MASIA, MARK1; SIMUNDIC, GORAN2; PAGE, ADRIAN3

1) Associate Professor, The University of Newcastle, Centre for Infrastructure Performance and Reliability, mark.masia@newcastle.edu.au

2) Structural Testing Manager, The University of Newcastle, Centre for Infrastructure Performance and Reliability, goran.simundic@newcastle.edu.au

3) Emeritus Professor, The University of Newcastle, Centre for Infrastructure Performance and Reliability, adrian.page@newcastle.edu.au

Stack bonded masonry is a form of construction in which the masonry units in adjacent courses are aligned vertically above one another. This bonding pattern leads to continuous vertical joints running the full height of the wall resulting in a weak form of construction particularly when subjected to lateral out-of-plane loading. Its use in Australia is not encouraged and consequently no specific design provisions are included in the Australian masonry structures code AS3700 [1]. However, architects and other designers are increasingly incorporating stack bonded masonry in their designs either as a veneer or a structural element for architectural effect, and in these cases, specific structural design requirements are needed. This paper presents the results of the first stage of a comprehensive investigation of the performance of typical Australian stack bonded brick masonry subjected to lateral out-of-plane loading under a range of support conditions. The contribution of bed joint reinforcing is also being assessed.

Keywords: masonry; stack bond; stretcher bond; lateral out-of-plane load; joint reinforcement.