LIBERATORE, DOMENICO1; MAROTTA, ALESSANDRA2; SORRENTINO, LUIGI3

1 Professor, Sapienza – University of Rome, Department of Structural and Geotechnical Engineering, domenico.liberatore@uniroma1.it

2 PhD candidate, Sapienza – University of Rome, Department of Structural and Geotechnical Engineering, alessandra.marotta@uniroma1.it

3 Assistant Professor, Sapienza – University of Rome, Department of Structural and Geotechnical Engineering, luigi.sorrentino@uniroma1.it

Clay-unit brickwork is one of the most common masonry types throughout the world. Its compressive strength is a key parameter both for the design of new structures and for the assessment of existing constructions. Currently, national and international building codes suggest formulas and/or tables to estimate masonry compressive strength based on mortar and unit compressive strengths. In this study, first of all, such formulations are presented, together with others available in the technical literature and introducing other parameters such has the mortar bed joint thickness / unit height ratio, the longitudinal elastic moduli and the unit tensile strength. Hence, they are compared against an experimental database extracted from research papers published in journals and conference proceedings. Only laboratory tests investigating both the components (mortar and unit) and the composite (masonry) are considered; accordingly, a set of over twenty-five papers dealing with solid clay brick masonry is compiled. Based on such data the most adequate analytical formulation is recognised. Moreover, possible code amendments are suggested.

Keywords: masonry compressive strength, mortar compressive strength, unit compressive strength, analytical formulation, tabular formulations