In Plane Behavior of Partially Grouted Masonry Walls Using a New Clay Unit. Laboratory Measurements and Numerical Simulations

Abstract

A new innovative clay brick unit is used for the construction of partially grouted masonry walls. This new unit aims to provide both the required mechanical properties and thermal insulating properties. The behavior of masonry specimens constructed with this unit and thin mortar method under in plane loads is discussed here. The basic mechanical properties of the examined construction system are measured by a series of material tests, prism tests under combined shear and compression and wallets under compression tests. The laboratory measurements are compared with the defined by EC6 values. Following, diagonal compression tests were conducted at the Laboratory of Strength of Materials and Structures (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki) to ungrouted and grouted masonry wallets with different reinforcing details employing horizontal reinforcing steel bars placed at the prefabricated holes of the clay unit. The effect of the reinforcing steel bars in the bearing capacity and in the post peak behavior is investigated. Apart from the experimental investigation, numerical models simulating these tests were developed utilizing all the geometrical properties of the specimens and the mechanical properties of the materials used. The numerically simulated behavior resembles the measured load-deformation response of the tested specimens and the observed actual damage at the end of the tests.

Reinforced Masonry Piers Built With a Novel Clay Masonry Units Under Seismic-Type Loads

“…Additionally, two horizontal channels are formed aiming to host the horizontal reinforcing rebars. The final geometry of this brick unit and the configuration of the holes was designed utilizing extensive material testing combined with a series of numerical studies [13][14][15][16][17]. This work summarizes the most fundamental properties of the masonry unit which went though a preliminary design stage (section 3) in order to attain the desired characteristics before being produced industrially.…”

“…This work summarizes the most fundamental properties of the masonry unit which went though a preliminary design stage (section 3) in order to attain the desired characteristics before being produced industrially. Next, these industrially produced masonry units were extensively tested in order to measure the response of masonry wallets constructed using the novel clay unit under diagonal compression [17] and out of plane bending [16]. Due to space limitations these results are not presented here.…”