Something mesmerizing about this CMU video 2

[JAE]

For those of us who specify concrete block masonry - this is almost a theraputic video of a good mason.

Even though I'm on the design side (i.e. draw pretty pictures) I've always held a lot of respect for the skilled masons, steel workers, etc. that
actually build what are minds dream up.

Enjoy: Mason video

 

[concretemasonry]

The guy is certainly very good and he makes every movement count.

He also had a very good tender that stocked the block with the tops up. That allows a "one-handed" mason to easily pick up the block much easier by saving movements and makes the top mortar bed area a wider surface to minimize mortar droppings in the cores.

Dick

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

 

[BAretired]

Yes, JAE that guy know what he is doing. It is quite impressive.

BA

 

[IDS]

So did anyone answer what the music is?

Doug Jenkins
Interactive Design Services

http://newtonexcelbach.wordpress.com/

 

[Ron]

Nice! Music is almost hymnal...reverential. Appropriate for such craftsmanship.

Not sure why a knock-out block got thrown in there unless sequential filled cells.

 

[SteelPE]

Don't they mortar the webs at locations of the reinforcing?

 

[PMR06]

I think we engineers will all agree that is most impressive craftsmanship. Now get the youth of today to have the same respect for craft labor!!

 

[concretemasonry]

Yes, they do mortar the webs to enclose a reinforced grout cell, but the portion of the building shown may not have been reinforced. Also the block are usually set in a full mortar bed (only the webs and face shells).

Dick

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

 

[Hoaokapohaku]

Reminds me of something a college professor said to a class long ago, "If you want to be happy in life, be a brick layer. Unfortunately for you, you aren't that sort. If you were, you wouldn't be in this class." I've thought of that countless times over the years when faced with job related frustration.

 

[UcfSE]

Reminds me of my days in masonry during highschool and college.

 

[ToadJones]

When I started out in home building in high school, I used to labor for block layers when I needed work. At one point the masons showed me to how to mud the bed joints and I would do that ahead of the block layers but I could never quite master the head joints (usually b/c they sent me back down in the hole for more block).

I used to go to bed tired and with a real sense of accomplishment and sleep well; now I go to bed spun out and can't sleep.

Funny how much different your body reacts to being physically tired and mentally tired.
For me personally, I don't feel like I can truly rest well without being physically tired.

 

[SLTA]

I have always wanted to learn how to do that. It seems so beautifully logical.

 

[azcats]

What is that protruding out from the bed joints of the course below (and even more below that)? Are those rebar positioners or some sort of veneer tie/anchor? Doubtful on a positioner...why would it leave something exposed?

 

[concretemasonry]

The protrusions are are probably the "eyes" that are attached or a part of the joint reinforcement (every second or third course of block). If you look in the background you see he is on a scaffold and there is poly protection from the weather, so it is probably a higher wall in a colder climate. Based on the assumptions, there will probably a cavity between the block wall and brick to be applied later. The ties provide lateral support of the brick wythe and space it out at the proper distance to provide an air space or an air space and XPS foam to create a proper cavity wall.

The block are probably 12" nlock because of the height or spacing of lateral supports because an 8' high wall would usually built out of 6" block or 8" block irregardless of the vertical load.

Many contractors prefer the "eye and pintel" system over the cheaper, much longer welded tabs on the joint reinforcement because the fixed projections slow up the brick work.

Dick

Dick

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

 

[azcats]

Thanks Dick -

Looks like some of the photos on these:

http://www.cement.org/masonry/faq_ties.asp

http://www.masonryconstruction.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=790&articleID=968094&artnum=3

 

[msquared48]

Dick:

This wall looked like an exterior wall to me with what I saw on the ground below. As I am in a high earthquake zone, I was very surprised to see none of the webs in the 8 to 10 block length of wall get any grout. The only vertical "reinforcing" I saw was just a metal guide joining two blocks about 3/4 of the way through the video or so. If there was any horizontal reinforcing in the wall, it was just not present at that level.

This means the only shear value in the wall is at the periphery of each block, reducing the available shear area between courses by about 17% or so.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

http://mmcengineering.tripod.com

 

[concretemasonry]

M^2 48

The vertical "reinforcement you saw was a probably a preformed stiff rubber section common used for control joints.

I also did not see and horizontal reinforcement, but assumed it was "DuroWal" ladder type (or equal) with the cross wires properly aligned at the location of the block cross webs. Usually, the "eyes" are not attached at the location of the cross wires to maintain an even thickness since the cross web lap welding increases the effective joint reinforcement unless butt joints are required. - Any variations vertically increase the cost and problems to maintain vertical height wall control and many engineers avoid extra heavy, galvanized joint reinforcement unless absolutely necessary.

I also did not see any vertical reinforcement on the section in the clip and assumed the wall section was not required to be reinforced vertically. I could not pick up any bottom clean-outs/observation sites for high lift grouting, but it may have been low lift grouting (only 4 courses shown) and lapped reinforcement may have been permitted based on the engineer and inspectors approval and past performance. I have seen numerous 10-20 story 6" partially reinforced load-bearing buildings constructed without any of the detrimental clean-outs and no site sampling of units or prisms made because of early engineering involvement with inspection and the contractors that were known in advance. - Unfortunately that is a rare opportunity in the U.S. and Canada.

Dick


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

 

[a2mfk]

Churchill laid bricks as a hobby.... I have laid block before, and its no hobby for me. And I stunk at it, it truly takes a lot of practice to get that good with a trowel.

I have a lot of respect for tradesman who are artists at what they do, like a good drywall mudder can do the job in a 1/4 of the time it takes me, with 1/4 the mud, 1/4 the mess, and it looks 5x better.