FACT SHEET

Nairne Primary School, SAWalter Brooke Architects

St Thomas More College, WAFoley Park Amenities, NSW

Three Parts House, VICArchitects EAT

base

0 course

1 course

2 course

3 course

lap

per

pen

d

1 course*(length)

1 course*(opening)

mortar joint

stretcher face

header facesailor face

* non-standard brick layouts may affect coursing.

Most brick types are suitable for stack bond, including frogged and cored bricks.

example of frogged brickexample of cored brick

A continuous vertical joint is the key characteristic of stack bond, requiring careful set-out of bricks.

10mm 3mmmortar joint

Bedding reinforcement should

Bricks should be identical in size to ensure that the strong vertical alignment desirable in stack bond is achieved.

Increase frequency of tie backs in load bearing cavity walls.

cut bricksat corners of wall

require a neat finish

Corred bricks turned to expose sailor face, creating a decorative

screen

Split brick format used with a combination of stretcher and header

faces exposed

Vertical & horizontal steel members carry loads rather than the brickwork

Cut brick to transition from

stretcher bond to stack bond

Deeper vertical mortar joint

Custom splayed brick format adds

pattern and interest horizontally

Corred bricks turned to expose sailor face, creating a decorative

screen

Split brick format used with a combination of stretcher and header

faces exposed

Vertical & horizontal steel members carry loads rather than the brickwork

Cut brick to transition from

stretcher bond to stack bond

Deeper vertical mortar joint

Custom splayed brick format adds

pattern and interest horizontally

Split brick format used with a combination of stretcher and header

faces exposed

Vertical & horizontal steel members carry loads rather than the brickwork

Cut brick to transition from

stretcher bond to stack bond

Deeper vertical mortar joint

Custom splayed brick format adds

pattern and interest horizontally

Split brick format used with a combination of stretcher and header

faces exposed

Cut brick to transition from

stretcher bond to stack bond

Deeper vertical mortar joint

Custom splayed brick format adds

pattern and interest horizontally

be placed with accordance to

the detailing requirements set out in this flyer.

Stanic Harding Architecture Cox Howlett & Bailey Woodland

+-

Seek advice and input from a Structural Engineer.

Stack bond is a bold use of brick with a strong visual impact expressed through the verticality of this laying method.

Stack bond is ideal in a non-structural capacity where it may be used as an interior veneer or as a landscape wall.

Various brick sizes and textures may be used to create different visual effects.

Stack bond can be used horizontally as a brick floor finish. Refer to ThinkBrick factsheet ‘Brick Floors’ for more information.

The load bearing capacity of stack bonded walls is reduced significantly in comparison to a stretcher bonded wall due to the vertical alignment of mortar joints. The most likely location of cracking is in the vertical mortar joint. As such, consideration should be made towards the use of an added structure or tie backs to increase the load bearing capacity of stack bonded walls.

Take steps to ensure the skill level and qualification of the bricklayer is appropriate for the project.

SOME RULES OF THUMB

SOME OTHER STACKBONDING WE LOVE

Architects EAT Three Parts House

Melbourne, Victoria

STACKBONDING

TRADE SKILL LEVEL:

EXTERNAL OR INTERNAL LINEAR PATTERN

NON-STRUCTURAL / STRUCTURAL DECORATIVE

TRADE SKILL LEVEL:

TRADE SKILL LEVEL:

TRADE SKILL LEVEL:

TRADE SKILL LEVEL:

Nairne Primary School, SAWalter Brooke Architects

St Thomas More College, WAFoley Park Amenities, NSW

Three Parts House, VICArchitects EAT

base

0 course

1 course

2 course

3 course

lap

per

pen

d

1 course*(length)

1 course*(opening)

mortar joint

stretcher face

header facesailor face

* non-standard brick layouts may affect coursing.

Most brick types are suitable for stack bond, including frogged and cored bricks.

example of frogged brickexample of cored brick

A continuous vertical joint is the key characteristic of stack bond, requiring careful set-out of bricks.

10mm 3mmmortar joint

Bedding reinforcement should be placed in accordance with the detailing requirements set out in this flyer.

Bricks should be identical in size to ensure that the strong vertical alignment desirable in stack bond is achieved.

Increase the frequency of tie backs in load bearing cavity walls.

cut bricksat corners of wall

require a neat finish

Corred bricks turned to expose sailor face, creating a decorative

screen

Split brick format used with a combination of stretcher and header

faces exposed

Vertical & horizontal steel members carry loads rather than the brickwork

Cut brick to transition from

stretcher bond to stack bond

Deeper vertical mortar joint

Custom splayed brick format adds

pattern and interest horizontally

Corred bricks turned to expose sailor face, creating a decorative

screen

Split brick format used with a combination of stretcher and header

faces exposed

Vertical & horizontal steel members carry loads rather than the brickwork

Cut brick to transition from

stretcher bond to stack bond

Deeper vertical mortar joint

Custom splayed brick format adds

pattern and interest horizontally

Split brick format used with a combination of stretcher and header

faces exposed

Vertical & horizontal steel members carry loads rather than the brickwork

Cut brick to transition from

stretcher bond to stack bond

Deeper vertical mortar joint

Custom splayed brick format adds

pattern and interest horizontally

Split brick format used with a combination of stretcher and header

faces exposed

Cut brick to transition from

stretcher bond to stack bond

Deeper vertical mortar joint

Custom splayed brick format adds

pattern and interest horizontally

Stanic Harding Architecture Cox Howlett & Bailey Woodland

+-

Nairne Primary School, SAWalter Brooke Architects

St Thomas More College, WAFoley Park Amenities, NSW

Three Parts House, VICArchitects EAT

base

0 course

1 course

2 course

3 course

lap

per

pen

d

1 course*(length)

1 course*(opening)

mortar joint

stretcher face

header facesailor face

* non-standard brick layouts may affect coursing.

Most brick types are suitable for stack bond, including frogged and cored bricks.

example of frogged brickexample of cored brick

A continuous vertical joint is the key characteristic of stack bond, requiring careful set-out of bricks.

10mm 3mmmortar joint

Bedding reinforcement should

Bricks should be identical in size to ensure that the strong vertical alignment desirable in stack bond is achieved.

Increase frequency of tie backs in load bearing cavity walls.

cut bricksat corners of wall

require a neat finish

Corred bricks turned to expose sailor face, creating a decorative

screen

Split brick format used with a combination of stretcher and header

faces exposed

Vertical & horizontal steel members carry loads rather than the brickwork

Cut brick to transition from

stretcher bond to stack bond

Deeper vertical mortar joint

Custom splayed brick format adds

pattern and interest horizontally

Corred bricks turned to expose sailor face, creating a decorative

screen

Split brick format used with a combination of stretcher and header

faces exposed

Vertical & horizontal steel members carry loads rather than the brickwork

Cut brick to transition from

stretcher bond to stack bond

Deeper vertical mortar joint

Custom splayed brick format adds

pattern and interest horizontally

Split brick format used with a combination of stretcher and header

faces exposed

Vertical & horizontal steel members carry loads rather than the brickwork

Cut brick to transition from

stretcher bond to stack bond

Deeper vertical mortar joint

Custom splayed brick format adds

pattern and interest horizontally

Split brick format used with a combination of stretcher and header

faces exposed

Cut brick to transition from

stretcher bond to stack bond

Deeper vertical mortar joint

Custom splayed brick format adds

pattern and interest horizontally

be placed with accordance to

the detailing requirements set out in this flyer.

Stanic Harding Architecture Cox Howlett & Bailey Woodland

+-

Nairne Primary School, SAWalter Brooke Architects

St Thomas More College, WAFoley Park Amenities, NSW

Three Parts House, VICArchitects EAT

base

0 course

1 course

2 course

3 course

lap

per

pen

d

1 course*(length)

1 course*(opening)

mortar joint

stretcher face

header facesailor face

* non-standard brick layouts may affect coursing.

Most brick types are suitable for stack bond, including frogged and cored bricks.

example of frogged brickexample of cored brick

A continuous vertical joint is the key characteristic of stack bond, requiring careful set-out of bricks.

10mm 3mmmortar joint

Bedding reinforcement should

Bricks should be identical in size to ensure that the strong vertical alignment desirable in stack bond is achieved.

Increase frequency of tie backs in load bearing cavity walls.

cut bricksat corners of wall

require a neat finish

Corred bricks turned to expose sailor face, creating a decorative

screen

Split brick format used with a combination of stretcher and header

faces exposed

Vertical & horizontal steel members carry loads rather than the brickwork

Cut brick to transition from

stretcher bond to stack bond

Deeper vertical mortar joint

Custom splayed brick format adds

pattern and interest horizontally

Corred bricks turned to expose sailor face, creating a decorative

screen

Split brick format used with a combination of stretcher and header

faces exposed

Vertical & horizontal steel members carry loads rather than the brickwork

Cut brick to transition from

stretcher bond to stack bond

Deeper vertical mortar joint

Custom splayed brick format adds

pattern and interest horizontally

Split brick format used with a combination of stretcher and header

faces exposed

Vertical & horizontal steel members carry loads rather than the brickwork

Cut brick to transition from

stretcher bond to stack bond

Deeper vertical mortar joint

Custom splayed brick format adds

pattern and interest horizontally

Split brick format used with a combination of stretcher and header

faces exposed

Cut brick to transition from

stretcher bond to stack bond

Deeper vertical mortar joint

Custom splayed brick format adds

pattern and interest horizontally

be placed with accordance to

the detailing requirements set out in this flyer.

Stanic Harding Architecture Cox Howlett & Bailey Woodland

+-

Nairne Primary School, SAWalter Brooke Architects

St Thomas More College, WAFoley Park Amenities, NSW

Three Parts House, VICArchitects EAT

base

0 course

1 course

2 course

3 course

lap

per

pen

d

1 course*(length)

1 course*(opening)

mortar joint

stretcher face

header facesailor face

* non-standard brick layouts may affect coursing.

Most brick types are suitable for stack bond, including frogged and cored bricks.

example of frogged brickexample of cored brick

A continuous vertical joint is the key characteristic of stack bond, requiring careful set-out of bricks.

10mm 3mmmortar joint

Bedding reinforcement should

Bricks should be identical in size to ensure that the strong vertical alignment desirable in stack bond is achieved.

Increase frequency of tie backs in load bearing cavity walls.

cut bricksat corners of wall

require a neat finish

Corred bricks turned to expose sailor face, creating a decorative

screen

Split brick format used with a combination of stretcher and header

faces exposed

Vertical & horizontal steel members carry loads rather than the brickwork

Cut brick to transition from

stretcher bond to stack bond

Deeper vertical mortar joint

Custom splayed brick format adds

pattern and interest horizontally

Corred bricks turned to expose sailor face, creating a decorative

screen

Split brick format used with a combination of stretcher and header

faces exposed

Vertical & horizontal steel members carry loads rather than the brickwork

Cut brick to transition from

stretcher bond to stack bond

Deeper vertical mortar joint

Custom splayed brick format adds

pattern and interest horizontally

Split brick format used with a combination of stretcher and header

faces exposed

Vertical & horizontal steel members carry loads rather than the brickwork

Cut brick to transition from

stretcher bond to stack bond

Deeper vertical mortar joint

Custom splayed brick format adds

pattern and interest horizontally

Split brick format used with a combination of stretcher and header

faces exposed

Cut brick to transition from

stretcher bond to stack bond

Deeper vertical mortar joint

Custom splayed brick format adds

pattern and interest horizontally

be placed with accordance to

the detailing requirements set out in this flyer.

Stanic Harding Architecture Cox Howlett & Bailey Woodland

+-

While the contents of this publication are believed to be accurate and complete, the information given is

intended for general guidance and does not replace the services of professional advisors on specific projects.

Think Brick Australia cannot accept any liability whatsoever regarding the contents of this publication.

PO Box 275 St. Leonards NSW 1590

Suite 7.01, Level 7 Pacific Highway St. Leonards NSW 2065

Telephone: +612 8448 550 Facsimile: +612 9411 3801

ABN: 300 0387 3309

www.thinkbrick.com.au

This flyer raises some of the issues that an engineer may need to consider when advising on the design of a ‘stack bonded’ masonry wall.

Stack bonded masonry is becoming increasingly popular as an architectural effect in veneer construction and structural features.

This type of masonry is not currently covered by AS 3700 ‘Masonry Structures’ (2011), but research from the University of Newcastle is being used to amend the standard, which will include specifications for stack bonded masonry in the 2017 version.

BACKGROUND

Unlike stretcher bonded masonry, unreinforced stack bonded masonry has a comparatively low horizontal bending strength, and is deemed to have zero horizontal bending capacity when calculated in accordance with section 7.4.3 ‘Design for Horizontal Bending’ of AS 3700 (2011).

This is because the stack bonded pattern provides no unit overlap, meaning the perpend spacing factor (according to section 7.4.3.4) is set to zero.

However, testing showed that although the horizontal bending capacity of a stack bonded wall is less than a stretcher bonded wall, it does provide some degree of bending resistance. This is because its horizontal bending capacity is similar to its vertical bending capacity (according to section 7.4.2) where in both cases; the failure mode runs along the perpend and bedding joints respectively.

The 2017 version of AS 3700 will provide detailing requirements and a structural design methodology that accounts for the true structural strength of stack bonded masonry walls.

DETAILING REQUIREMENTS

The following detailing approached are highly effective at improving the horizontal bending strength of stack bonded masonry and will be included in the 2017 revision of AS 3700.

Anchored bed joint reinforcing with an area not less than 0.00035 x gross vertical cross sectional area of the wall and complying with sections 5.9.3, 5.9.5 and section 11.8 of AS 3700 should be inserted at the following locations:

• the first bed joint above or below an unrestrainedhorizontal edge of the masonry

• at least one bed joint within 300 mm above andbelow any horizontal lines of lateral support

• the reinforcing should be vertically spaced atcentres not exceeding six times the thickness ofthe stack bonded leaf

Please note that for the purposes of a stack-bonded wall, these detailing requirements shall take precedence over the reinforcement requirements (for bending) set by sections 8.6 (a) and 8.6 (b).

DESIGN REQUIREMENTS

Stack bonded members should be designed as:

• Unreinforced masonry for compression, shear andvertical bending, complying with sections 7.3, 7.5and 7.4.2 accordingly.

• Reinforced masonry for horizontal and two-waybending in accordance with section 8.6, providedthat the detailing requirements elaborated withinthis factsheet have been adhered to.

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