How do Brick Masonry Houses behave during Earthquakes? Behaviour of Brick Masonry Walls - How to Improve Behaviour of Masonry Walls -

1. NAJMA ANANTHAKUMAR
M12 1114

2. Behaviour of Brick Masonry Walls
 Masonry buildings are brittle structures
 Ground vibrations Inertia Forces Travel
through the roof and walls to the foundation
 A wall topples down easily if pushed horizontally at
the top in a direction perpendicular to its plane (weak
direction), but offers much greater resistance if pushed
along its length (strong direction)

4.  The ground shakes simultaneously in the vertical
and two horizontal directions during earthquakes
 horizontal vibrations are the most damaging
 For good seismic performance, making all walls
to act together as a box along with the roof at the
top and with the foundation at the bottom

6. How to Improve Behaviour of
Masonry Walls
To ensure box action,
 Connection between walls should be good
 ensuring good interlocking of the masonry
courses at the junctions
 employing horizontal bands at various levels,
particularly at the lintel level
 sizes of door and window openings need to
be kept small
 limiting its length-to-thickness and
heightto- thickness ratios

8. Choice and Quality of Building
Materials
 Bricks with low porosity are to be used, and must
be soaked in water before use
 Mud mortar is the weakest
 10 mm thick Cement-sand mortar with lime is
the most suitable
 Bricks must be stronger than mortar