LESSON 4: MASONRY (Civil Technology)

SIR ARNEL A. PETALLANA, LPT

Instructor

Prepared by:
Group 3
WOWIE ESTABAYA
JOMAR MAGBATO
ALJON GLORIA
MASONRY-Is the craft of building a structure with brick, stone, or similar material, including
mortar plastering which are often laid in, bound, and pasted together by mortar. The term
masonry can also refer to the building units themselves.

MASONRY MATERIALS

 Concrete Hollow Blocks (CHB)

 Bricks
 Cement
 Aggregates
 Water

 Masonry Anchors, Ties and Reinforcements

Concrete Hollow Blocks (CHB) - Concrete hollow blocks are the most widely used masonry
materials for all types of construction such as walls, partition and fences. Concrete blocks
are building modules resembling large bricks molded from concrete. Commercial sizes of
CHB are as follows: 4” x 8” x 16”, 5” x 8” x 16”, and 6” x 8” x 16”,

Bricks - Bricks are manufactured from clay and other minerals processed into a workable
consistency, molded to sizes and fined in kiln for stronger, more attractive products.

a. Common Bricks are bricks made from clay such as the ordinary commercial bricks.

b. Face Bricks are bricks made from clay materials used on exposed exterior and interior
masonry walls and other architectural application where the size, color and texture are
especially important.

c. Calcium Silicate Bricks are bricks made from clay or non-clay materials used in furnace
construction where resistance to temperature as high as 178o C is required.

Cement- is a substance used for binding and hardening other materials. Water and cement
harden through chemical reaction known as “hydration”.

TYPES OF CEMENT

PORTLAND CEMENT - Almost all concrete is made with Portland cement. It is also the
principal cement used in the most masonry mortars and renders. It is manufactured by
heating together lime stone (chalk) and clay (or shale) in large rotary kilns. the chemistry of
Portland cement largely consists of calcium silicate which reacts with water to form a strong
durable cement.
LOW HEAT BLAST (furnace portland cement) - This is a special blended cement with low
heat of hydration characteristics for mass concreting. The advantage of this kind of cement
over ordinary Portland cement is that, although it has a slower strength gain, it has higher
ultimate strength, as well as better workability.

RAPID HARDENING CEMENT - This hardens faster than Portland cement, as it includes more
silicates, however, the final strength is only slightly higher. The one-day strength of this
cement is equal to three-day strength of Portland cement with the same water-cement
ratio. It is mainly used where formwork has to be removed for reuse.

SULFATE RESISTING CEMENT - Sulfates exist in the rain and sea water and can be harmful to
building materials. Sulfate resisting cement is a type of modified Portland cement that can
be used in conditions where concrete is exposed to the risk of deterioration due to sulfate
attack.

AGGREGATES- Aggregates are inert materials when bound together into a conglomerated
mass by cement and water from the, mortar and plaster. Aggregates strongly influence
concretes freshly mixed and hardened properties, mixture proportions, and economy.
Consequently, selection of aggregates is an important process. Although some variation in
aggregates properties is expected, characteristics that are considered include:

fine aggregates (sand)

coarse aggregates (gravel)

 Grading
 Durability
 Particle shape and surface texture
 Abrasion and skid resistance
 Unit weights and voids
 Absorption and surface moisture

MAIN TOOLS IN MASONRY

Trowel/ Trowels- This essential tool is used to form mortar beds, mix concrete, and lay
bricks. Trowels are handheld tools used by masons to spread and shape mortar, which is
used to bind bricks or stones together. They are typically made of metal or plastic and come
in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Spirit Level/ Level Bar- A tool used to indicate how parallel (level) or perpendicular (plumb) a
surface is relative to the earth. A spirit level gets its name from the mineral spirit solution
inside the levels.
Water Level/ Level Hose- It is used to determine the apparent inclination of an object or
surface and for matching water level elevations at locations that are too far apart for a spirit
level to span.

Plumb Rule and Bob- Plumb lines and plumb rules are implements used to determine a
vertical plane, often called plummets in the scriptures. Each depends upon a line from which
a heavy plumb bob is suspended, so that when hanging freely the line is perpendicular. They
are one of the oldest emblems and have the same symbolic interpretation.

Masonry Square- Used to ensure that two perpendicular surfaces are at a right angle with
each other. It is a useful tool to carry around to get a standard reference of 90 degrees with
which to verify the accuracy of corners.

Line and Pins- It is used to maintain the alignment of the work-in-progress. Line and pins
consist of a string whose ends are connected with two solid metal rods with pin points. It is
used to level line and the alignment of brick course while brick laying in brick masonry work.

Tape Measure- A tape measure or measuring tape is a flexible ruler used to measure length
or distance. It consists of a ribbon of cloth, plastic, fiber glass, or metal strip with linear
measurement markings. It is a common measuring tool.

Hammer- Tool that has a heavy metal head attached to a handle and that is used for hitting
nails or breaking things apart

Shovel/ Spade- They are used to mix mortar and also used to place cement, mortar,
concrete in head pan. Spade is also used to dig the soil for foundation trenches etc. It
consists of metal plate at the end of long wooden handle.

STRATEGIES IN MASONRY (MASONRY CONSTRUCTION)

Three strategies in the finite element analysis are used for modeling masonry
structures which, depending on complexity, pertain to micro-, meso- or macro-models.
Discrete particle models, as well as combined finite element/discrete models, are employed
for analysis of heterogeneous masonry elements.

Mixing- concrete shall be mixed well using the proportion specified by the Engineer. Hand
mooing shall be done, using shovels, on a level concretes or steel plate. Mix aggregate and
cement until the color is uniform, Spread the mixture out, sprinkle water over the surface
and mix. Continue with this process until the right amount of water has been mixed.
Mixture shall be free from impurities such as dirt and grass. If batch mixer in used, accurate
timing and measuring devices shall be observed as per manufacturer's recommendation.

Molding- hand operated machines shall be used as manufacturer's recommendation The

mold of a powered machine should be filled until sex (6) to eight (8) cycles of compaction
are required to bring the compacting head to its stops Demolding or removal of the mold
shall be done carefully so that the fresh blocks are not damaged. Fresh blocks shall be
protected from rain with plastic sheets or any suitable covering during the first day and from
the drying effects of the sun and wind until curing starts.

Curing- after the mold is being removed, the concrete shall be covered with a plastic sheet
or tarpaulin and kept damp and shaded for at least seven (7) days in order to effectively
cure. This can be achieved by continually spraying it with water.

Installation

1. All masonry work shall be laid true to line, level, plumb and neat in accordance with the
Plans.

2. Units shall be cut accurately to fit all plumbing ducts, opening for electrical works, and all
holes shall be neatly patched.

3. No construction support shall be attached to the wall except where specifically permitted
by the Engineer.

4. Masonry unit shall be sound, dry, clean and free from cracks when placed in the
structure.

5. Proper masonry units shall be used to provide for all window, doors, bond beams, lintels,
plasters etc., with a minimum of unit cutting.

6. Where masonry units cutting is necessary, all cuts shall be neat and true to line.

7. Units shall be placed while the mortar is soft and plastic. Any unit disturbed to the extent
that the initial bond is broken after initial positioning shall be removed and re-laid in fresh
mortar.

8. Mortar should not be spread too far ahead of units, as it will stiffen and loose plasticity,
especially in hot weather. Mortar that has stiffened should not be used.

Steel Reinforcement for Concrete Hollow Blocks- shall be done in accordance with the
structural plans as to size and spacing. Reinforcement shall be clean and free from loose,
rust, scales and any coatings that will reduce bond.

Finish and Appearance - all units shall be sound and free of cracks or other defects that
interfere with the proper placement of the unit or significantly impair the strength or
permanence of the construction.
 PLANNING AND DESIGNING A HOUSE

GEOTECHNICAL REPORT

A geotechnical report on the site is very good insurance for the future and is strongly
recommended prior to construction. It would provide information about the site and the
support capabilities of the ground.

MODULAR LAYOUT

Designing wall dimensions to equal a multiple of the Concrete Masonry Unit ICMU)
being used saves time and money by eliminating cutting. It also adds predictability and
discipline to both design and construction. As such, dimensioning the design to fit the
module is recommended. The critical dimensions are wall height, wall length, opening size
and opening position. The standard CMU is 390mm long, and 190mm high with an
allowance for a 10mm mortar joint on each dimension (400mm long, and 200mm high).