Masonry Shearwall

[omoreno80]

I am working with an architect on an addition to a restuarant. One of the shearwalls has various size openings but the width of the shearwall segment elements is only 16". Can this actually be design as a masonry shearwall, I was thinking at this point it would resemble more of a frame.

 

[ishvaaag]

Not even as a frame, but more as restrictions to panel member relative displacement. This may be different with flexural embedments at ends, from which frame action can be passed to the masonry pillars to be used for lateral stability. Code not forbidding, it may work, but since not the ordinary concept of a shearwall, attention to the case is to be warranted.

 

[omoreno80]

Thank you for the response. I checked the wall for out of plane loads and in no way does it work. I may have to look at a pilaster arrangement.

 

[msquared48]

Or a thicker wall with two layers of vertical reinfoecement.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

 

[dik]

If only 16", you might consider this a masonry column.

Dik