Design of large size non-loadbearing masonry walls : case studies in Portugal: technical and economical benefits

Abstract

Masonry walls exhibit cracking frequently. This is mostly a consequence of the lack of detailing in the design project and the absence of a clear responsible for the performance and safety of this building element. The incorporation of a low percentage of bed joint reinforcement allows creating a composite material with tensile strength. This reinforced material leads to conceive new technological solutions but also a crackfree architecture. Here, the recurrent damage in Portuguese masonry walls is detailed and new solutions for medium and large size masonry walls are addressed. For a given case study, an economical analysis is carried out, comparing the original solution and the alternative solution adopting bed joint reinforcement.