradingandexcavation.com/ecm_0511_stabilizing.html)
8.D.BigoniandG.Noselli,Localizedstresspercolationthroughdrymasonrywalls.PartIExperiments.European
JournalofMechanicsA/Solids,2010,29,291298.(http://www.ing.unitn.it/~bigoni)
9.D.BigoniandG.Noselli,Localizedstresspercolationthroughdrymasonrywalls.PartIIModelling.European
JournalofMechanicsA/Solids,2010,29,299307.(http://www.ing.unitn.it/~bigoni)
WikimediaCommonshas
mediarelatedtoMasonry.
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"Finiteelementmodelcorrelationandcalibrationofhistoric
masonrymonuments:review".TheStructuralDesignofTalland
SpecialBuildings.21:96113.doi:10.1002/tal.577.
Sarhosis,V.Sheng,Y.(2014)."Identificationofmaterial
parametersforlowbondstrengthmasonry".EngineeringStructures.60:100110.
doi:10.1016/j.engstruct.2013.12.013.

Externallinks
MasonContractorsAssociationofAmerica(http://www.masoncontractors.org)
InternationalMasonryInstitute(http://www.imiweb.org)
NationalConcreteMasonryAssociation(http://www.ncma.org)
MasonryInstituteofAmerica(http://www.masonryinstitute.org/)
Anillustratedglossaryofthetermsusedmasonryconstruction.(http://www.builderbilldiyhelp.com/ma
sonryglossary.html)
Retrievedfrom"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Masonry&oldid=745645879"
Categories: Masonry Stonemasonry Buildingmaterials Buildingstone Construction
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