Mechanical properties under compression of masonry and its compounds

In the first part of this paper the results of compression tests on specimens of one brick wide and 5 bricks height are discussed. These tests were carried out to find accurate figures for the parameters of bricks, mortar and the interface between these two, to be used in finite or discrete element method computer programs to calculate masonry strength and deformations. In the second part of this paper the results of more recent compression tests on masonry made of different brick and mortar qualities and different specimen sizes will be discussed. Here special attention will be paid to the influence of mortar and bricks on the strength of masonry. An in situ test method on structural masonry will be proposed. For the complete testprogram discussed here specimens are made in the laboratory. Later specimens made on a number of building sites in real weather conditions will be tested to verify the possibilities of the proposed building site tests. The main goals of the tests are: - Establishing the mechanical compression properties of masonry, bricks and mortar to be used in (computer-) calculations. - Establishing an aspect ratio between wide and narrow specimens. - Establishing the influence of the width of the specimen on the mechanical propeP4es, to be able to develop a standard testing method for st:-uctural masonry on building-sites