Brick Veneer Parapet without Backup 1

[Lion06]

I came across something today I hadn't seen before and I'm looking for thoughts, literature, if anyone else has come across this and what you've done.

I have a 38' tall brick veneer wall on a two story building with no relief angles. The height just barely makes it for the maximum height limitations per my reading of ACI 530. But the odd thing I'm seeing is that it's a single wythe brick veneer with cold formed framing back up from grade up to the roof and then a two wythe parapet (above the roof, obviously) with no backup or core and no braces at the top of the parapet. That makes me pretty nervous since parapet pressures are so much higher, but I'm also weighing the prospect of demo'ing and rebuilding the entire height of wall for this reason.

Has anyone else come across this?

 

[XR250]

I love these because as the brick grows, the rear wythe gets lifted off its support (maybe top of CFS wall) - if it actually had one.

 

[Lion06]

Does anyone have a good reference for evaluation of masonry facades subject to high wind events?

 

[masonrygeek]

So above the roof line you basically have a double wythe cantilever wall. Yeah, I would be concerned if there is no reinforcing in it. I have seen brick veneer with a CFMF backing extend past the roof line. That still makes me nervous with potential of steel corrosion and thermal bridging. The BIA Tech Notes often recommend switching to a block backing above the roof line since the CMU can be more easily reinforced.

For winds for brick veneer see BIA Tech Note 28:

https://www.gobrick.com/media/file/28-brick-veneer-wood-stud-walls.pdf

(although this is for brick veneer over wood stud backing it can still apply). FEMA has a document as well:

https://www.fema.gov/pdf/rebuild/mat/brick_veneer.pdf

 

[Lion06]

Thank you for the feedback and reference.