Author
P. TIMPERMAN and J.A. RICE, NV Bekaert, Belgium

Abstract
Reinforced masonry has been widely used in seismic areas over the past 75 years. This paper examines nonseismic uses and attempts to evaluate the economic benefits of bed joint reinforcement when used in crack control and in structural applications, Crack control has been identified ax a major application for bed joint reinforcement. This paper shows how it can be used and its cost impact on the total construction. The cost of using reinforced masonry as lintels, ring beams and its effect on the spacing of movement joints is compared with other solutions. It is concluded that in some applications significant savings can be made.