Differential Movement of Masonry Works
Differential Movement of Masonry Works
Differential Movement of Masonry Works
on
Submitted By
Sudan Shrestha
Roll No: MCE/ 112
2015
Moisture Movements
Many building materials tend to expand with an increase in moisture content and contract with a
loss of water, including concrete and concrete masonry units.
Poor Details and Improper Construction
Poor construction as well as insufficient details are other common reasons for cracking
development and may
include:
a. Wrong location of control joint(s).
b. Design of the drain.
c. Alignment of windows.
d. Placing of steel plates above an opening.
e. Location of splices.
Usually control joints are laid up in mortar first, and once the mortar has hardened it is raked out to
a depth of about 20 mm. The remaining mortar then provides a packing of the caulking. Quite
frequently it appeared as though the mortar was not racked out of the control joint, thus eliminating
benefits derived from the joint.To avoid spalling that may occur as a result of the freeze-thaw action
care should be taken when selecting the run-off drain for the roof. If the water from the drain is
allowed to fall back into the wall, the freeze-thaw effect will cause spalling.A window opening(s)
has two vertical planes of weakness on either side of the opening. For a window opening above
another opening, the sides of the openings should be aligned.To avoid spalling due to an
eccentricity of the load, caution should be exercised when placing the steel plate above an opening.
If the mortar between the plate and the block is not deep enough the load may be applied to one
portion of the block. The stresses caused by the eccentricity of the load may cause cracking of the
supporting blocks below the steel plate.
Remedies
In all cases, if the movement is restrained cracking may result. By accounting for movement in the
design cracking may be controlled. Movement joints are used to control and minimize cracking.
There are two types of movement joints typically used in masonry construction; control joints and
expansion joints. Control joints are placed in concrete masonry walls to limit cracks due to
shrinkage. Control joints are unbonded vertical separations built into a concrete masonry wall to
reduce restraint and permit longitudinal movement. They are located where cracking is likely to
occur due to excessive tensile stress. An expansion joint is typically used in brick masonry walls to
provide means for expansion and contraction movements produced by temperature changes,
loadings or other forces. Expansion joints allow for both expansion and contraction and may be
vertical or horizontal.
References
Hendry. A.W, Sinha. B.P, Davies.S.R. Design of Masonry Structures. E & FN Spon,
London: 2004
R. E. Copeland Shrinkage Temperature Stresses in Masonry ACI Proceedings, title no. 5341 vol.53, pp. 769-780, Feb. 1957