Resilient concrete masonry walls to meet the needs for the next generation of low-rise structures

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Load bearing slender masonry walls (SMWs) are widely used in single-storey construction in Canada (for example in school gymnasiums, warehouses, etc.). However, design limits imposed on these walls (CSA S304-14; TMS 402-13) tend to be stringent, in terms of strength and stability. This puts the masonry industry at a disadvantage as a construction alternative compared to other structural options. Research and innovation in slender masonry wall design has been scarce since the 1980s, when working stress and prescriptive-based design was common. This has had a negative impact on the use of conventional slender masonry walls, as limit states and objective-based design have since been adopted. Adding to these challenges, newer building energy code regulations (NRC 2015 and 2017) place further constraints that impact the design, cost, and performance of SMWs.The proposed research will (1) examine the structural performance of conventional slender masonry walls; (2) develop innovative wall systems with superior performance compared to current construction and evaluate their hygrothermal (hygric and thermal) performance; (3) enhance design methods for SMWs through the application of probabilistic and first-principles-based analysis models within a rigorous reliability framework and develop a performance-based design tool; and (4) enhance the thermal energy storage function of SMWs and quantify its contribution to meeting code energy requirements.The proposed project is something that is long overdue for the industry, it has been an item that has garnered wide interest from the members of both sponsoring associations, CMDC and CCMPA, as well as the design community and CSA S304 standards committee. This research program has sufficient scope to provide the industry with enough technical knowledge to implement a substantial change to the way masonry is designed and constructed across Canada, resulting in safer, more durable, and eco-friendly masonry constructive systems -- training 19 highly qualified engineers throughout the project.