Category: Walls

Figure 17.14 Eccentricity due to unequal span in interior wall

In general, walls in buildings are commonly loaded with some eccentricity. Eccentricity may be caused due to one reason or another. Thus, there is a little possibility of establishing an exact relationship between factors which may cause eccentricity. Some of the factors which contribute for eccentricity on brick walls are: Thus a designer has to…

Ordinary masonry walls are reinforced with iron bars or expanded metal mesh and such walls are called reinforced brick walls. Here, the reinforcement, iron bars or expanded metal mesh are provided at every third or fourth course (Fig. 17.11). Figure 17.11 Reinforcement of brick wall with metal mesh Alternately flat bars of sections about 25 mm…

Slenderness ratio is the ratio of effective height or effective length to effective thickness of the masonry unit. Slenderness ratio is an important factor to be considered in the stability of a wall. For solid walls, the effective thickness is the actual thickness of the wall. For the solid walls which are adequately bonded with…

Effective thickness of a wall is an idealised thickness which reflects the behaviour of the wall. Effective thickness is determined as detailed below. Table 17.4 Stiffness coefficient where Sp = Centre to centre spacing of pier or cross wall wp = Width of pier in the direction of the wall or the actual thickness of cross wall tp = Thickness…

While deciding the length of walls, the following end support conditions are considered: Various combinations of the above conditions and the effective length of a wall are presented in Table 17.3 (Fig. 17.10). Table 17.3 Effective length of walls Source: IS: 1905, 1987. Note: (i) H = actual height of wall between centre of cross wall/pier. L = length of…

If both lateral and rotational restraints are offered by a support, then the wall is said to be fully restrained at the support. It is said to be partial, if only lateral restraint is provided. Combination of these two restraint cases yields different boundary conditions depending on location. The effective height of a wall is…

Masonry structures gain stability from support offered by cross walls, floors and roof. Load-bearing walls are structurally sound as long as the load is applied axially without any eccentricity. Lateral support for load-bearing walls or columns limit the slenderness of the structure. Further the lateral supports reduce the possibility of buckling of member due to…

Loads on walls may be classified based on the load–wall reaction. The load–wall interaction may be divided into the following two major groups: Vertical Loads Vertical loads may be uniformly distributed load or concentrated load. Loads acting parallel and along the axis of wall cause axial stress. Loads may act eccentrically. In such cases, these…