ENGINEERS FILE NOTE NO .3 .

Published by The Brick Development Association

eISfBI I I
372 I (21) I F I
3.

THE CALCULATION OF
ECCENTRICITIES IN
LOAD BEARING WALLS
by Professor A.W. Hendry BSe phD OSe CEng FICE FIStruetE FRSE
B55628: Part 1 states that the
eccentricity of loads on walls should
preferably be calculated but does
not indicate how this may be done.
This note, based on recent research
work, addresses this problem.
It discusses the background work and
gives a method of calculating
the eccentricity on loadbearing walls
between reinforced concrete floors.

INTRODUCTION
Oneofthe basicproblems inthe designof
loadbearingbrickwork walls is that of
allowing forthe effects ofslenderness and
eccentricityofloading. InBS 5628 Part 1
designersare advisedto determine
eccentricity ofloading by calculation but,
recognising the difficulty ofdoingthis at
the timeofpublication, the Code gives an
empirical ruleforassessing eccentricity.
Recently, researchworkhas been
completed which permits calculation of
eccentridties on a rational basis and it is
the purpose ofthis Note to summarise the
problem and a suitable method of
calculating eccentricity for the case ofload
bearingbrickwork wallscompressed
between reinforced concretefloor slabs.
END FIXITY FROM
FLOOR SLABS
Where a wall iscompressedbetween
reinforced concretefloor slabs, twointer-
relatedaspects ofthe problemcan be
discerned. Thefirst is illustratedinFig 1
wherethe strengthening effect offloor
slabs on a wall is suggested. Thus, when a
wall is tendingto fail inbuckling, the ends
tend to rotate;withfloor slabs present,
somedegreeofrestraint is introducedby
flexure ofthe floor slabs. Thegreater the
relative stiffnessofthe floor slabs, the
greater the restraint and the nearer the
situationapproaches that ofa fixed ended
column.
WALL END
ECCENTRICITY
Thesecondaspect ofthe problemrelates
to the effect ofthe floor slabs on the
eccentridty ofloading at the wall ends.
Loading ona floor slab, as inFig 2, will apply
a momenttothe top ofa wall the magnitude
ofwhich will depend on the rigidity ofthe
wall/floorslab joint. Ifthe loadfrom a
sectionofwall above that under
consideration is eccentric, it will introduce
a bendingmoment intothe slab. Thetotal
loadappliedto the top ofthe wall, (PcJ will
be the sumofthe loadfrom above (Pul
plus the slab reaction(P
s)
and will be
appliedat an eccentricity e
L
such that
P
u
' e, +PL' e
L
= M
s
The moments developed, and thus the
eccentricities ofloadingat the wall ends,
depend on a number offactors, including
the relative stiffnessofthe wall and slab
and the jointfixity.

Rg1: Res1raining effectof floorslobs onwall buckling.

Ag2: Condifions at wall/floor slobjoint.

P,
';::> Restraining
y moment
(b)
Endrotation
restrained by
lloorslabs
(0)
Unrestrained end
rotation

10
08

I
0.6

rr;
c
Q 0.4
02
Ie - 1.ON/mm
2
I, - O.5N/mm
2
Ie- Q.25Nfmm
2
0 "'---__--_-_-__- __- _
Rg3: Joint fixityV stillness ralJa n
J O I N T FIXITY
CALCULATION
OF ECCENTRICITY

1.0 20 30 40 50 6.0 70 8.0 90 '00

1
- r-
w/m
, I
I
A
(EI), I
h
(Ell.
8 I
I
h
- '-

I
1
Superimposed load
1 cr. +2
M
A
- 2' - N- '
wl2
(EI),
l (EI).
B
Rg 4: CalC1Jlatlan or EccentricityIn Exterior MasonryWalls
I
1
Deed Load
M __1_. ,
A 8 (0 +3) l
N - 4 (0 +2)' - (0 +1)'
-
I
g/m
I
I
A
(EI), I
(EI).
g/m
h
h/2
- -
Various methods have been developed for
the calculation ofeccentricityofloadingat
a joint. Averyeasilyappliedpartialframe
analysisis showin Fig 4 for external walls
from which eccentricities resultingfrom
slab loads may be calculated, provided
that the rigid framemoments are reduced
to allowforthe joint fixity as defined in the
preceedingparagraph. Formulae are also
available forinternal walls but inthis case
eccentricities are generally negligible.
Thejoint fixityfactor may be obtained
from Fig 4 but, as an approximation, the
following formula may be used:
F= 1
0.44ex + II
where ex is the slab/wall stiffness ratioas
definedinFig 4.
Aconsiderable amount ofexperimental
researchhas been devotedto the study of
wall/floorslab interaction and in
particular to the evaluationof jointfixity.
Theresults are summarised in Fig 3which
shows the joint fixity, definedas the ratio
ofthe actual moment transmitted by a
joint to that whichwouldexist ifthe joint
was fully rigid, plottedon a base ofslab/
wall stiffnessratio. Thejointrigidity also
depends on the compression on the joint
from loadingaboveand three curves are
shownfor joint compressivestresses
between O.25N/mm
2
and lON/mm
2

SLENDERNESS RATIO
Theslenderness ratioofa wall isdefined
as the ratioofthe effective height to
effective thickness. For solidwalls the
effective thickness is the same as the
actual thicknesswhilstfor a cavitywall it
isconventionally taken as twothirds of
the combinedthickness ofthe leaves. The
effective height theoretically depends on
the eccentridties ofthe loading at the top
and bottomofthe wall. Thus, referring to
Fig 5, if the eccentridties are ofthe same
sign, (orzeroat one end), the wall will
deflectinsinglecurvature (Fig 5 (all. If the
eccentridties are ofoppositesign, the wall
will deflectindoublecurvature (Fig 5 (bl).
Inthe first case the effective height is
equal to the actual height ofthe wall
whilst inthe secondcase the effective
height isless than the actual height. To
simplify calculations, the effective height
ofa wall compressedbetweenfloor slabs
is usuallyassumed to be three quarters of
the actual height. This isinreasonable
agreement withexperimental and
theoretical results.
Also to simplify calculations, it is
reasonable to assume that the eccentricity
. ofloadingabovea wall/floorslab joint
is zero.
DESIGN ST RENGTH
OF A WALL
Having determinedthe slenderness ratio
and eccentridty ofloading, the design
strength per unit lengthofa wall is then
calculatedby multiplying the design
strength ofthe material (fkl)'ml by the
thickness ofthe wall (t) and by a capadty
reduction factor (p) whichis a function of
the slenderness ratioand eccentridty.
Many theories have been produced for
determining capadty reduction factors
and these give rather disparate values.
Fortunately, inthe majorityof practical
cases the eccentridties will be rather small
and the reduction factors by all methods
willbe near to unitywhere the stress in
the brickworkis significant.
REDUCTION FACTORS
By wayofillustration, capacity reduction
factors forthe variousstoreyheight
sections ofthe outer wall ofa building
Fig 61have beencalculatedby the method
describedin this Note in conjunctionwith
B55628 Part 1. Two wall thicknesses have
(0)
Si ngle curvature
Fig 5: EIIedive heights in single and In double curwture

beenconsidered, namelya 280 mmcavity

wall and a 215 mmsolidwall.
Incalculating the rigidity ofthe joint
between a floor slab and a cavitywall
consisting oftwo 103 mmthickleaves,
experimental results have shown that
such a wall will behaveas a singleleafwall
when the jointcompression exceeds
0.3N/mm
2
This isthe case inall but one
ofthe jointsinthis example.
Theresults are summarised inTable 1
from which it will be seen that
eccentricities are generally quitesmall.
The reduction inloadbearingcapacity
resultingfrom slenderness and
eccentricity does not exceed14 per cent
below the third level from the top ofthe
building.
Aspecimencalculationis given inan
Appendix to this Note to showthe
procedureto be adopted incalculating
eccentricities indesign.
Slab: Span 35 0< 4.5m
ftlickness 150 or 1'10 mm
7
I
0
(
J
Slab Loading D.L 4kN/m'
2r
S.L2kN/m'
1
Ie
(
l,...-280 mmCavityWall
or
215 mm Solid Wall
2
(
3
(
-
L..
Leve
(b)
Double curvature

Ag 6: Dimensionsand loading tor outer wall aI hypalhehcal bYilding

CONCLUSION
In855628Part 1, paragraph31 states that
the eccentridtyofloading inwalls should
preferably be calculated. As described in
this Note, practical means are now
available for doingthis. As compared with
the conventional rulegiven inthe Code,
the resulting eccentridtieswill usually be
higherwhencalculated bya method
giving valuesconsistentwith
experimental results. In most cases,
however, the capadty reduction factor for
slendernessand eccentricity will not be
greatlydifferent as betweenthe two
methods wherebrickwork strength is
critical. This is becausethe Code reduction
factors do not decreaseuntil the
eccentridty ratiois greater than 0.05and
inmanycases the correctly calculated
valuewill not exceed this figure.
Notwithstanding this conclusion, it is
clearly more satisfactory to adopt a rational
methodofcalculation inpreferenceto a
ruleofthumb, the limitations ofwhich
are unknown.
Full scale structural lesl on wall/floor slab loin! behavIOur.

ECCENTRICITIES AND
CAPACITY REDUCTION
FACTORS FOR THE OUTER WALL
OF A BUILDING
Level Floar Slob: Span 3.5 m: thickness l SO mm
beiow
280 mm Cavity Wall " 215mm Solid Wallt
Roof
Slob
'*' '*'
1 0.13 0.78 0.17 0.73
2 0.075 0.86 0.16 0.75
3 0.057 0.88 014 0.79
4 0046 089 0.11 0.86
5 0.038 0.89 0.094 0.89
6 0.034 0.89 0 079 0.92
7 0.025 0.89 0.060 0.96
Level Floor Slob: Span 4.5 rn; thickness 170mm
beiow
280 mm Cavity WoII" 215 mm Soid Wollt
Roof
Slob
'*' '*'
1 0.22 0.62 0.20 0.66
2 0088 0.84 0.1 4 0.80
3 0.069 0.87 0.12 0.84
4 0.055 0.88 0.094 0.89
5 0.047 0.89 0.078 0.93
6 0.041 089 0.067 0.95
7 0.031 0.89 0.060 0.96
S1endemess ratio: 14
t Slenderness rolio 9
'*'
Eccenlridly ratio - eft
"" Copocify reduction foetor (BS 5628 Port 1. )

APPENDIX
CALCULATION OF
ECCENTRICITY AT A
WALL/FLOOR SLAB JOINT
Theload conditions at t he fi" t floor ievel at the outer
wall in a seven storey brickwork building are as
shown in Rg 7 The floor slob baa" on the inner ieat
of a 280 mm cavity wall. Tests have been shown
that in suc h a case the joint fixity should be
calculated with reference to the loaded leaf only
Referring to the partial frame formul a shown in Fig 4
and taking the ratio of elastic moduli for concrete
and brickwork as 2:
(EQ, _2.85 . 2 . ( 100 ) ' _ 176
L (EQw 3.0 102.5 .
N-4(cx + 2)'-(cx + 1)"-4(1.76+2)'-(1.76+ 1)'-48.93
Moment due to superimposed load:
1 cx + 2
- . -- . wL'
2 N
_ ]. . ( 1.76 + 2) X32 x3'
2 48.93 . 4 .
-0.37 kNm
Moment due todead load:
1 ,
8(cx + 3) gL
1 x 9 07x 3'
8(1.76 + 3) .
- 0.72 kNm
Total rigid frame moment
- 0.37 + 0.72 - 1.09 kNm
Joint fiXity foetor
1 1 -0.53
(0.44 cx + 1.1) 0.44 x 1.76 + 1.1
Joint moment
- 0.53 x 1.09 - 0.58 kNm
0.58 X 10'
e - 82.35 - 704 mm
e 704
- - 102.5 - 0.069
loadfrom
O.9G +t6Q,
- 82.35kN(m
Aoor soan: 3.0m
Slob load: lAG, +t6 Q"
- 12.3tkN(m
t 4G, - 9.07kN(m
t6Q, - 3.24kN(m
m
Fig 7: loading at wall/floorslab join!
The Assodation wou ld be interested to hear. from Engineers or Architects, of projects which they
consider worthy of inclusion in The BDA Engineers' FileNote Series . All initial submissions should
contain reference to t he particular area of the design which. it is considered. would be of interest to
the design profession as a whole. All enquiries should be addressed to The Technical Editor.
JMorton BSc PhD CEng MICEMlnstM
The views expressed in this FileNote are those of the Author's. Readers are expressly advised that they
do not necessarily reflect the views of the Association.
To demonstrate the initial engineering deci sions taken, scheme calculations have been included in the
Note. They are NOT intended to be full and detailed calculations and they should NOT be read as such.
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