Wind on 12" Masonry w/4" Veneer
Wind on 12" Masonry w/4" Veneer
(OP)
Designing an exterior cavity wall consisting of 12" concrete masonry unit, 2" rigid insulation and 4" concrete masonry veneer.
To resist 20 psf wind, should the wall be designed as 12" concrete masonry, 16" concrete masonry, or 18" concrete masonry due to a 2" cavity?
The question is this: Can the 4" veneer contribute to the structural wall thickness, if properly tied with horizontal, ladder-type, wire reinforcing.
Thank you!
To resist 20 psf wind, should the wall be designed as 12" concrete masonry, 16" concrete masonry, or 18" concrete masonry due to a 2" cavity?
The question is this: Can the 4" veneer contribute to the structural wall thickness, if properly tied with horizontal, ladder-type, wire reinforcing.
Thank you!






RE: Wind on 12" Masonry w/4" Veneer
DaveAtkins
RE: Wind on 12" Masonry w/4" Veneer
At service loads the veneer probably contributes something to the stiffness of the wall. However, at the design loads the ties could not transfer the required sheer to develop composite action
RE: Wind on 12" Masonry w/4" Veneer
RE: Wind on 12" Masonry w/4" Veneer
RE: Wind on 12" Masonry w/4" Veneer
More and more there is less call for cavity walls, just veneer with a block backup with the backup designed to take the full load. Even if you want to include the veneer as load resisting, if it is ever subject to a high wind storm and it cracks, you've lost a lot of its benefit for coupling with the backup, and you're back to a veneer wall.