CHAPTER 9

MASONRY
 Definitions
Section 9.1 & 9.2 deals with the description of symbolic notations and terminologies
used in the documents, such as;
Column An isolated vertical load bearing member having length to width ratio not
more than 4.0.
Pier A thickened section forming integral part of a wall placed at intervals along the
wall length, to increase the stiffness of the wall or to carry a vertical concentrated load.
Single-leaf walls The effective thickness of single-leaf walls of either solid or hollow
units is the specified thickness of the wall.
Multileaf walls The effective thickness of multileaf walls is the specified thickness of
the wall if the space between leafs is filled with mortar or grout. For walls with an
open space between leafs, the effective thickness shall be determined as for cavity
walls.
Types of Walls:
a) Cavity wall A wall comprising two leaves, each leaf being built of masonry units and separated
by a cavity and tied together with metal ties or bonding units to ensure that the two leaves act as
one structural unit, the space between the leaves being either left as continuous cavity or filled with
a non-load bearing insulating and water-proofing material.
b) Faced Wall A wall in which facing and backing of two different materials are bonded together to
ensure common action under load.
c) Veneered wall A wall in which the facing is attached to the backing but not so bonded as to
result in a composite action under load.
 9.4 - Materials
9.4.1 Masonry Units
Masonry units may compose of:
a) Burnt clay building bricks
b) Stones (in regular sized units)
c) Concrete blocks (solid and hollow)
d) Burnt clay hollow blocks
e) Gypsum partition blocks
The compressive strength of bricks may
not be less than 1200psi for solid bricks
and 800 psi for hollow blocks.

9.4.2 Mortar
The compressive strength of masonry
mortar in seismic Zones 2, 3 and 4 shall
not be less than 4.10 MPa (595 psi) and
not greater than 75% of the compressive
strength of the masonry unit in the
direction normal to the bed face.
Can not be used in Zone 2, 3 and 4.
 9.6 Working Stress Design of Masonry
The design of masonry structures is recommended to be carried out
under the working stress method, for all loads such as:
Self Weight
Live Loads
Seismic and Wind Lateral Loads
Snow & Vibration loads
Vertical load dispersion at not more than 30 angle is not allowed.
Whereas, arching action is permitted at lintel and beam joints.
Bearing length of lintel should not be less than 100mm or one-tenth of
the span.
Span

Bearing length of lintel 100 mm or 1/10 of span

9.6.6.1 Permissible Compressive Stresses

The basic compressive stress is further to be multiplied by stress

reduction factor, area reduction factor and shape modification factor as
to convert to permissible stress values.
 9.6.6.1. Reduction Factors
9.6.6.1.2 Area Reduction Factor:
This factor takes into consideration
smallness of the sectional area of the
element and is applicable when
sectional area of the element is less
than 0.2 m2 (2.15 ft2). The factor ka
= 0.7 + 1.5A, A being the area of
section in m2.

9.6.6.1.3 Shape Modification

Factor: This factor is applicable for
units for cursing strength up to
2200 psi.
9.6.6.2 Permissible Tensile stresses
In general tensile stresses are not permitted in masonry structures. But when
considering out of plane bending, under lateral loads, the following stresses may
be permitted:
Grade M1 or better mortar:
10 psi for bending in the vertical direction where tension developed is normal to bed joints.
20 psi for bending longitudinal direction where tension developed is parallel to bed joints
provided crushing strength of masonry units is not less than 1450 psi.
Grade M2 mortar:
7.25 psi for bending in the vertical direction where tension developed is normal to bed
joints.
14.5 psi for bending in the longitudinal direction where tension developed is parallel to bed
joints provided crushing strength of masonry unit is not less than 1100 psi.

NOTES:
1. No tensile stress is permitted in masonry in case of water retaining structures in view of
water in contact with masonry. Also no tensile stress is permitted in earth-retaining
structures, in view of the possibility of presence of water at the back of such walls.
2. Allowable tensile stress in bending in the vertical direction may be increased to 14.5psi
for M1 mortar and 10psi for M2 mortar in case of boundary walls/compound at the
desecration of the designer.
Permissible Shear Stress & Reinforcement
9.6.6.3 Permissible Shear Stresses:
Shear stresses shall be given by the following formula, not exceeding a
maximum of 75 psi;
fs = 0.1 + fd/6
fd = Compressive stress due to dead loads in MPa.
If there is tension in any part of a section of masonry the area under tension shall be
ignored while working out shear stress on the section.
9.6.6.4 Permissible stresses in Reinforcement
Tensile Stresses:
Deformed bars: Fs = 0.5 fy , 24 Ksi max
Wire Reinforcement: Fs = 0.5 fy , 30 Ksi max
Ties, anchors, smooth bars: Fs = 0.4 fy , 20 Ksi max
Compressive Stresses:
Deformed bars in columns: Fs = 0.4 fy , 24 Ksi max
Deformed bars in flexural members: Fs = 0.4 fy , 24 Ksi max
Deformed bars in shear walls, confined by ties: Fs = 0.4 fy , 24 Ksi max
 9.6.7 Design TH. / Cross Section
Wall and columns bearing vertical loads shall be designed on the basis or permissible compressive stress.

Design thickness of solid walls should be as per layout, in consideration with mortar joints and layout.

Thickness of each leaf of cavity walls should not be less than 75mm.
The leaf should be supported at most at a height of 10m.

In faced walls, the permissible load per length of wall shall be taken as the product of the total thickness of
the wall and the permissible stress in the weaker of the two materials.

Veneered walls are not to be accounted in calculations for load carrying purposes.

Free standing walls, subjected to wind pressure or seismic forces shall be designed on the basis of
permissible tensile stress in masonry or stability.

Normally masonry of retaining walls shall be designed on the basis of zero-tension and permissible
compressive stress.

Walls subjected to in-plane bending and vertical loads that is shear walls shall be designed on the basis of no
tension with permissible shear stress and permissible compressive stress.
9.7 Empirical Design Provisions
Storey height of masonry
buildings shall not be more
than 10ft.
9.7.1.6 Load Bearing Walls
1. Masonry materials to be used in the construction of
load-bearing walls shall be natural stone, solid burnt
clay brick or concrete blocks, hollow bricks or
concrete block.
2. Natural stone load-bearing walls shall be used only in
the basement and ground stories of masonry buildings.
The use of undressed stones is not allowed. Stones shall
at least be semi-dressed.
 Load Bearing Walls (Min TH.)
The ratio of the total length of masonry load-
bearing walls in each of the orthogonal
directions in plan, to gross floor area shall not
be less 0.85 ft/ft2.
Unsupported length of a load-bearing wall
between cross walls in the perpendicular
direction shall not exceed 18 ft in Seismic
zones 3 & 4 and 23 ft in other seismic areas.
Otherwise provide intermediate columns at a
spacing of 13 ft up to a maximum of 50ft
length.

The following rules shall be followed to provide openings in load-bearing walls:

a) Plan length of the load-bearing wall segment between the corner of the building and the nearest window
or door opening shall not be less than of the height of opening but not less than 24 in.
b) The total length of openings shall not exceed 50% of length of wall between consecutive cross walls in
single storey construction, 42% in two storey construction and 33% in three storey buildings.
c) The vertical distance from opening to opening directly above it shall not be less than 24 in. nor less than
the width of smaller opening.
d) Plan length of each window or door opening shall not be more than 10 ft.
9.7.2 Seismic Strengthening
The masonry buildings shall be strengthened using seismic bands
and vertical bars or by utilizing provisions for confined masonry.

9.7.2.1.1 Lintel Bands

Bearing of window and door lintels on the walls shall not be less than
15% of lintel clear span nor less than 8 in.

9.7.2.1.2 Horizontal Bands

Reinforced concrete bands shall be provided continuously through all
load-bearing longitudinal and transverse walls at plinth, lintel and
roof-eave levels and also at the top of gables.
 9.7.2.1.3 Vertical Reinforcement in Walls
Steel bars shall be installed at
the critical sections (i.e. the
comers of walls, junctions of
walls, and jambs of doors)
and well anchored into the
foundation concrete.

The vertical steel at openings

may be stopped by
embedding it into the lintel
band, but the vertical steel at
the comers and junctions of
walls must be taken into
either the floor and roof slabs
or the roof band.
9.7.2.2 Confined Masonry
The horizontal and vertical confining elements shall be bonded together and
anchored to the elements of the main structural system.
Masonry walls shall be tied to the vertical confining elements by providing
horizontal reinforcement. 2 - in. diameter bars spaced at a maximum spacing of
24 in.
The cross-sectional dimensions of both horizontal and vertical confining elements
shall not be less than 6 in.
Vertical confining elements should be placed at the free edges of a structural wall,
within the wall (not exceeding a spacing of 15ft) , at the intersections of structural
walls and at both sides of any wall opening.
Horizontal confining elements shall be placed in the plane of the wall at every floor
level and in any case with a vertical spacing of not more than 10 ft.
The longitudinal reinforcement of confining elements shall not have a cross-
sectional area less than 0.4 in2 , nor more than 1% of the cross-sectional area of
the confining element.
Stirrups not less than in. in diameter and spaced not more than 6 in. shall be
provided around the longitudinal reinforcement.
Lap splices shall not be less than 60 bar diameters in length.
Slabs, Roofs & Non Bearing Walls
Slabs and Roofs shall be used as RCC slabs or joist floors, or
as timber or steel trussed roofs, with the cantilever balconies
being the extension of the floor slab.

9.7.4 Non Bearing Walls

The thickness of non-bearing partition walls should be at least
brick size or 4 in.
Should be constructed with load bearing walls at both ends.
Height of parapet walls should not be more than 24 in.
Height of garden walls shall not be more than 3 ft from
pavement level.