MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS USED IN CONCRETE BLOCKWORK CONSTRUCTION

This experimental investigation is intended to study and determine the difference in strength of unfilled and filled concrete block specimens compressed in two orthogonal directions. It also studies the effects of using different concrete infill mixes on the block compressive and splitting strengths, and the mechanical properties of the materials used in blockwork masonry construction. The materials involved were the concrete block, concrete infill and mortar; one type of concrete block, three mixes of concrete infill and three types of mortar were used. The characteristics studied were the stress versus strain curves, the modulus of elasticity, the Poisson ratio, the block compressive strength and the splitting strength, the shrinkage after 28 days, the cohesive bond between the block and concrete infill, and the shear strength. The Paper gives values and relations to determine the above characteristics and also compares them with some standardized ones.