13.1
Design Example: Dimensioning of Concrete Masonry Construction
Consider a construction site that needs a storeroom to be constructed.
The site has a stack of concrete masonry blocks with nominal dimensions of 8 inches in width and depth and 16 inches in length used for the storeroom construction.
The site engineer has to design the storeroom to have the 16-inch length blocks placed precisely in the walls without having to cut the blocks.
The room's dimensions in the plan are 12 feet in length and 8 feet in width, measured from the outer corners.
The actual dimensions of the block are slightly less than the nominal dimensions. The block dimensions and mortar thickness together give a length of 16 inches.
Now, precisely 9 blocks are needed for the longer dimension of the wall and 6 for the shorter.
With this arrangement, the inner dimensions of the room become 10 feet 8 inches in the longer direction and 6 feet 8 inches in the shorter direction.
This practice avoids cutting the blocks and assures faster construction and a perfect finish.
For the construction of a storeroom using concrete masonry units, it's essential to align the dimensions of the structure with the actual sizes of the blocks and the intended mortar joints. On the site in question, there's a stockpile of concrete masonry blocks with a nominal size of eight by eight by sixteen inches, which are to be used in the construction of the storeroom.
The site engineer has laid out a plan for the storeroom with external dimensions of twelve feet in length and eight feet in width. To align with these dimensions, the plan specifies the use of nine blocks for the length of the walls and six blocks for the width. However, the actual size of each block is seven and five-eighths inches in height and width and fifteen and five-eighths inches in length, with a three-eighths inch allowance for the mortar joint. When combined with the mortar, this will provide an effective block length of sixteen inches.
This calculation ensures that when laid end to end, the blocks will fill the planned dimensions without the need for cutting, which facilitates a more rapid construction process and achieves a professional finish. Accordingly, the internal dimensions of the storeroom walls will measure ten feet eight inches along the length and six feet eight inches along the width once construction is completed. This methodical approach to the use of materials ensures efficiency in building and a clean aesthetic outcome for the storeroom.
Consider a construction site that needs a storeroom to be constructed.
The site has a stack of concrete masonry blocks with nominal dimensions of 8 inches in width and depth and 16 inches in length used for the storeroom construction.
The site engineer has to design the storeroom to have the 16-inch length blocks placed precisely in the walls without having to cut the blocks.
The room's dimensions in the plan are 12 feet in length and 8 feet in width, measured from the outer corners.
The actual dimensions of the block are slightly less than the nominal dimensions. The block dimensions and mortar thickness together give a length of 16 inches.
Now, precisely 9 blocks are needed for the longer dimension of the wall and 6 for the shorter.
With this arrangement, the inner dimensions of the room become 10 feet 8 inches in the longer direction and 6 feet 8 inches in the shorter direction.
This practice avoids cutting the blocks and assures faster construction and a perfect finish.
- Concrete and Masonry Construction – The process of building structures using concrete and masonry blocks.
- Masonry Blocks Sizes – The dimensions of blocks used in masonry construction.
- Concrete Block Dimensions Inches – The length, width, and height of a concrete block, usually measured in inches.
- Masonry Dimension – The measurements of a masonry structure or masonry blocks.
- Concrete Masonry Unit Dimensions – The size parameters of a concrete block used in building construction.
- Define Concrete and Masonry Construction - Understand building process and block usage (e.g., masonry blocks sizes).
- Contrast Actual Block Dimensions vs Combined Dimensions - Learn the importance of factoring in mortar size and joints (e.g., concrete block actual dimensions vs combined dimensioning).
- Explore Masonry Examples - Understand concrete block wall design using real-world examples (e.g., masonry example).
- Explain Engineering Block Dimensions - Understanding the role of dimensions in engineering and building design.
- Apply in Context - Understand the application in practical construction projects like building a storeroom.
- What are the actual and combined dimensions of a masonry block?
- How do the block dimensions affect the masonry construction process?
- What are some examples of masonry dimensioning in real-world construction projects?
From Chapter 13:
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13.1 : Design Example: Dimensioning of Concrete Masonry Construction
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