Author
URREGO-GIRALDO, H.
Area I.C. (Ingenieros Consultores)
BONETT-DIAZ, R
University of Medellín, Civil Engineering Department

Abstract
Masonry is commonly used to build housing with technical as well as economical advantages. Nevertheless, there are some difficulties in guaranteeing a good performance in serviceability limit state due to the control of the quality of the mortar joints and the grouting. In this work, a structural system of dry post-tensioned concrete brick masonry is presented. The system eliminates the bed and head mortar joints and it does not use conventional reinforcement. High steel tendons are used as the unique connection between bricks. A special deviator element has been incorporated in order to achieve a ductile failure mode of the specimens. This system has been used to build and test full scale beams and two-way slab specimens. Their flexural behavior has been evaluated. The obtained results permit to identify the following characteristics: 1) The flexural strength obtained is only dependent on brick and strand strength, and the behavior is similar to external post-tensioned concrete, 2) the use of the deviator element improves the flexural behavior, 3) it allows for the lets the immediate use after finishing the tensioning of the tendons; 4) it reduces the construction time and 5) It provides lean construction. It has a better performance than the conventional masonry.

Key words
post-tensioned masonry; unbounded strands; concrete bricks; walls; slabs