Zohrehheydariha, Jamshid1; Das, Sreekanta2 and Banting, Bennett3
1 PhD Candidate, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Ave., Windsor, ON, Canada, zohreh@uwindsor.ca
2 Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Ave., Windsor, ON, Canada, sdas@uwindsor.ca
3 Masonry Research and Development Engineer, Canada Masonry Design Centre, 360 Superior Blvd., Mississauga, ON, Canada, Bbanting@canadamasonrycentre.com
ABSTRACT
Clause 11 of the Canadian standard, CSA S304 currently does not allow stack pattern masonry beams to be designed and built with the provisions laid within. However, many architects opt for the stack pattern masonry look for aesthetic purposes not realizing the structural limitations it has. As a result, designers are placed in precarious position trying to reconcile the selected bonding pattern with the requirements and limitations of the CSA S304. Since the head joints in stack pattern masonry line up vertically, it is believed that this construction is weaker than the traditional running bond construction. However, since masonry beams must be fully-grouted the effects of aligned head joints can be mitigated by increasing the grouted area of the units and the horizontal grout continuity in the beam. This study was completed to determine the structural behaviour of stack pattern masonry beams and prisms utilizing units with reduced webs to accommodate horizontal grout continuity. A total of eight full-scale masonry beams and twenty prisms were tested in the structural engineering laboratory of University of Windsor detailed with both running bond and stack pattern coursing. This study found that although the cracks at the head joints of the stack pattern beam specimens initiated at lower loads, the ultimate strength, stiffness and deflection for both bonding patterns were similar. This paper discusses the test specimens and test results obtained from this study and demonstrates that when reduced web units are used to ensure horizontal grout continuity stack pattern beams may be designed in the same manner as running bond beams.
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