Masonry Magazine February 1994 Page. 34
PARTIALLY GROUTED
REINFORCED
MASONRY WALLS
By JAMES E. AMRHEIN, S.E.
Executive Director
Masonry Institute of America
The reasons for and benefits of partially grouting walls, with a description of the methods of this procedure emphasizing certain techniques to assure satisfactory results.
WHAT ARE partially grouted walls? Simply stated, it's grouting only the cells where reinforcing occurs in a masonry wall. This is in contrast to solidly or fully grouting masonry walls in which all cells would be filled with grout.
Before we get into this subject, let's state that building codes, the Uniform Building Code (Reference #1) and the ACI/ASCE/TMS Masonry Code (Reference # 2) permits hollow unit masonry walls to be partially grouted. Thus there is no legal obstacle to using this technique of design and construction. It is always prudent to check with the legal authorities in the area to determine if the technique of partially grouting walls is acceptable. I do not know of any area that would object. It is acceptable and used in seismic zone 4 which is the most severe seismic area in the U.S.A.
Why grout and reinforce masonry walls?
The use of grouted masonry walls provides many advantages. For reinforced masonry, grout transfers the load between the reinforcing steel and the masonry units so that both can perform in harmony to resist tension and compression forces.
What about ungrouted, unreinforced walls?
There are some areas in the United States that use what is called plain masonry. This is masonry without any reinforcing. This type of masonry has always been a concern because of the forces to which they may be subjected and have to resist. These forces could be from high winds such as tornadoes and hurricanes, earthquake forces, and lateral forces due to earth
FIGURE 1. Representation of a partially grouted wall.
GROUTED
CELLS
REINFORCING
STEEL
34 MASONRY-JANUARY/FEBRUARY, 1994