With Reinforced Hollow Concrete Block Masonry (RHCBM)
Technique
Reinforcing the hollow concrete block Masonry, by taking advantage of hollow spaces of blocks
CONCEPT
Reinforced Hollow Concrete Block Masonry (RHCBM) elements are designed both as load bearing walls for gravity loads and also as shear walls for lateral seismic loads, to safely with stand earthquakes. This structural system of construction is known as shear wall – diaphragm concept, which gives three-dimensional structural integrity for the buildings.
Reinforced Hollow Concrete Block Masonry (RHCBM) System for Seismic Resistant Construction
Structural Features:
• Each masonry element is vertically reinforced with steel bars and concrete/grout fills, at regular intervals, through the continuous vertical cavities of hollow blocks.
• Similarly, each masonry element is horizontally reinforced with steel bars and concrete/grout fill at plinth, sill, lintel and roof levels, as continuous RC bands, using U-shaped concrete blocks in the masonry course, at respective levels.
• Grid of reinforcement can be built into each masonry element without the requirement of any extra shuttering and it reduces the scope for corrosion of reinforcement.
• As the reinforcement bars in both vertical and horizontal directions can be continued into the roof slab, and the lateral walls respectively, the structural integrity in all the three dimensions is achieved.
Reinforced Hollow Concrete Block Masonry (RHCBM) System for Seismic Resistant Construction
Structural Advantages
• In this construction system, structurally, each wall and slab behaves as a shear wall and a diaphragm respectively, reducing the vulnerability of disastrous damage to the structure/building, during the natural hazards.
• Due to the uniform distribution of reinforcement in both vertical and horizontal directions, through each masonry element, increased tensile