Normalized compressive strength of natural stone masonry units

Abstract EN

This paper is aimed to examine the applicability of the Eurocode 6 methods for the determination of unit and masonry compression strengths in regard with Yemeni load-bearing masonry construction.

The paper introduces results obtained from compression tests carried out on different types of stone masonry units used in Yemen for load-bearing masonry construction.

The tests were carried out in accordance with European (EN) standards and covered units of different sizes and three variant conditioning states ; oven dry, air dry and wet.

Compressive strengths obtained for units tested in air dry, oven dry and wet conditions as well as compressive strength for units of different sizes tested at similar conditions were compared.

The results were utilized to assess the validity of multipliers (conditioning and shape factors) contained in European standards, EN 772-1, for obtaining normalized unit compressive strengths (the equivalent air dry strength of 100 mm wide x 100 mm high masonry unit) which is used to predict masonry strength as per Eurocode 6 method.

The paper also discusses the influence of normalized unit compressive strength on masonry strength in view of experimental results and provisions of Eurocode 6 and EN standards.

It was found that the normalized compressive strength for natural stone masonry unit obtained according to EN 772-1 provisions is lower than the actual strength, and consequently predicted masonry strength.