Shreedhar KC, Aakash Basu, Laura Redmond, and Ece Erdogmus
i Graduate Student, Clemson University, Clemson, United States, shreedk@clemson.edu
ii Graduate Student, Clemson University, Clemson, United States, aakashb@clemson.edu
iii Assistant Professor, Clemson University, Clemson, United States, lmredmo@clemson.edu
iv Founding Dean-College of Architecture, Art and Construction, Clemson University, United States, ecee24@clemson.edu
ABSTRACT
Currently, the experimental database for Modulus of Rupture (MOR) of masonry beams is limited and current provisions in TMS 402/602-22 use the MOR values from wallette tests. The primary goal of this research is to experimentally determine the parameters that influence MOR for masonry beams. In addition, there are two primary methods for determining MOR in the literature, beam testing and bond wrench testing. As such, the secondary goal is to compare the MOR values from beam- and bond wrench- tests obtained in this study versus those published in literature. The standard ASTM E518 test was used for determining MOR values for beams and a modified approach to ASTM C1072 that nullifies the eccentricity in loading was used in the bond wrench testing. In total, 18 beams and 22 bond wrench prisms were tested with varying grout type, mortar type and masonry units. The results of the testing show that the MOR values significantly increase with the increase in grout strength and are not as influenced by the mortar type. Also, it is worth noting that there was significant variation between MOR values obtained from the two test methods, while the trends remained consistent with respect to the studied parameters among the tests. The obtained data set indicates between a 30% and 59%increase in MOR values obtained from bond wrench as compared to beam tests, and literature confirms a lack of consensus on this topic. Future work will utilize this data and those in the literature to create discrete element method (DEM) models and examine if fundamental differences in stress distributions can be identified to explain these differences.
KEYWORDS: bond wrench, flexural bond strength, grout, masonry beam, modulus of rupture.
101-KC.pdf
