Masonry with vertical reinforced concrete strengthening

Abstract

A masonry infill in a load bearing structure ( 18 ), comprises courses of hollow masonry units ( 1 ) arranged to define a cavity ( 3 ) extending therethrough filled with reinforced cementitious material e.g. reinforced concrete. A lower end of the concrete reinforcement ( 2 ) is secured to a load bearing support ( 16, FIG. 3 ). A body ( 6 ) is secured to the load bearing structure and receives an upper end of the concrete reinforcement so as to permit longitudinal sliding movement of the reinforcement upper end in the body, whilst constraining movement of the concrete reinforcement in a direction transversely of the infill The lower end of the reinforcement ( 2 ) may be built into the support, or slidably received in a further body ( 5, FIG. 3 ). Alternatively one or both ends of the reinforcement ( 2 ) may terminate in a bond beam. Brackets ( 9, 9 a ) may be embedded in the concrete in the cavity ( 3 ) to transfer shear forces between the adjacent blockwork and the concrete.

1 . A masonry infill in a load bearing structure, the masonry infill comprising;
 a plurality of hollow masonry units arranged to define a cavity extending through adjacent courses of the masonry infill, the cavity being filled with a cementitious material;   cementitious material reinforcement extending through the cavity and having a lower end which is secured to a load bearing support;   a first body secured to the load bearing structure and receiving an upper end of the cementitious material reinforcement so as to permit longitudinal sliding movement of the upper end in the first body while constraining movement of the cementitious material reinforcement in a direction transversely of the masonry infill.   
     
     
         2 . A masonry infill as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the load bearing support comprises a foundation. 
     
     
         3 . A masonry infill as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the load bearing support comprises a part of the load bearing structure. 
     
     
         4 . A masonry infill as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the first body is secured to a beam which forms a part of the load bearing structure above the masonry infill. 
     
     
         5 . A masonry infill as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the lower end of the cementitious material reinforcement is received in a second body secured to the load bearing support so as to permit longitudinal sliding movement of the lower end in the second body whilst while constraining movement of the cementitious material reinforcement in a direction transversely of the masonry infill. 
     
     
         6 . A masonry infill as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the lower end of the cementitious material reinforcement is built into the load bearing support. 
     
     
         7 . A masonry infill as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the first body comprises a socket in which the upper end of the cementitious material reinforcement is received. 
     
     
         8 . A masonry infill as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the first body is inserted into the load bearing structure. 
     
     
         9 . A masonry infill as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the first body comprises a cleat. 
     
     
         10 . A masonry infill as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the cementitious material reinforcement is a sliding fit in the socket. 
     
     
         11 . A masonry infill as defined in  claim 7 , further comprising one from the group consisting of a boots, a seals or a sealant to prevent material from entering the socket as the cementitious material is cast. 
     
     
         12 . A masonry infill as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising means for securing an uppermost course of the masonry infill to the load bearing structure. 
     
     
         13 . A masonry infill as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a reinforced cementitious material casting extending parallel to a course of the masonry units. 
     
     
         14 . A masonry infill as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the reinforced cementitious material casting comprises a bond beam formed within a course of hollow masonry units. 
     
     
         15 . A masonry infill as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the casting comprises a reinforcement having at least one end which is secured to the load bearing structure. 
     
     
         16 . A masonry infill as defined in  claim 13 , wherein one or more courses of masonry units vertically adjacent the casting are tied into the cementitious material by a number of tying reinforcements extending into the cementitious material and into mortar or grout filled spaces in or between the masonry units of the vertically adjacent courses. 
     
     
         17 . A masonry infill as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the tying reinforcements comprise lengths of the cementitious material reinforcement. 
     
     
         18 . A masonry infill in a load bearing structure the masonry infill comprising:
 a plurality of hollow masonry units arranged to define a cavity extending through adjacent courses thereof, the cavity being filled with a cementitious material; and   a cementitious material reinforcement extending through the cavity and having an end which is secured to a bond beam formed within the masonry infill.   
     
     
         19 . A masonry infill as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the cementitious material reinforcement is comprised of steel. 
     
     
         20 . A masonry infill as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the masonry is units are laid in a bonding/bedding material. 
     
     
         21 . A masonry infill as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of solid masonry units which are located in regions of the masonry infill spaced apart from the cavity. 
     
     
         22 . A masonry infill as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a number of tying reinforcements embedded in the cementitious material in the cavity, each tying reinforcement comprising a projecting end extending into a masonry bed joint. 
     
     
         23 . A masonry infill as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the cementitious material reinforcement comprises a plurality of separate lengths co-operating to carry tensile loads. 
     
     
         24 . A masonry infill as defined in  claim 23 , wherein adjacent ends of the lengths are secured together by threaded connections. 
     
     
         25 . A masonry infill as defined in  claim 23 , wherein adjacent ends of the lengths are overlapped. 
     
     
         26 . A masonry infill as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the cavity runs adjacent to a vertically extending free edge of an opening formed in the masonry infill. 
     
     
         27 . A reinforced cementitious material casting extending parallel to a course of masonry units wherein one or more courses of masonry units vertically adjacent the cementitious material casting are tied thereto by reinforcements extending into the cementitious material and into grout or mortar filled spaces in or between the units of masonry in these courses, the reinforcements being formed from separate lengths with ends overlapped or joined end to end. 
     
     
         28 . A method of constructing a masonry infill in a load bearing structure, the method comprising the steps of:
 laying hollow masonry units to define a cavity extending through adjacent courses of the masonry infill;   positioning a cementitious material reinforcement in the cavity;   securing a lower end of the cementitious material reinforcement to a load bearing support;   securing a body to the load bearing structure; and   filling the cavity with a cementitious material;   wherein an upper end of the cementitious material reinforcement is longitudinally slidably received in the body to constrain movement of the reinforcement in a direction transversely of the infill.