Masonry wall tension device and method for installing same

Abstract

Masonry walls of buildings supported on concrete foundations are strengthened against destructive wind and seismic forces by spaced elongated members inserted inside the hollow masonry walls. The spaced elongated members are secured to the continuous masonry bond beam and the foundation. Tension means at the top of the masonry wall make the elongated members taut creating a continuous tension load path from bond beam to the foundation.

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       25 . A masonry building comprising:
 a concrete foundation including a plurality of vertically disposed bores therein;   a plurality of masonry walls supported on and attached to said foundation, adjacent said masonry walls being connected to each other to form a building space above said foundation;   a continuous concrete bond beam formed at and along upper portions of all said masonry walls, said bond beam having an upper substantially flat surface;   each said masonry wall having a plurality of side by side vertical hollow wall sections;   at least one elongated structural member having opposite end portions, said at least one structural member passing completely through at least one said hollow wall section of each said masonry wall to dispose one said end portion in a respective said bore and secured by adhesive to said foundation and its opposite said end portion extending freely through a vertical passageway in said continuous concrete bond beam; and   adjustment means attached to said opposite end portion and supported by said upper surface of said bond beam after said concrete bond beam has cured or set for tensioning each said elongated structural member a predetermined amount to force said bond beam and each said masonry walls to be in compression between said foundation and said concrete bond beam.   
   
   
       26 . The building of  claim 25  further comprising:
 an elongated plate having an upper surface and a vertical opening medially and aligned with said opposite end portion of said at least one elongated structural member, said plate extending laterally across said concrete bond beam;   said adjustment means engaging said plate upper surface.   
   
   
       27 . The building of  claim 26  wherein:
 said plate includes a pair of spaced subtending hook members each having a loop end located on opposite sides of said structural member;   said loop ends extending generally medially of said masonry bond beam; and   a pair of horizontally disposed and elongated rebar carried by respective said loop ends to reinforce said continuous concrete bond beam throughout its entire length along all said masonry walls.   
   
   
       28 . In the building of  claim 25  wherein each said elongated member includes a respective threaded upper stud. 
   
   
       29 . In the building of  claim 28  wherein said threaded upper stud of each said elongated member passes through respective said passageway, said adjustment means for tensioning each said elongated member including a nut, each said nut being threaded on said upper stud and tightened to tension each said elongated member. 
   
   
       30 . A masonry building comprising:
 a roof;   a concrete foundation having a plurality of spaced vertically disposed bores;   a plurality of masonry walls supported on and attached to said foundation with adjacent said masonry walls forming a continuous wall of said building;   a continuous concrete bond beam extending along and forming the upper end of said continuous masonry wall, said bond beam having a vertical passageway therethrough in each said masonry wall;   each said at least three masonry walls being formed of a plurality of side by side vertical hollow wall sections;   a tension device including an elongated member located inside a hollow of each said wall section, said elongated member including a lower portion having a top end portion and a bottom end portion extending into respective said bore and secured to said foundation by adhesive and extending therefrom vertically upwardly freely through said passageway in said concrete bond beam;   said elongated member including an upper portion having a top end portion and a bottom end portion attached to said top end portion of said lower portion of said elongated member and extending vertically to and through a top plate of a wall forming a second story of said building; and   adjustment means for tensioning said elongated member for causing said concrete bond beam and said masonry wall and said wall of said second story to be in compression between said masonry wall and said foundation and between said masonry wall and said wall of said second story.   
   
   
       31 . The building of  claim 30  wherein:
 said adjustment means for tensioning said elongated member includes a first adjustment means attached to said top portion of said lower portion of said elongated member for tensioning said lower portion of said elongated member between said foundation and said continuous concrete bond beam, and a second adjustment means attached between said top portion of said upper portion of said elongated member and said top plate of said second story for tensioning said upper portion of said elongated member between said continuous concrete bond beam and said top plate.   
   
   
       32 . In a masonry building comprising:
 a concrete foundation including a plurality of spaced vertically disposed bores therein;   a plurality of masonry walls supported on and attached to said foundation, adjacent said masonry walls being connected to each other forming a building space above said foundation;   a continuous concrete bond beam formed at and along upper portions of all said masonry walls, said bond beam having an upper substantially flat surface;   each said masonry wall having a plurality of side by side vertical hollow wall sections creating a continuous vertically disposed passageway;   a plurality of elongated structural members having upper and lower end portions, each said structural member passing completely through at least one said hollow wall section of each said masonry wall to dispose said lower end portion in and secured by adhesive to and within respective said bores of said foundation and said upper end portion extending freely through said continuous concrete bond beam; and   adjustment means attached to said opposite end portion of each said structural members and supported by said upper surface of said bond beam for tensioning each said elongated structural member a predetermined amount to force said bond beam and each of said masonry walls to be in compression, a method for tensioning said masonry wall comprising the steps of:   A. drilling said plurality of spaced bores into said concrete foundation below spaced said passageways;   B. inserting said plurality of elongated structural members, each having upper and lower end portions and having a predetermined length greater than the height of the masonry wall to be tensioned by said elongated members inside at least one said continuous vertically disposed passageway of each said masonry wall;   C. securing by adhesive said lower end of each said elongated member into a respective said bore in said foundation;   D. positioning said upper end of each said elongated member to extend above said concrete bond beam; and   E. tensioning said upper end portion of each said plurality of elongated members with said adjustment means above said concrete bond beam.   
   
   
       33 . In the building of  claim 32  wherein step D includes the steps of:
 F. forming said concrete bond beam on top of said masonry walls;   G. forming a vertically disposed passageway above each said elongated members through said bond beam; and   H. positioning said upper end of each said elongated member through respective said passageway formed in step G.   
   
   
       34 . In the building of  claim 33  wherein step D further includes the steps of:
 I. installing a sleeve around said upper portion of each said elongated structural member and downwardly through each said passageway of step G; and   J. pouring concrete along the top of the walls to form said continuous concrete bond beam with said sleeves passing therethrough as installed in step I.   
   
   
       35 . In the building of  claim 32  wherein step E includes the steps of:
 F. placing a washer and a nut over said upper end portion of each said elongated member that extends through each said passageway passing through said continuous concrete bond beam;   G. tightening each said nut on a threaded upper portion of each said elongated member with each said washer being sandwiched between said washer and said bond beam to tension said elongated member and place each said masonry wall under compression between said foundation and said bond beam.   
   
   
       36 . In a masonry building including a concrete foundation and a plurality of masonry walls supported on and attached to said foundation and forming a building space therebetween, and a continuous concrete bond beam formed at the upper portion of said masonry walls, each said masonry wall including a plurality of vertical hollow wall sections, each said hollow wall section including a plurality of hollow masonry units, a method for tensioning said masonry walls comprising the steps of:
 A. accessing the interior of said hollow masonry units located adjacent the bottom of said masonry walls to expose a surface portion of said foundation below said masonry walls;   B. drilling spaced bores into said exposed surface portion of said foundation;   C. providing spaced vertical passageways through said bond beam;   D. vertically inserting a lower end of an elongated member having a predetermined length greater than a height of the masonry walls at spaced locations of the masonry walls inside said hollow masonry units;   E. securing said lower end of the elongated member by adhesive within the spaced bores to said foundation;   F. passing upper ends of the elongated members through respective passageway in said bond beam; and   G. tensioning said elongated members above said bond beam to compress said masonry walls between said bond beam and said foundation.   
   
   
       37 . In the building of  claim 36  wherein step G includes the steps of:
 H. placing a washer and nut over a threaded upper end of each said elongated member that extends through respective said passageway through said concrete bond beam; and   I. tightening each said nut on the threaded upper end bearing on said washer in contact with said bond beam to tension said elongated member and place said masonry walls under compression between said bond beam and said foundation.   
   
   
       38 . In the building of  claim 36  wherein step G includes the step of:
 H. placing a plate and nut over a threaded upper end of each said elongated member that extends through respective said passageway through said concrete bond beam: and   I. tightening each said nut on the threaded upper end bearing on said plate in contact with said bond beam to tension each said elongated member and place said masonry walls under compression between said bond beam and said foundation.