Short Notes: Masonry | Short Notes for Civil Engineering - Civil Engineering (CE) PDF Download

 Page 1


       
CHAPTER – 11 
MASONRY 
 
 Masonry is defined as the art of construction in which building 
units, such as clay bricks, sand-lime, bricks, stones, Pre-cast hallow 
concrete blocks, concrete slabs, glass bricks, combination of some of 
these building units etc are arranged systematically and bonded together 
to form a homogeneous mass in such a manner that they can with stand 
point to other loads and transmit then through the mass without fail or 
disintegration. 
 Masonry can be classified into the following categories. 
1. Stone masonry 
2. Brick masonry 
3. Hallow block concrete masonry 
4. Reinforced masonry 
5. Composite masonry 
 These can be further sub-divided into varies types depending upon 
workmanship and type of materials used.  
 
Definitions of terms: 
1. Course: A course is a horizontal layer of bricks stones 
2. Bed: the surface of a stone perpendicular to the line of 
pressure of (lower surface of bricks or stones in each course) 
Page 2


       
CHAPTER – 11 
MASONRY 
 
 Masonry is defined as the art of construction in which building 
units, such as clay bricks, sand-lime, bricks, stones, Pre-cast hallow 
concrete blocks, concrete slabs, glass bricks, combination of some of 
these building units etc are arranged systematically and bonded together 
to form a homogeneous mass in such a manner that they can with stand 
point to other loads and transmit then through the mass without fail or 
disintegration. 
 Masonry can be classified into the following categories. 
1. Stone masonry 
2. Brick masonry 
3. Hallow block concrete masonry 
4. Reinforced masonry 
5. Composite masonry 
 These can be further sub-divided into varies types depending upon 
workmanship and type of materials used.  
 
Definitions of terms: 
1. Course: A course is a horizontal layer of bricks stones 
2. Bed: the surface of a stone perpendicular to the line of 
pressure of (lower surface of bricks or stones in each course) 
Masonry                                                                                 
  
3. Back: The inner surface of wall not exposed is called back. 
The material forming back is known as backing 
4. Face: The exterior of the wall exposed to weather is known 
as face. The material used in the facing of wall is known as 
facing’ 
5. Hearting: It is the interior portion of a wall between facing 
and backing 
6. Head: It is a brick or stone, which lies with its greatest length 
at right angles to the face of the work. 
7. Stretcher: It is a brick or a stone which lies with its congest 
side parallel to the face of the work 
8. Bond: The method of arranging bricks so that the individual 
units are tied together 
9. Spalls: The chips of stones used for filling the interstics in 
stone masonry 
10. Quoins: The stones used for the corners of walls of structure 
11. Bat: It is a portion of a brick cut across the width. 
12. Closer: It is the portion of a brickcut in such a manner that its 
one long face remains uncut 
13. Queen closer: it is the portion of a brick obtained by cutting a 
brick length-wise into two portions 
Page 3


       
CHAPTER – 11 
MASONRY 
 
 Masonry is defined as the art of construction in which building 
units, such as clay bricks, sand-lime, bricks, stones, Pre-cast hallow 
concrete blocks, concrete slabs, glass bricks, combination of some of 
these building units etc are arranged systematically and bonded together 
to form a homogeneous mass in such a manner that they can with stand 
point to other loads and transmit then through the mass without fail or 
disintegration. 
 Masonry can be classified into the following categories. 
1. Stone masonry 
2. Brick masonry 
3. Hallow block concrete masonry 
4. Reinforced masonry 
5. Composite masonry 
 These can be further sub-divided into varies types depending upon 
workmanship and type of materials used.  
 
Definitions of terms: 
1. Course: A course is a horizontal layer of bricks stones 
2. Bed: the surface of a stone perpendicular to the line of 
pressure of (lower surface of bricks or stones in each course) 
Masonry                                                                                 
  
3. Back: The inner surface of wall not exposed is called back. 
The material forming back is known as backing 
4. Face: The exterior of the wall exposed to weather is known 
as face. The material used in the facing of wall is known as 
facing’ 
5. Hearting: It is the interior portion of a wall between facing 
and backing 
6. Head: It is a brick or stone, which lies with its greatest length 
at right angles to the face of the work. 
7. Stretcher: It is a brick or a stone which lies with its congest 
side parallel to the face of the work 
8. Bond: The method of arranging bricks so that the individual 
units are tied together 
9. Spalls: The chips of stones used for filling the interstics in 
stone masonry 
10. Quoins: The stones used for the corners of walls of structure 
11. Bat: It is a portion of a brick cut across the width. 
12. Closer: It is the portion of a brickcut in such a manner that its 
one long face remains uncut 
13. Queen closer: it is the portion of a brick obtained by cutting a 
brick length-wise into two portions 
14. King closer: It is the portion of brick obtained by cutting off 
the triangular piece between the centre of one end and the 
centre of one side. 
15. Bevelled closer: It is the portion of a brick in which the 
whole length of the brick is bevelled for maintaining half 
width at one end and full width at the other 
16. Frog: It is an indentation or depression on the top face of a 
brick made with the object of forming a key for the mortar. 
17. Sill: It is a horizontal stone, concrete or wood, employed for 
the purpose of shedding off rain water from the face of wall 
immediately below the window opening 
18. Corbel: It is the extension of one or more course of stone or 
brick from the face of a wall to serve as a support for wall 
plates 
19. Templates: Pieces of stones placed under the end of a beam 
to distribute load over a greater area. 
20. Coping: It is the course placed upon the exposed top of an 
external wall to prevent the seepage of water 
21. Buttress: It is a sloping or stepped masonry projection from a 
tall wall intended to strengthen the wall against the thrust of a 
roof as shown in fig 11.1 
Page 4


       
CHAPTER – 11 
MASONRY 
 
 Masonry is defined as the art of construction in which building 
units, such as clay bricks, sand-lime, bricks, stones, Pre-cast hallow 
concrete blocks, concrete slabs, glass bricks, combination of some of 
these building units etc are arranged systematically and bonded together 
to form a homogeneous mass in such a manner that they can with stand 
point to other loads and transmit then through the mass without fail or 
disintegration. 
 Masonry can be classified into the following categories. 
1. Stone masonry 
2. Brick masonry 
3. Hallow block concrete masonry 
4. Reinforced masonry 
5. Composite masonry 
 These can be further sub-divided into varies types depending upon 
workmanship and type of materials used.  
 
Definitions of terms: 
1. Course: A course is a horizontal layer of bricks stones 
2. Bed: the surface of a stone perpendicular to the line of 
pressure of (lower surface of bricks or stones in each course) 
Masonry                                                                                 
  
3. Back: The inner surface of wall not exposed is called back. 
The material forming back is known as backing 
4. Face: The exterior of the wall exposed to weather is known 
as face. The material used in the facing of wall is known as 
facing’ 
5. Hearting: It is the interior portion of a wall between facing 
and backing 
6. Head: It is a brick or stone, which lies with its greatest length 
at right angles to the face of the work. 
7. Stretcher: It is a brick or a stone which lies with its congest 
side parallel to the face of the work 
8. Bond: The method of arranging bricks so that the individual 
units are tied together 
9. Spalls: The chips of stones used for filling the interstics in 
stone masonry 
10. Quoins: The stones used for the corners of walls of structure 
11. Bat: It is a portion of a brick cut across the width. 
12. Closer: It is the portion of a brickcut in such a manner that its 
one long face remains uncut 
13. Queen closer: it is the portion of a brick obtained by cutting a 
brick length-wise into two portions 
14. King closer: It is the portion of brick obtained by cutting off 
the triangular piece between the centre of one end and the 
centre of one side. 
15. Bevelled closer: It is the portion of a brick in which the 
whole length of the brick is bevelled for maintaining half 
width at one end and full width at the other 
16. Frog: It is an indentation or depression on the top face of a 
brick made with the object of forming a key for the mortar. 
17. Sill: It is a horizontal stone, concrete or wood, employed for 
the purpose of shedding off rain water from the face of wall 
immediately below the window opening 
18. Corbel: It is the extension of one or more course of stone or 
brick from the face of a wall to serve as a support for wall 
plates 
19. Templates: Pieces of stones placed under the end of a beam 
to distribute load over a greater area. 
20. Coping: It is the course placed upon the exposed top of an 
external wall to prevent the seepage of water 
21. Buttress: It is a sloping or stepped masonry projection from a 
tall wall intended to strengthen the wall against the thrust of a 
roof as shown in fig 11.1 
Masonry                                                                             
  
 
Fig 11.1 Definitions of terms 
 
Page 5


       
CHAPTER – 11 
MASONRY 
 
 Masonry is defined as the art of construction in which building 
units, such as clay bricks, sand-lime, bricks, stones, Pre-cast hallow 
concrete blocks, concrete slabs, glass bricks, combination of some of 
these building units etc are arranged systematically and bonded together 
to form a homogeneous mass in such a manner that they can with stand 
point to other loads and transmit then through the mass without fail or 
disintegration. 
 Masonry can be classified into the following categories. 
1. Stone masonry 
2. Brick masonry 
3. Hallow block concrete masonry 
4. Reinforced masonry 
5. Composite masonry 
 These can be further sub-divided into varies types depending upon 
workmanship and type of materials used.  
 
Definitions of terms: 
1. Course: A course is a horizontal layer of bricks stones 
2. Bed: the surface of a stone perpendicular to the line of 
pressure of (lower surface of bricks or stones in each course) 
Masonry                                                                                 
  
3. Back: The inner surface of wall not exposed is called back. 
The material forming back is known as backing 
4. Face: The exterior of the wall exposed to weather is known 
as face. The material used in the facing of wall is known as 
facing’ 
5. Hearting: It is the interior portion of a wall between facing 
and backing 
6. Head: It is a brick or stone, which lies with its greatest length 
at right angles to the face of the work. 
7. Stretcher: It is a brick or a stone which lies with its congest 
side parallel to the face of the work 
8. Bond: The method of arranging bricks so that the individual 
units are tied together 
9. Spalls: The chips of stones used for filling the interstics in 
stone masonry 
10. Quoins: The stones used for the corners of walls of structure 
11. Bat: It is a portion of a brick cut across the width. 
12. Closer: It is the portion of a brickcut in such a manner that its 
one long face remains uncut 
13. Queen closer: it is the portion of a brick obtained by cutting a 
brick length-wise into two portions 
14. King closer: It is the portion of brick obtained by cutting off 
the triangular piece between the centre of one end and the 
centre of one side. 
15. Bevelled closer: It is the portion of a brick in which the 
whole length of the brick is bevelled for maintaining half 
width at one end and full width at the other 
16. Frog: It is an indentation or depression on the top face of a 
brick made with the object of forming a key for the mortar. 
17. Sill: It is a horizontal stone, concrete or wood, employed for 
the purpose of shedding off rain water from the face of wall 
immediately below the window opening 
18. Corbel: It is the extension of one or more course of stone or 
brick from the face of a wall to serve as a support for wall 
plates 
19. Templates: Pieces of stones placed under the end of a beam 
to distribute load over a greater area. 
20. Coping: It is the course placed upon the exposed top of an 
external wall to prevent the seepage of water 
21. Buttress: It is a sloping or stepped masonry projection from a 
tall wall intended to strengthen the wall against the thrust of a 
roof as shown in fig 11.1 
Masonry                                                                             
  
 
Fig 11.1 Definitions of terms 
 
11.1 Stone masonry: The construction of stones bonded together with 
mortar is termed as stone masonry where the stones are available in a 
abundance in nature, on cutting and dressing to the proper shape, they 
provide an economical material for the construction of various building 
components such as walls, columns, footings, arches, lintels, beams etc. 
 
Uses of stone masonry: 
Stone masonry construction is used in 
(i) Building foundations, dams, monumental 
structures 
(ii) Building walls, piers, columns, pillars, light 
houses and architectural works. 
(iii) Arches, domes, lintels and beams 
(iv) Roofs, flems, paving jobs 
(v) Railway, bullest, black boards and electrical 
switch boards 
11.1.1  Selection of stone for stone masonry: 
   The selection of stones for stone masonry depends upon 
a. Availability 
b. Ease of working 
c. Appearance 
d. Strength and stability 
e. Polishing characteristics 
f. Economy 
g. Durability