Masonry Magazine September 2004 Page. 26
Wall Bracing
Bracing masonry walls during construction is often neglected by mason contractors, sometimes with catastrophic results. Even in those cases where some nominal bracing is provided, it is often the case that they are inadequate and can overstress and fail under lateral loads. One of the reasons for this is that mason contractors often lack the in-house engineering expertise to properly evaluate the conditions necessary to design masonry bracings. Proper bracing design entails a number of factors, e.g. strength and age of masonry, mortar and grout, location and magnitude of reinforcement, openings, etc.
Before the MCAA began its effort in 1997, there were no uniform structural design guidelines for contractors and engineers to follow while designing the bracing. The formation of the Council for Masonry Wall Bracing was a step undertaken to fill this gap, by providing specification and design parameters for structural bracing. The Standard Practice for Bracing Masonry Walls and the Masonry Wall Bracing Handbook are excellent tools that provide guidance to the contractor to adequately brace masonry walls.
Mohammad Ayub, PE
Director, Office of Engineering
Directorate of Construction, OSHA
Washington, D.C.
Masonry
September 2004
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