2.

MASONRY DESIGN
2.1 Structural design of masonry
The structural design of masonry is carried out in accordance with the guidance given in BS
5628 Code of practice for use of masonry. This is divided into the following three parts:
BS 5628 Part 1 - Structural use of unreinforced masonry.
BS 5628 Part 2 - Structural use of reinforced and prestressed masonry.
BS 5628 Part 3 - Materials and components, design and workmanship.
The design of masonry dealt with in this manual is based on Part 1, which gives design
recommendations for unreinforced masonry constructed of bricks, concrete blocks or natural
stone.
2.2 Design Philosophy
The design approach employed in BS 5628 is based on limit state philosophy. In the context of
load bearing masonry its objective is to ensure an acceptable probability that the ultimate limit
state will not be exceeded. Thus for a masonry member, which will be either a wall or a column,
Ultimate design strength ultimate design load
Partial safety factors are applied separately to both the loads and the material stresses in limit
state design.
2.3 Loads
The basic or characteristic load is adjusted by a partial safety factor to arrive at the ultimate
design load acting on a wall.
Characteristic loads
The characteristic loads applicable to masonry design are the same as those defined for concrete
design:
Values of f are given in BS 5628 Part 1 for the following load combinations:
(a) Dead and imposed load
(b) Dead and wind load
(c) Dead imposed and wind load
(d) Accidental damage.
Those for the dead and imposed load combination which would usually apply to vertically
loaded walls are as follows:
Design dead load: 1.4Gk
Design imposed load: 1.6Qk

2.4 Ultimate design load

The ultimate design load acting vertically on a wall will be the summation of the relevant
characteristic load combinations multiplied by their respective partial safety factors. Therefore
the ultimate design load for the dead plus imposed load combination on a vertically loaded
wall would be expressed as follows:
Ultimate design load dead + imposed = 1.4Gk + 1.6Qk
Ex 01:
The characteristic loads (from BS 6399) for a floor used for offices are:
(a) Characteristic dead load, Gk = 3.0 kN/m2
(b) Characteristic imposed load, Qk = 2.5 kN/m2 (offices for general use)
Determine the design load.
2.5 Characteristic Compressive Strength of Masonry, fk

The characteristic compressive strength of masonry depends upon:

the characteristic strength of the masonry unit
mortar designation
the shape of the unit
whether the work is bonded or unbounded
thickness of the mortar joints
the standard of workmanship.

BS 5628-1:2005 Page 16

Ex 02:
Determine the characteristic compressive strength, fk, of a wall constructed in hollow blocks (as
shown in Figure) of gross area compressive strength 7 N/mm2, if the blocks are filled with
concrete having a 28 day compressive strength equal to that of the blocks and a mortar
designation (iii) is used.

2.6 Partial Safety Factors for Material Strength, m

The degree of care exercised in the control of the manufacture of the units and in the construction of the
masonry affects the design strength of the wall, column, etc. The characteristic strength of masonry has
to be divided by a partial safety factor to obtain the design strength. The partial safety factor depends on
the degree of quality control on manufacture and construction. The factor also depends on whether the
masonry is subject to compression loading or lateral loading.

Manufacturing Control
(a) Category I: This category is used when suppliers can meet a specified strength limit (known
as the acceptance limit) when not more than 2.5% of the test results will fall below the
acceptance limit, and also when the suppliers quality control scheme can satisfy the buyer that
the acceptance limit is consistently met.
(b) Category II: This category is used when the supplier can meet the compressive strength
requirements of the appropriate British Standard.
Construction Control
(a) Normal category: Normal category should be assumed whenever the work is carried out
following the recommendations for workmanship in Annex A of BS 5628-3:2001, or BS 8000-3
including appropriate supervision and inspection.
(b) Special Category

Design Strength = Characteristic compressive strength (fk)

Partial safety factor for materials (m)

Ex 03:
1. Determine the design strength of the brickwork in Example 2, if the manufacturing
control is category I and construction control is normal category.
2. Determine the design strength of the brickwork in Example 2, the manufacturing control
is category I and the construction control is special category.

2.7 Slenderness Ratio

Slender masonry walls and columns under compressive loading are likely to buckle in the same
way as concrete, steel or timber columns in compression. It is therefore, necessary to determine
the masonry walls or columns slenderness ratio in order to relate a failure in buckling to the
compressive load-carrying capacity of a wall or column.
Slender ratio = effective height (or length) / effective thickness hef (or lef) / tef
2.7.1 Effective height
The effective height hef depends on the degree of horizontal lateral support provided and may
be defined as follows for walls and columns.
For walls it should be taken as
(a) 0.75 times the clear distance between lateral supports which provide enhanced resistance, or

(b) The clear distance between lateral supports which only provide simple resistance.

For columns it should be taken as

(a) The distance between lateral supports in respect of the direction in which lateral support is
provided, shown as hef = h in Figure Case (a), or
(b) Twice the height of the column in respect of a direction in which lateral support is not
provided, shown as hef = 2h in Figure Case (b).

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2.7.2 Effective Length

The effective length lef is a consideration that only applies to walls, and depends on the degree
of vertical lateral support provided. It may be taken as
a) 0.75 times the clear distance between vertical lateral supports (case a) or twice the distance
between a support and a free edge (case b), where lateral supports provides enhanced
resistance to lateral movement;
b) The clear distance between lateral supports (case c) or 2.5 times the distance between a
support and a free edge (case d), where lateral supports provide simple resistance to lateral
movement.

Ex 04: Determine the slenderness ratio for the wall as shown in Figure, assuming tef = 102.5 mm.

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2.7.3 Effective Thickness

Ex 05: Determine the effective thickness of the wall shown in Figure 1-4.

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

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2.8 Load bearing Capacity Reduction Factor,

The slenderness ratio is a measure of the tendency of a wall or column to fail by buckling before
crushing. To take this into account, the design strength of a wall or column is reduced using a
capacity reduction factor which is based upon the slenderness ratio value. It is obtained from
BS 5628 Part 1 Table 7,

A load applied eccentrically will increase the tendency for a wall or column to buckle and
reduce the load capacity further. This is catered for by using a modified capacity reduction
factor from Table which depends on the ratio of the eccentricity ex to the member thickness.
Design Strength = Capacity Reduction Factor () Characteristic compressive strength (fk)
Partial safety factor for materials (m)

2.9 Vertical load resistance

Design vertical resistance = fk bt

k
m
t
b

capacity reduction factor

characteristic strength of masonry units
material partial safety factor
actual thickness of leaf or wall
width of the wall or column

The design vertical resistance of a wall per unit length is given by: fk t

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Design summary for a vertically loaded wall or column

(a)

Calculate the slenderness ratio for the

wall or column under consideration.
(b) Obtain the capacity reduction factor
(c)

Obtain the characteristic compressive

strength k of the masonry units

(d) Material partial safety factor m

(e)

Calculate the vertical load resistance

Requirement
hef or lef
tef
Slenderness ratio,
Eccentricity of loading
Brick/Block type,
Shape factor,
Mortar designation
Manufacturing control,
Construction control
, k , m , t, b

Page
23
30

Table/Section
Section 4
24.1
Table 7

16

Table 2

22

Table 4(a)

29,30

32.2

Ex 06: A wall has an effective height of 2.25 m and an effective thickness of 102.5 mm. The brick
strength is 15 N/mm2 and the mortar mix is 1 : 1 : 6.
1. The manufacturing control is category II and the construction controls are special.
Determine:
(a) The design strength of the wall,
(b) The loadbearing capacity of the wall.
2. Determine the loadbearing capacity of the wall, when both the manufacturing control is
category II and construction controls is normal.
Ex 07: Determine the design compressive strength of a column, 440 mm 440 mm, 4.4 m clear
height between concrete floors giving enhanced lateral restraint. The bricks have a compressive
strength of 35 N/mm2, and the mortar is designation (ii). The manufacturing control is category
II and construction controls is normal.
Ex 08: A 102.5 mm thick single skin brick wall, as shown in Figure, is built between the concrete
floors of a multi-storey building. It supports an ultimate axial load, including an allowance for
the self-weight, of 250 kN per metre run. What brick and mortar strengths are required if
category II manufacturing and normal construction control apply and the wall is first 10 m long
and secondly only 1 m long?

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Ex 09: The brick cavity wall shown in Figure supports an ultimate axial load of 150 kN/m
shared equally by both leaves. Select suitable bricks and mortar if both the manufacturing and
construction control are to be normal.

Ex 10: The wall shown in Figure is built of 50 N/mm2 clay bricks set in grade (i) mortar.
Calculate the vertical design strength of the wall if it is 2.4 m high and is provided with simple
lateral support at the top. The category of manufacturing control is to be category II and that for
construction is special.

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2.10 Eccentric Loading

When considering a member subject to compressive loading, it is unlikely that the loading will
ever be truly applied concentrically. In most instances, the load will be applied at some
eccentricity to the centroid of the member, whether due to construction tolerances, varying
imposed loads on adjacent floor spans or other causes.
Eccentricity of single slab bearing onto wall:
The most common cause is bending in the
beam or floor or roof being supported. That
is, as if a triangular stress distribution is
assumed under the bearing

Eccentricity of continuous slab bearing onto

wall:
Where a uniform floor is continuous over a
wall, the Code recommends that each span of
the floor should be taken as being supported
individually, on half the total bearing area

Eccentricity of single timber joist supported

in joist holder:
Where joist hangers are used, the load should
be assumed to be applied at the face of the
wall.

Ex 11: The brick cavity wall shown in Figure supports an ultimate

load on the inner leaf of 75 kN/m, the outer leaf being unloaded.
Select suitable bricks and mortar if both the manufacturing and
construction control are to be normal.

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Additional eccentricity due to slenderness

The eccentricity is assumed to vary from the value ex at the top of the wall to zero at the
bottom of the wall, subject to an additional eccentricity being considered to cover
slenderness effects.
No slenderness effect need be considered for walls or columns where the slenderness
ratio is less than or equal to 6.
The additional eccentricity may be assumed to vary linearly from zero at top and bottom
of the wall, to a value ea over the central fifth of the wall height where ea is given by:

t
tef
hef

is the thickness of the wall (or depth of column);

is the effective thickness of the wall or column;
is the effective height of the wall or column.

ex
Eccentricity is calculated as:

max
0.6 ex

+ ea

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