CE 587

Masonry Design

Sahan Bandara
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Peradeniya
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Recap

• Applications of Masonry construction

• Masonry units/ mortar
• Masonry wall types
• Characteristic compressive strength of masonry (𝒇𝒌 )
• Capacity reduction factor (𝛷)
• Design of vertically loaded masonry walls
𝜱𝒊,𝒎 𝒕𝒇𝒌
Load resistance 𝑵𝑹𝒅 = 𝜸𝒎

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Design of laterally loaded masonry walls
• Masonry walls possess the ability of sustaining lateral loads effectively. Both load bearing or non-load bearing
walls have this potential.
• When non-load bearing walls are used to resist lateral load due to wind, they are usually referred to as clad
walls or panel walls.
• Depending on the support conditions, the panel can behave as one-way spanning or two-way spanning.

One-way spanning (failure parallel and perpendicular Two-way spanning

to the bed joints) 3
 Limiting dimensions for wall panels
• Satisfying the serviceability limit state (possible effects from deflection, creep, shrinkage, and temperature)
requires limiting height and length to thickness ratios for walls considering different support conditions. These are
provided in annex F of EC 6.
• When wall panels are only supported from top and bottom, the height, h should be limited to 30 x t where t is the
thickness of the wall.
• For different other support conditions, the limiting dimensions are given in the form of graphs. For the graphs
illustrated below, the permissible range of dimensions are below the curves in each plot.

Limiting height and length to thickness

ratios of walls restrained on all four edges
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Limiting dimensions for wall panels

Limiting height and length to thickness ratios of walls

restrained at the bottom, the top and one vertical edge

Limiting height and length to thickness ratios of walls

restrained at the edges, the bottom, but not the top

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Support conditions and continuity
In assessing the lateral resistance of masonry walls, careful identification of its support conditions at all four edges
is greatly important. An edge could be free, simply supported (or pinned) or with enhanced restrains (or with full
continuity).

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Characteristic flexural strength of masonry (𝒇𝒙𝒌 )
• Bending tests carried out on
panel walls show that the
flexural strength of masonry is
significantly greater when the
plane of failure is perpendicular
to bed joints (𝑓𝑥𝑘2 ) than that is
parallel to bed joints (𝑓𝑥𝑘1 )
• 𝑓𝑥𝑘 is influenced only by the
water absorption amount for
bricks whereas for concrete
blocks (aggregate concrete) the
value is manipulated by the
compressive strength of the
block and the wall thickness.

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Bending moments due to lateral loads

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Design moment (𝑴𝑬𝒅)

Plane of failure parallel to bed joints: 𝑴𝑬𝒅𝟏 = 𝝁𝜶𝟐 𝑾𝑬𝒅 𝒍𝟐 per unit length
Plane of failure perpendicular to bed joints: 𝑴𝑬𝒅𝟐 = 𝜶𝟐 𝑾𝑬𝒅 𝒍𝟐 per unit height

𝛼2 is the bending moment coefficient taken from Annex E of EC 6

𝑊𝐸𝑑 is the design lateral load per unit area

𝑙 is length of the panel between supports

𝜇 is the orthogonal strength ratio - the ratio of flexural strength when

failure is parallel to bed joints to the flexural strength when the failure
is perpendicular to bed joints

𝒇𝒙𝒌𝟏
𝝁=
𝒇𝒙𝒌𝟐

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Moment resistance (𝑴𝑹𝒅)
𝒇𝒙𝒌𝟏
Parallel to bed joints 𝑴𝑹𝒅𝟏 = 𝒁
𝜸𝒎
𝒇𝒙𝒌𝟐
Perpendicular to bed joints 𝑴𝑹𝒅𝟐 = 𝒁
𝜸𝒎

For two-way spanning walls, ensuring of

that the design moment is smaller than
the moment of resistance for failure of
either perpendicular or parallel to bed
joints is sufficient. In fact, as the
formulations are formed, either check
should end up in the same result.

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Determination of bending moment coefficient 𝜶𝟐
The value of 𝛼2 depends on the orthogonal strength ratio

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Determination of bending moment coefficient 𝜶𝟐

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Determination of bending moment coefficient 𝜶𝟐

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Determination of bending moment coefficient 𝜶𝟐

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Influence from vertical loads on the flexural strength

When a vertical load acts on a wall, the flexural strength of the wall parallel to bed joints increases by an amount
of 𝛾𝑚 𝜎𝑑 where 𝜎𝑑 is the design vertical stress. Thus, the apparent flexural strength parallel to bed joints is,

𝒇𝒙𝒌1,𝒂𝒑𝒑 = 𝒇𝒙𝒌1 + 𝜸𝒎 𝝈𝒅

Accordingly, the orthogonal ratio, 𝜇 needs to be altered.

𝒇𝒙𝒌1,𝒂𝒑𝒑
𝝁=
𝒇𝒙𝒌2

Consequently, the lateral load resistance of walls enhances. Note that for this context the use of partial factors
for the vertical action should pertain to favourable conditions.

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The design procedure for a masonry wall panel subjected to lateral loads
• Select the support conditions

• Assume the strength and thickness of masonry units required

• Check whether the panel is with in limiting dimensions of ℎΤ𝑡 and 𝑙Τ𝑡 to satisfy the serviceability

• Determine the orthogonal strength ratio 𝜇 and the corresponding bending moment coefficient 𝛼2

• Determine the design value of the applied moment, 𝑀𝐸𝑑

• Determine the design value of moment of resistance, 𝑀𝑅𝑑

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Design of a laterally loaded panel - example

Consider an exterior masonry infill panel having length of 4.15 𝑚 and a height of 3.2 𝑚. Brick masonry with wall
thickness of 215 𝑚𝑚 is being used with bricks of 5 𝑁/𝑚𝑚2 unit strength. Clay bricks are having a water
absorption over 12% and M6 mortar designation is used. The masonry wall is simply supported on three edges
while the top edge is free. Check the adequacy of this wall to resist a wind load of 0.5 𝑘𝑁/𝑚2 . Consider masonry
units of category ii with execution control of 2.

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Considering the selected brick type and mortar designation,
Characteristic flexural strength of masonry parallel to bed joints, 𝑓𝑥𝑘1 = 0.3𝑁/𝑚𝑚2
Characteristic flexural strength of masonry perpendicular to bed joints, 𝑓𝑥𝑘2 = 0.9𝑁/𝑚𝑚2
There is no influence of vertical loads on the flexural strength. Neglect the contribution from the self weight of
the wall.
𝑓 0.3
Orthogonal strength ratio, 𝜇 = 𝑓𝑥𝑘1 = 0.9 = 0.33
𝑥𝑘2

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To find the limiting dimensions , ℎΤ𝑡 = 3.2Τ0.215 = 14.9

𝑙Τ = 4.15Τ0.215 = 19.3
𝑡

The masonry wall is simply supported on three edges while the top edge is free

Hence satisfactory

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 𝑓 0.3
Orthogonal strength ratio, 𝜇 = 𝑓𝑥𝑘1 = 0.9 = 0.33
𝑥𝑘2

To find the bending moment coefficient 𝛼2 , consider panel type A with ℎΤ𝑙 = 3.2Τ4.15 = 0.77

By linear interpolation, 𝛼2 = 0.081

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Design value of the wind load, 𝑊𝐸𝑑 = 1.5 𝑥 0.5 = 0.75𝑘𝑁/𝑚2 (partial factor of safety = 1.5)

Plane of failure parallel to bed joints: 𝑀𝐸𝑑1 = 𝜇𝛼2 𝑊𝐸𝑑 𝑙 2 per unit length
Plane of failure perpendicular to bed joints: 𝑀𝐸𝑑2 = 𝛼2 𝑊𝐸𝑑 𝑙 2 per unit height
𝑀𝐸𝑑2 = 0.081 𝑥 0.75 𝑥 4.152
𝑀𝐸𝑑2 = 1.05 𝑘𝑁𝑚 per unit height
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Moment resistance perpendicular to bed joints,

𝑓𝑥𝑘2
𝑀𝑅𝑑2 = 𝑍 (Moment = stress * section modulus)
𝛾𝑚

For flexural tension - masonry units of category ii with execution control of 2, 𝛾𝑚 = 2.7

0.9 1000 ∗ 2152

𝑀𝑅𝑑2 = ∗ = 2.57𝑘𝑁𝑚 per unit height
2.7 6

Therefore, 𝑀𝑅𝑑2 2.57 > 𝑀𝐸𝑑2 (1.05)

The design value of the moment resistance is higher than the design value of the applied moment.
Thus, the selected masonry units and mortar designation for a 215mm wall thickness is adequate to resist the
given wind load of 0.5 𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
It is also possible to check the adequacy of the wall considering flexure parallel to bed joints. However, it will also
result in the same answer since the value of the applied moment is multiplied by 𝜇 and the moment resistance is
also multiplied by 𝜇.
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Summary

• Introduction
• Loading
• Materials and strengths
• Design of vertically loaded walls
• Design of laterally loaded walls
• Design of vertically loaded masonry walls

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