Surface Reinforced Concrete Masonry Units

Abstract

A masonry wall is formed of masonry block units abutted with one another in series within stacked rows. Each masonry block unit is a concrete body having two opposing exterior side walls defining respective portions of the assembly masonry wall. Vertical reinforcement channels are formed in the exterior side walls of each masonry block unit so as to be open laterally to the exterior. The reinforcement channels align with corresponding channels in the masonry block units in adjacent stacked rows to receive elongate reinforcement members, for example rebar, inserted laterally therein from the exterior surface of the assembly masonry wall. A bonding material can then be recessed laterally into the reinforcement channels so as to bond the reinforcement members to the masonry assembly.

1 . A masonry unit arranged for use with elongate reinforcement members in construction of a masonry wall, the masonry unit comprising:
 a concrete body which is elongate in a longitudinal direction between two opposing ends of the body, the concrete body further comprising:
 a top and a bottom which are arranged for stacking with other masonry units of identical configuration to form the masonry wall; 
 a first exterior side wall and a second exterior side wall which are parallel and spaced apart from one another to extend in the longitudinal direction between the two opposing ends along opposing sides of the concrete body such that the first and second exterior side walls are arranged to define respective portions of opposing surfaces of the masonry wall; and 
 at least one hollow core extending through the body between the top and the bottom of the concrete body; 
   wherein at least one of the exterior side walls includes a reinforcement channel formed therein which extends between the top and the bottom of the body, the reinforcement channel being arranged for alignment with the reinforcement channels of said other masonry units, and the reinforcement channels being open to an exterior of the body at the exterior side wall so as to be arranged for receiving a portion of a respective one of the elongate reinforcement members therein which spans a plurality of stacked rows of masonry units when forming the masonry wall.   
     
     
         2 . The masonry unit according to  claim 1  wherein the reinforcement channel of said at least one of the exterior side walls is substantially centered in the longitudinal direction between the two opposing ends of the concrete body. 
     
     
         3 . The masonry unit according to  claim 1  wherein both the exterior side will include the channel formed therein. 
     
     
         4 . The masonry unit according to  claim 1  wherein at least one of the exterior sides includes a partial channel formed along at least one of the two opposing ends of the concrete body, the partial channel being arranged to form a reinforcement channel for vertical alignment with the reinforcement channels of said other masonry units when abutted with the partial channel of an adjacent one of said other masonry units. 
     
     
         5 . The masonry unit according to  claim 4  wherein said at least one of the exterior sides includes a partial channel formed along both of the two opposing ends of the concrete body. 
     
     
         6 . The masonry unit according to  claim 1  in combination with a spacer member of insulating material wherein at least one of the two opposing ends of the concrete body and the spacer member have a mating profile such that the spacer member is arranged to be received in abutment between the ends of two adjacent masonry units in a masonry wall. 
     
     
         7 . The masonry unit according to  claim 6  wherein:
 said at least one of the two opposing ends includes a recessed channel which extends between the top and the bottom of the concrete body and which is recessed longitudinally inward relative to a pair of end faces on laterally opposing sides of the recessed channel towards the first and second exterior side walls respectively; and 
 the spacer member has two side portions and a central portion between the two side portions which is increased in thickness relative to two side portions such that the central portion is arranged to be received within respective recessed channels of two adjacent masonry units and the side portions are arranged for abutment between respective end faces of the two adjacent masonry units. 
 
     
     
         8 . The masonry unit according to  claim 6  wherein the spacer member has a lateral width which is narrower than the concrete body between the first and second exterior side walls. 
     
     
         9 . The masonry unit according to  claim 6  wherein:
 said at least one of the two opposing ends includes an end face and a partial channel formed along at least one of the exterior side walls, the partial channel being arranged to form a whole channel for vertical alignment with the reinforcement channels of said other masonry units when abutted with the partial channel of an adjacent one of said other masonry units; and 
 the spacer member has a lateral width which is narrower than the concrete body between the first and second exterior side walls such that the partial channel is arranged to remain unobstructed by the spacer member. 
 
     
     
         10 . The masonry unit according to  claim 1  wherein said at least one hollow core comprises a pair of longitudinally spaced apart hollow cores separated by a web portion connected laterally between the first and second exterior side walls, and wherein the channel of said at least one of the exterior side walls is aligned longitudinally with the web portion. 
     
     
         11 . A masonry wall comprising:
 a plurality of masonry units, each comprising a concrete body which is elongate in a longitudinal direction between two opposing ends of the body, the concrete body further including: i) a top and a bottom which are arranged for stacking with other masonry units of identical configuration to form the masonry wall, ii) a first exterior side wall and a second exterior side wall which are parallel and spaced apart from one another to extend in the longitudinal direction between the two opposing ends along opposing sides of the concrete body such that the first and second exterior side walls are arranged to define respective portions of opposing surfaces of the masonry wall, iii) at least one hollow core extending through the body between the top and the bottom of the concrete body, and iv) at least one reinforcement channel formed one of the exterior side walls to extend between the top and the bottom of the body and to be open laterally to an exterior of the body;   the plurality of masonry units being stacked in rows with mortar between the rows such that the reinforcement channels of at least some of the masonry units are in alignment with the reinforcement channels of other ones of the masonry units;   a plurality of reinforcement members received within respective ones of the reinforcement channels such that the reinforcement members each span across a plurality of the stacked rows at a location recessed laterally inwardly from a respective surface of the masonry wall defined by respective ones of the exterior side walls of the masonry units; and   a bonding material received within the reinforcement channels so as to bond the reinforcement members to the masonry units.   
     
     
         12 . The masonry wall according to  claim 11  wherein the bonding material comprises mortar. 
     
     
         13 . The masonry wall according to  claim 11  wherein the bonding material comprises epoxy. 
     
     
         14 . The masonry wall according to  claim 11  wherein the reinforcement members comprise metal rods. 
     
     
         15 . The masonry wall according to  claim 11  wherein the reinforcement members comprise a glass fibre material. 
     
     
         16 . The masonry wall according to  claim 11  wherein the reinforcement members comprise a fibre reinforced polymer material. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A method of constructing a masonry wall comprising:
 providing a plurality of masonry units, each comprising a concrete body which is elongate in a longitudinal direction between two opposing ends of the body, the concrete body further including: i) a top and a bottom which are arranged for stacking with other masonry units of identical configuration to form the masonry wall, ii) a first exterior side wall and a second exterior side wall which are parallel and spaced apart from one another to extend in the longitudinal direction between the two opposing ends along opposing sides of the concrete body such that the first and second exterior side walls are arranged to define respective portions of opposing surfaces of the masonry wall, iii) at least one hollow core extending through the body between the top and the bottom of the concrete body, and v) at least one reinforcement channel formed one of the exterior side walls to extend between the top and the bottom of the body and to be open laterally to an exterior of the body;   stacking the masonry units in rows with mortar between the rows such that the reinforcement channels of at least some of the masonry units are in alignment with the reinforcement channels of other ones of the masonry units in other rows;   providing a plurality of reinforcement members and placing the reinforcement members within respective ones of the reinforcement channels such that the reinforcement members each span across a plurality of the stacked rows at a location recessed laterally inwardly from a respective surface of the masonry wall defined by respective ones of the exterior side walls of the masonry units; and   applying a bonding material to the reinforcement channels so as to bond the reinforcement members to the masonry units.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18  including inserting each reinforcement member laterally through openings of the respective reinforcement channels at the respective surface of the masonry wall. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18  including inserting the bonding material laterally through the openings of the respective reinforcement channels at the respective surface of the masonry wall such that the bonding material does not protrude laterally outwardly beyond the exterior