Author
SEBASTIAN TRAJKOVSKI and YURI Z. TOTOEV
Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute University of Newcastle

Abstract
Traditionally, design standards determine shear strength of masonry including a damp proof course on the basis of its friction capacity. Different strain rates which may occur in the lifetime of a building are not taken into account. Recent results at the University of Newcastle suggest that certain types of damp proof course may possess some pseudo-viscosity. This means that shear stress is a function of a strain rate. Experiments to determine the shear strength of damp proof courses have been carried out at the Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute in Ljubljana. Tests were performed at different strain rates and at the pre-compression load which occurs at the base level in a twostorey masonry building. This paper presents the preliminary results of the experimental investigation of shear capacity of masonry containing a damp proof course.