Constrained Masonry

[SteelPE]

I was surfing the internet today and came across a job posting that talked about buildings being built with "constrained masonry". I guess I should be embarrassed about this question and I like to consider myself a decent engineer but what is "constrained masonry"?

 

[BAretired]

Concrete frame with masonry infill.

http://throughtheoculus.blogspot.com/2011/02/just-another-day-in-life-of-architect.html

BA

 

[concretemasonry]

The other definition is load bearing masonry walls built within columns built the day before when columns have not yet cured, although the wall portion can accept the floor loads above because the units are fully cured and the mortar has little effect according to U.S. standards and the fact that the masonry is generally cured enough to carry most of the loads before columns can.

That gets into the very common myriad on the effects of masonry infill and the contribution to vertical an seismic effects on a structure.

There is a massive history of research on this complex construction method that has been proven and commonly used for decades for centuries in international construction and the papers is has generated.

I don't think you will find any domestic cook-book answers because it varies so much.

Dick

Engineer and international traveler interested in construction techniques, problems and proper design.

 

[RFreund]

Without looking at BA's link my first impression would have been that it was designed using the core design method. Where the masonry units act as a form for the concrete and it is design as RC concrete.

EIT

 

[msquared48]

Yea... Kinda like sausage.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

http://mmcengineering.tripod.com