Concentrated loads on masonry

Abstract

The state of stress under a concentrated load in one of biaxial compression, and as result the masonry can with stand a contact stress in excess of its uniaxial compressive strength. Tests were carried out on 1/3 scale model walls to examine the existence of such strength enhancement, as well as the effects of the loaded area ratio. This is believed, amongst other factors, to be the governing influence on strength enhancement. Model walls were assumed to fully represent actual size walls as full size testing entailed numerous testing difficulties. After proper analysis the results were also compared and contrasted with those obtained in foreign experimental programmes.