Brick Serpentine Wall 1

[SteveGregory]

Does anyone know how to analyze and design a brick serpentine wall? I found some guidelines from BIA Technical Notes 29A - Brick in Landscape Architecture - Garden Walls
Rev [Nov. 1968] (Reissued Jan. 1999). It applies to "minor" garden walls.

However, these are rules of thumb. They don't tell me if they can withstand a 120 mph wind or for what height limits.
Thanks

 

[UcfSE]

I would design based on a unit length, as with a straight wall. If the curvature is high, you may get some benefit but it's probably a disproportionate amount of more work on your part for the benefit you gain, I would guess. If you absolutely need to squeeze every drop out of your design, of course, you can sharpen the pencil and get to work, but I wouldn't bother with that unless I had to.

 

[SteveGregory]

UcfSE,
Thanks. That echoes my initial thoughts. However, the architect is pushing us to do a thin wall 6 feet high above grade in a 120 mph zone "just like the ones" Thomas Jefferson did and are found in the reference 29A.

I came up with a wind load of 16.2 psf and a section modulus for the curvy wall geometry. The P/A+M/S yields a very small tension in the brick mortar.

 

[JLNJ]

I was going to suggest patterning them after Jefferson's walls at William and Mary college, but you beat me to it. If I recall correctly they are fairly thick but graceful at the same time.

 

[UcfSE]

If it works, it works. The trick, of course, will be checking that your curved wall behaves as a unit as is being assumed. At 6 feet tall, it seems the wall would have to be to be pretty short (length wise) in order for M/S to be have reasonable accuracy, like avoiding deep beam behavior.

 

[SteveGregory]

UcfSE,
"Behaving as a unit" is my concern also.

Concerning the section modulus, I calculated the section very similar to a corrugated metal deck. As far as the length is concerned, I will put pilasters at corners, junctions and any change of direction.