Author

B.P. SINHA
University of Edinburgh
Abstract

Eight full size beams with a brick bonding arrangement very similar to that used for pocket type walls, 2.5 bricks wide and one brick thick, were prestressed normal to the bedjoints and tested to fail in shear. The brick type, mortar strength, shear span/effective depth ratio and percentage area of steel were kept constant. The only variable was the prestressing force. The results show that shear stress is enhanced by prestressing and a relationship with prestress/unit area is given. With sufficient prestress the ultimate moment of the section was close to the theoretical value.