Masonry Magazine April 1992 Page. 23
BIA Technical Notes
on Brick Construction
Brick Institute of America 11490 Commerce Park Drive, Reston, Virginia 22091
42
REVISED
November
1991
EMPIRICAL DESIGN OF BRICK MASONRY
Abstract: This Technical Notes provides requirements for the empirical design of masonry structures. These requirements are based on past proven performance. The provisions are taken from ACI 530-92/ASCE 5-92, "Building Code Requirements for Masonry Structures", Chapter 9. Subjects discussed pertaining to ACI 530/ASCE 5 are: lateral stability; allowable stresses; lateral support; thickness of masonry: bonding; anchorage and miscellaneous requirements. Seismic considerations and material requirements are also included.
Key Words: brick, building codes, design standards, empirical design, masonry, stresses.
INTRODUCTION
Empirical design is a procedure for sizing and proportioning masonry elements to form an entire structure or parts of a structure. Empirical design does not require a rational analysis. It is based on rules of thumb and formulas developed over many years of experience. This design method has been used successfully for many decades.
Empirical design is generally used for buildings of a small scale nature. The basic premise is that masonry walls are incorporated into two directions of the building along with floor and roof systems for lateral support.
Chapter 9 of ACI 530-92/ASCE 5-92 is devoted solely to empirical design procedures. The provisions of earlier empirical standards have been modified to reflect contemporary construction materials and methods. Many requirements remain the same as earlier standards but new restrictions have been added to reflect recent developments.
The current model building codes contain requirements for empirical design of masonry. Until the development of ACI 530/ASCE 5, most of the model building code empirical design procedures were based on the ANSI A41.1 (R1970) document which has been discontinued.
It is the purpose of this Technical Notes to review many of the pertinent design and construction requirements included in Chapter 9 of ACI 530/ASCE 5. In this Technical Notes, sections of ACI 530/ASCE 5 referenced are given in parenthesis.
SCOPE (9.1)
Chapter 9 of ACI 530/ASCE 5 covers empirical design criteria which can be used for masonry components and masonry buildings in lieu of the design requirements in Chapters 5, 6, 7 and 8. Chapters 5 through 8 contain a rational design for masonry based on the working stress method.
The scope of Chapter 9 has three basic restrictions that have not been incorporated in other previous empirical procedures: 1) buildings cannot be located in Seismic Zones 3 and 4 as defined in ASCE 7-88, "Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures" (formerly referred to as ANSI A58.1); 2) lateral load forces, i.e. wind loads, are restricted to a maximum of 25 psf (1.2 kPa) as referenced in ASCE 7: 3) buildings relying on masonry walls for lateral load resistance cannot exceed 35 ft (10.7 mm) in height.
Chapter 9 permits empirical design of masonry elements not acting as a portion of the lateral force resisting system even though the main lateral force resisting system is rationally designed by other chapters contained in ACI 530/ASCE 5. Further, Chapter 9 can be used to design masonry elements in frame structures.
DESIGN
Consideration of lateral stability and lateral support are of prime importance in empirical design. Compressive stresses, thickness of masonry, bonding and anchorage requirements are incorporated in this design methodology.
Lateral Stability (9.3)
Shear walls are necessary when lateral support is provided by masonry construction. Shear walls must be provided in two directions, parallel and perpendicular to the assumed direction of the lateral load resisted.