×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

maximum span.

maximum span.

maximum span.

(OP)

Does anyone know where I could find out the maximum span of an unsupported 215mm masonry wall. The wall would be supported only at its ends and would be tied into other walls at those ends.

Imagine the floor the wall was on 'disappearing'.

Thanks

Matt.

RE: maximum span.

In the US, this is a function of many factors such as:

1. Vertical gravity loads (deal and live)
2. Eccentricity of the gravity loads
3. Lateral loads (wind and seismic)
4. The wall end/boundary conditions (pin/pin, fixed/pin)
5. Building code requirements (local, national, and ACI, etc.)
6. Strength of masonry, type of bond, type and strength of mortar.

I do not think you will find a chart that says certain size masonry wall will span so much without due consideration to the bullets mentioned above.


RE: maximum span.

MSfire, don't you think it may create problems regarding earthquakes to have a masonry wall which is not supported by a beam at the bottom along its length?

umitk2211

RE: maximum span.

(OP)
Hi

The question arises when the composite floor the wall is normally sitting on sags due to a fire below heating the supporting beams.  The performance of the wall at this point is being investigated.

I suspect the wall will arch, however is there any supporting documentation you are aware of for this case?

Thanks

MSFIRE

RE: maximum span.

Even unreinforced masonry can arch under right conditions.  In old masonry buildings you frequently can see the masonry over window and door openings cracked starting at the jambs and stepping up at approximately 45 degrees meeting in the middle (forming a triangle).  That happens when the lintel is not stiff enough.  Frequently lintels are designed to support only the triangular portion of the masonry.  Some engineers use the 45 degree others a 60 degree angle.  The triangle usually is assumed to be placed above the lintel, which comes into play with masonry or concrete lintels.   The assumption is that the lintel will support only loads that fall within this triangle. The masonry above the triangle arches over this, and by doing so develops a thrust.  In order for masonry to be able to arch, this thrust will need to be resisted. See http://www.bia.org/html/frmset_thnt.htm  for additional information.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources