STRUCTURAL MASONRY:

PROPERTIES AND BEHAVIOUR

K S Nanjunda Rao

Department of Civil Engineering

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE
BANGALORE

Research Team
1. K S Jagadish
2. B V Venkatarama Reddy

Publications
1. Materials & Structures
(Rilem)

3. G Sarangapani

2. Masonry International

4. S Raghunath

3. Jl of Materials in Civil

5. K S Gumaste
6. S M Manjunath
7. K S Nanjunda Rao

Engg. (ASCE)
4. Jl of Structural Engg.
5. National & International
conferences

Comparison of concrete and masonry

Concrete

Masonry

Good in compression &

weak in tension,
Brittle, Uni-modulus

Good in compression
& weak in tension,
Brittle, Bi-modulus

9 Composition

Coarse and fine

aggregates
and binder

Masonry units and

mortar

9 Distribution of
the component
materials

Random, Isotropic

Orderly, Orthotropic

9 Behaviour

Different kinds of bonds adopted in practice

English bond

Stretcher bond

Flemish bond

Quetta bond

Header bond

Rat-trap bond

Different ways of reinforcing masonry

Prestressed masonry

Distribution of external load within masonry

In-plane loading

Out-of-plane loading

Masonry is a composite construction consisting of:

Adobe (Sun dried mud blocks)
Stone, Laterite blocks
Burnt clay bricks
Masonry units

Concrete blocks (solid or hollow)

Calcium silicate bricks
Stabilized mud blocks (SMB)
Fly-ash gypsum blocks

Mortar

Mud mortar
Lime sand mortar
Cement, lime, sand mortar
Cement sand mortar
Composite mortars( cement,lime,soil,sand and additives)

Reinforcement

Metallic
Non-metallic

Based on method employed in production, three

varieties of burnt clay bricks are available in India viz.

Country brick
Table moulded brick
Wire-cut brick

Properties of burnt clay bricks

1.Compressive strength
2.Water absorption
3.Initial rate of absorption (IRA)
4.Porosity and pore size
5.Stress-strain characteristics

Compressive strength
& modulus of elasticity of
bricks

Properties of Bricks
(Table moulded bricks of Southern Peninsular India)
No. of
samples

Dry
density
(kN/m3)

Water
absorption
(%)

IRA
kg/m2/min
.

Bangalore (TMB1)

06

18.40

10.1

1.52

12

5.7

Bangalore (TMB2)

06

18.40

11.7

2.22

08

5.6

Bangalore (TMB3)

06

19.50

11.1

1.17

15

3.5

Bangalore (TMB4)

06

19.00

12.2

1.73

07

5.5

Bangalore (TMB5)

06

18.30

11.7

2.05

15

8.3

Harihar

(TMH6)

02

17.50

12.5

2.10

15

Thrissur

(TMK7)

02

18.70

15.4

1.90

20

Vijaywada (TMA8)

04

17.40

11.8

3.37

03

3.3

Vizag

04

16.90

10.1

3.35

03

6.8

Maharashtra (TMM10)

04

13.30

26.0

9.33

03

2.5

Maharashtra (TMM11)

04

16.10

22.0

6.97

05

5.2

Location

(TMA9)

Soaking Compressive
strength
duration
(MPa)
(minutes)

Properties of Bricks (Contd.)

Table moulded bricks of North India
Location

No. of
samples

Dry
density
(kN/m3)

Water
absorption
(%)

IRA
kg/m2/min

Soaking
duration
(minutes)

Compressive
strength
(MPa)

Ahmedabad(TMG12)

02

16.00

13.6

1.75

20

Jaipur

(TMR13)

03

16.30

12.5

5.66

03

9.4

Patna

(TMP14)

02

16.00

12.0

2.58

30

Jammu

(TMJ15)

06

18.60

16.0

3.03

04

14.4

WIRE-CUT BRICKS OF SOUTH INDIA

Bangalore (WCB1)

06

17.30

17.3

1.39

45

23.0

Bangalore (WCB2)

06

18.80

14.4

1.52

45

15.7

Cannanore (WCK3)

06

18.40

17.0

1.25

60

18.5

Porosity and pore size of burnt clay bricks

Type 1 brick (TB1)

Type 2 brick (TB2)

Mortars
Mortar is a homogeneous mixture of cementitious material/s, inert material/s and water that is
produced at site for joining the masonry units. Mortar influences the strength, durability and
resistance to rain penetration of masonry.
Some of the desirable properties of mortar for masonry construction
1.
2.
3.

It should gain enough strength and harden in a reasonable time so that further courses
of masonry can be laid without excessive racking movements of courses below.
The fresh mortar should have sufficient workability so that the mason can easily fill the
joints.
It should have ability to retain water preventing its escape into masonry units.
Depending on the type of cementitious material used mortars can be broadly classified as;
1. Lime mortar
2. Cement mortar
3. Composite mortar
4. Lime- pozzolana mortar
5. Soil-cement mortar

The word pozzolana generally means a mixture of amorphous silica and alumina, which can
combine with calcium hydroxide at ambient temperatures in presence of moisture.

Typical sizes of prisms for

compressive strength test
Stack bonded prism

12 mm
mortar
joint

460
mm

230
mm

Front view

English bonded prism

105
mm

Side view

12 mm
thick
mortar
joints

460
mm

230
mm

Front view

230
mm

Side view

Typical sizes of wallettes for compressive strength tests

Stretcher bond wallette

English bond wallette

Stresses in masonry under compression

Masonry unit stiffer than mortar
(Western condition)

Eb Em
d
m = b
t

Mortar is stiffer than masonry unit

(Indian condition)

Eb Em

Compressive strength of brick masonry prisms

Masonry efficiency = = Corrected prism strength

brick strength

Strength and elastic properties of masonry prisms and wallettes under compression
(Wet strength of brick =6.25MPa, CM 1:6)
Prism types (no. of prisms
tested = 4)

Einitial tangent
(MPa)

Esecant at 25
% ult (MPa)

ult
(MPa)

Strain at
ult

Masonry
efficiency

Stack bonded, load normalto-bed-joints

417.17

406.15

2.67

0.01088

0.43

brick thick wallettes, load

normal-to-bed-joints

467.42

456.5

2.74

0.01123

0.44

brick thick wallettes, load

parallel-to-bed-joints

1652.56

1486.36

1.308

0.00157

0.21

1-brick thick prisms, load

normal-to-bed-joints

502.67

451.58

2.05

0.008

0.33

1-brick thick prisms, load

parallel-to-bed-joints

1788.75

1615.40

1.62

0.002

0.26

Strength and elastic properties of masonry prisms and wallettes under tension
(Wet strength of brick =6.25MPa, CM 1:6)
Prism types (no. of prisms
tested = 4)

Einitial tangent
(MPa)

Esecant at 25 %
ult (MPa)

ult (MPa)

Masonry
efficiency

Stack bonded, load normalto-bed-joints

758.88

713.79

0.0414

0.32

-brick wallette, load

parallel-to-bed-joints

2496.32

2285.71

0.166

1.29

Specimens for tension test

of brick masonry
(i) Perpendicular bed joints

Equivalent modulus of elasticity for brick masonry

Prism type:
(CM 1:6,
type-1
bricks)

Ec

Et Et

E flex.Vib

Eeq

Ec

Normal-tobed-joints
Stack
bonded
prisms

417.17

758.88

1.82

550.27

467.42

758.88

1.62

597.22

586.83

1652.6

2496.3

1.51

1944.9

brick thick
wallettes

(ii) Parallel to bed joints

Parallel-tobed-joints

Eeq =

2010.06

4 Et

E
t
1 +

E
c

Accelerometer

EI
mL4

n = Cn
n = 2f

Wallette
Data acquisition system

C=3.516 for cantilever

m is mass/unit length(kg/m)
L is length in meter
E is modulus of elasticity
f is frequency in Hz
I is moment of inertia

PC

A/D
converter
1/2-brick thick wallette, stresses normal-to-bed-joints
0.06
response at top

Schematic diagram of
flexural vibration test set-up
Displacement (mm)

0.04

response at
mid-height

0.02

0
-0.02

-0.04
-0.06
0

0.2

0.4

0.6
Time (s)

0.8

Brick-mortar bond strength

Type C

Type D

Concrete base

Modified bond-wrench test setup

Bond enhancement techniques
Type A: Cement slurry coating
Type B: Epoxy coating
Type C: Additional frog
Type D: Additional frog

Shear-bond test setup

8.25
3.05
2.90
2.46
Type of
brick

Compressive
strength (MPa)

Secant modulus
@ 25% Ult.Stress(MPa)

B1

10.67

509

B2

4.29

467

B3

3.17

485

Bond enhancing technique

Shear bond
strength (MPa)

Nil

0.054

Type A

0.138

Type B

0.265

Type D

0.131

Flexure bond strength of stack bonded prisms

using wire-cut bricks
Mean compressive strength of brick = 23 MPa
Mortar
C:L:So:Sa

Mortar
strength
(MPa)

No. of Flexural bond strength Compressive

joints
strength
(MPa)
tested
(MPa)
Range
Average

Mode of failure

M1:1/2:0:4

12.21

10

0.22-0.52

0.414

10.0

Brick-mortar interface

M1:0:1:6

5.93

08

0.16-0.27

0.210

7.4

Brick-mortar interface

M1:0:2:5

7.60

06

0.10-0.22

0.149

6.9

Brick-mortar interface

M1:0:0:6

7.30

06

0.02-0.19

0.100

6.7

Brick-mortar interface

Relation between masonry compressive strength &

Brick-mortar bond strength

Factors that influence masonry compressive

strength

bonding

Relation between masonry compressive strength &

Brick & mortar compressive strength

f = 0.317 ( f b )

0.86

f = 0.225( f b )

0.85

( fm )

0.134

( fm )

0.146

for stack bonded prisms

for English bonded prisms

Hendry and Maleks relationship

f = 1.242( f b )

0.531

f = 0.334( f b )

0.778

( fm )

0.208

( fm )

0.234 for English bonded walls

for stretcher bonded walls

Stretcher bonded wall is stronger than English bonded wall

Failure patterns in brick masonry prisms & wallettes

Crushing of table moulded bricks in English

bonded wallettes :cement-soil mortar

Splitting and crushing of table moulded bricks in

English bonded wallettes : cement mortar

Bond failure in stack bonded

prisms: cement-soil mortar

Splitting failure in English

bonded prisms: cement-lime
mortar

Splitting and diagonal shear failure in wallettes

Modes of failure in 230mm thick

English bonded wall:
table moulded bricks (Wall
No.2).

Separation of the
two leaves of the
wall

Splitting, crushing of
bricks and
Diagonal shear failure
of wall

Hourglass type
failure of bricks

Testing of storey height wire cut brick masonry wall

Back
Face
of
the
wall

storey height masonry wall test results

Designation

Type* and
strength of
brick

Mortar
Proportion
C:So:Sa#

Size of wall (mm)

bxtxh

Wall No.1

TMB1 (5.7MPa)

1:0:6
(6.2MPa)

720 x 105 x 2770

Stretcher bond

Wall No. 2

TMB1 (5.7MPa)

1:0:6
(6.4MPa)

Wall No. 3

WCB1 (23MPa)

1:1:6
(6.2MPa)

Wall strength
(MPa)

Wallette
strength
(MPa)

Wall strength

1.08

1.18

0.91

970 x 230 x 2770

English bond

1.32

1.35

0.98

750 x 115 x 2770

Stretcher bond

6.64

8.0

0.83

Wallette
strength

*TMB- Table moulded brick, WCB- Wire-cut brick. #C:cement, So:soil, Sa:sand.
Values in parenthesis indicate average compressive strength.
Designation

Slenderness
ratio

Basic
compressive
stress (MPa)

Stress reduction
factor

Area reduction
factor

Permissible
compressive
stress
(MPa)

Safety
Factor

As per IS: 1905 - 1987

Wall1

19.8

0.57

0.54

0.81

0.25

4.32

Wall 2

9.0

0.57

0.92

1.0

0.52

2.54

Wall 3

18.0

1.39

0.67

0.83

0.77

8.62

Influence of axial stress on

flexural bond strength of masonry

Collapse analysis of
unreinforced masonry vault

Dimensions of vault
Length= 3m;
Span=1.5m
Rise=0.52m;
R=0.796m
Semi-central angle=70 degree
Thickness=0.075m
Cement:soil:sand mortar (1:10:8)

Comparison of collapse load

Experimental
(N/m2)

FEM
(N/m2)

14651

13734

Performance of Masonry Buildings during Earthquakes

&
Earthquake Resistant Design Concepts for Masonry Buildings

Unreinforced masonry (URM) structures are the most vulnerable during an

earthquake due to the following reasons:
Brittle nature of URM
Large mass of masonry structures
Large initial stiffness
Large variability in masonry material properties
The breakdown of earthquake fatalities by cause for each half of the last
century indicates that 75% of the fatalities are due to collapse of buildings.
(Coburn and Spence, 2002)

From the above it is clear that collapse of masonry buildings is the primary cause for
loss of life during an earthquake

BIS CODAL PROVISIONS: IS: 4326-1993

HORIZONTAL RC BANDS AT LINTEL
AND ROOF LEVELS
VERTICAL STEEL AT CORNERS,
JUNCTIONS AND DOOR & WINDOW
JAMBS

Details of providing vertical steel bars in brick masonry as per IS 4326:1993

It is always useful to study the behaviour of masonry buildings after an earthquake as

it gives an insight into the performance of various kinds of masonry materials used and
earthquake resistant features adopted in the buildings. Following slides shows
photographs of failure patterns of masonry buildings observed after Latur and Kachchh
earthquakes of 1993 and 2001 respectively

Plate 1: Out-of plane collapse of wall of a school

building (Sastur)

Plate 2: Timber post supported wall of a shop

building intact after earthquake (Sastur)

Out-of-plane collapse of sandstone in lime mortar masonry wall

(MORBI)

House with lintel band and columns (SAMAKHYALI)

Separation of
corner column
from the
neighbouring
masonry
(SAMAKHYALI)

Out-of-plane failure of wall leading to collapse of lintel band (BHUJ)

Corner failure in presence

of corner reinforcement
(BHUJ)

Rigid box like behaviour above lintel band (BHACHAU)

Collapse of walls between openings (KHAVDA)

Wall flexure RC roof

on stone-in-CM
(Lodhrani)

Following typical types of damage can be identified from the earthquake survey
Cracks between walls and floor
Cracks at corners and at wall intersections
Out-of plane collapse of perimetral walls
Cracks in spandrel beams
Diagonal cracks in structural walls
Partial disintegration or collapse of walls
Partial or complete collapse of building
Figure below shows the deformation and typical damages suffered by a simple
masonry building subjected earthquake ground motion.

Fundamental mode shape of building without roof, with openings

Fundamental mode shape of building with roof and

openings

STRESSES IN MASONRY WALLS DURING EARTHQUAKE GROUND MOTIONS

Cross wall

B1

(a)

Shear wall

B2

(b)

Figure 1: Buildings without roof (a) without bands (b) with RC lintel and roof bands

B3
Figure 2: Building with RC roof and lintel band

Parameter
Size of cross-wall (height x length)

Table 1: Details of finite

element analysis

Size of shear-wall (height x length)

Property
3.0m x 6.0m; one cross-wall with a door and a
window opening, other cross-wall with two window
openings
3.0m x 3.0m; no openings in shear-walls

Masonry

0.23m (1 brick thick); table moulded burnt bricks

of Bangalore; mortar: CM 1:6

Reinforced concrete

RC lintel and roof bands: 0.15m thick; 0.23m

wide;
RC slab: 0.15m thick

Boundary conditions

Base clamped

Masonry properties [5]

Modulus of elasticity normal-to-bed-joints (Ey)
Modulus of elasticity parallel-to-bed-joints (Ex)
Modulus of rigidity (Gxy assumed)
Poissons ratio (, assumed)
Flexural strength normal-to-bed-joints
Flexural strength parallel-to-bed-joints
Shear strength [9]
Density

600.0 MPa
1800.0 MPa
800.0 MPa
0.2
0.137 MPa
0.36 MPa
0.06 MPa
Masonry: 2000.0 kg/m3

Dynamic analysis

Linear transient dynamic analysis (base

acceleration input); no. of modes chosen: 10

Element adopted

Masonry:
4 noded orthotropic shell element, each node
having 6 d-o-f
RC lintel and roof band:
2 noded 3d beam element, each node having 6 do-f
RC roof:
4 noded orthotropic shell element, each node
having 6 d-o-f

Table 3: Details of earthquakes used as input

Earthquake

Details

EQ-1

Kangra earthquake, Himachal Pradesh, India; date: 26th April 1986; 3.05 IST;
total duration: 20.08s; PGA: 0.248g at 3.04s; median frequency: 5.86Hz

EQ-2

Koyna earthquake, Maharashtra, India; date: 10th December 1967, longitudinal

component; total duration: 10.33s; PGA: 0.613g at 3.85s; median frequency:
11.86Hz

EQ-3

Koyna earthquake, Maharashtra, India; date: 10th December 1967, transverse

component; total duration: 10.33s; PGA: 0.473g at 3.13s; median frequency:
12.43Hz

Table 2: Natural frequencies (Hz) of buildings

Mode
no.

Buildings without roof

Building with
roof

B-1

B-2

B-3

6.43

8.17

14.87

6.88

9.05

17.11

14.01

18.61

18.95

15.92

20.12

20.03

Table 4: Results of stress analysis

Buildin
g type*

Maximum flexural stress

(MPa) x at top edge of
cross-wall (parallel-to-bedjoints)

Maximum flexural stress

(MPa) y at base of
cross-wall (normal-tobed-joints)

Maximum shear stress

(MPa) yz at the base of
shear-wall

EQ-1

EQ-2

EQ-3

EQ-1

EQ-2

EQ-3

EQ-1

EQ-2

EQ-3

B-1

0.42

0.368

0.302

0.113

0.12

0.092

0.09

0.09

0.078

B-2

0.14

0.163

0.158

0.156

0.192

0.18

0.095

0.132

0.121

B-3

0.032

0.062

0.055

0.12

0.242

0.186

0.14

0.208

0.172

* B-1, B-2 : Buildings without roof; B-3: Building with roof

Regions of maximum flexural stress for buildings without roof (a) x (b) y

Regions of maximum flexural stress for buildings with roof (a) x (b) y

Regions of maximum shear stress in shear-walls ()

Behaviour of URM wall subjected to vertical and out-of-plane lateral load

CONTAINMENT REINFORCEMENT AS AN EARTHQUAKE

RESISTANT FEATURE

Should always be accompanied by

horizontal RC bands
Containment reinforcement is a
vertical reinforcement provided on
both faces in a parallel manner. It
may be either on the surface or
hidden in 3.0 cm grooves beneath the
surface
It is generally provided every 1.0m in
the horizontal direction and also next
to door and window jambs

(a) Un-reinforced

(b) core-reinforced

(c)Containment
reinforcement

Containment reinforcement in grooved blocks

Reinforcement on both faces to be

held by ties going through the wall
in alternate courses or once in 3
courses
Following materials are possible
9
9
9
9
9

GI wire 3.0 to 4.0 mm

Corrosion resistant steel ~ 6.0mm
Stainless steel 3.0 to 4.0 mm
Bamboo
Timber

Function is to prevent growth of

flexural cracks
Experiments show good flexural
ductility

Masonry building with horizontal bands

and Containment reinforcement

Testing of masonry beams with containment reinforcement

1400

1200

moment (Nm)

1000

800

RB-11

600

RB-12
RB-13

400

RB-14

1st crack
200

0
0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

curv ature (/m)

0.5

0.6

0.7

Specimen details

Curvature ductility
(/m)

1-brick thick
2 x 6mm MS

22.5
12.61
12.0

1-brick thick
2 x 3.16mm GI

12.21
11.23
13.07

-brick thick
2 x 3.4mm GI

16.4
17.09
23.24
11.42

-brick thick
2 x 3.7mm GI

24.60
17.34
12.88
10.69

Shock table testing

Quick evaluation of earthquake resistant
features using simple impacts
Developed in 1956 at Roorkee, used at
Omerga/Latur for model testing
Pendulum impact method also developed at
I.I.Sc
Tests at I.I.Sc, Bhuj, BMS College of Engg.

Construction of one fourth scale masonry building models

Acceleration response: Impact number 4

RESPONSE OF CONTAINMENT REINFORCEMENT
MODEL AT TOP

SHOCK TABLE RESPONSE

ACCELERATION (m/Sec )

ACCELERATION (m/Sec )

5
2

4
3
2
1
0
-1
-2
0

5
4
3
2
1
0
-1
-2
-3
0

TIME (Sec)

TIME (Sec)

RESPONSE OF CONTAINMENT REINFORCEMENT

MODEL AT MIDDLE

RESPONSE OF BIS MODEL AT TOP

ACCELERATION (m/Sec )

ACCELERATION (m/Sec )

3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
-0.5
-1
-1.5
0

2
TIME (Sec)

3
2
1
0
-1
-2
-3
0

2
TIME (Sec)

Near-fault ground motion record of an earthquake

(873 cm/sec2)

FREQUENCY REDUCTION AFTER SUCCESSIVE IMPACT

Impact
no.

BIS model
peak frequency in Hz

Containment reinforcement
model peak frequency in Hz

40.039

64.82

30.273

52.002

19.531

36.621

11.475

27.466

8.545

20.264

7.08

12.573

10.01

7.568

6.104

10

5.127

11

5.127

12

2.93

13

3.052

14

2.808

CONTACT DURATION
With mass
Angle of
release of
pendulum

Without mass

Pendulum side

Rebound side

Contact
duration in
milli-seconds

Contact
duration in
milli-seconds

Avg.

Pendulum side
Contact
duration
in milliseconds

Avg.

173

Rebound side
Contact
duration
in milliseconds

Avg.

10

45

10

44

10

42

133

41

116

20

25

87

32

99

20

23

20

24

88

30

21

77

30

21

30

21

43.6
7

24.0

21.0

144

85

80
80

44
150.0

132
41

38

86.67

30

119

30.67

83

30
79.0

Avg.

122.33

86.67

78

Model
BeforeTest
Containment
reinforcement

After Test

Shock table test results

Model

Energy input Final state

Un-reinforced

135.0 Nm

Collapse

Model with
horizontal
bands
Model with
horizontal
bands and
Containment
reinforcement

671.0 Nm

Partial collapse

1967.0 Nm

Not collapsed,
but with a
number of
cracks

Our sincere thanks to

1.Shanthakumar
2.Arogiaswamy
3.Vasudevan
4.Sagairaju
5.Raghavendra
6.Muniraju
and all others who have directly or indirectly
helped us in conducting the experimental
investigations

THANK YOU