New Zealand Concrete Masonry Manual

Home , The Block (season 1), The Block (season 10), The Block (season 12), The Block (season 13), The Block (season 14), The Block (season 15)

3.3 Wall Construction

Introduction Figures 1 and 2. Note that for partial fill construction, an edge rebate is required to comply Sections 3.1 and 3.2 deal with the specifics of laying with weathertightness requirements. and the fixing of reinforcing steel. This is to enable any debris/loose mortar etc., to be This section primarily looks at the grouting and cleaned out from the base of the wall before general construction of the wall. grouting.

Wall Construction Wall The clean outs should be positioned at every bar position for partially filled masonry or at 800 mm Clean-out Openings centres for solid filled walls.

For most concrete masonry walls, clean out Where fixing of vertical steel has to be carried out openings will be required. after block laying, the clean outs have to match the

steel positions.

To facilitate cleaning out for solid fill walls the first course is an inverted 2016 (1516) block with a layer of sand spread on the concrete foundation surface before further courses are laid.

Cleaning Out

Once the block laying for the wall is completed, the base course is cleaned out usually by water jet aided by compressed air.

After an inspection to check cleanliness and adequate steel tying, the clean out pieces are mortared back into place where a fair face finish is

required or a temporary plywood shutter is braced Figure 1: Clean-out Units over the opening or tied to steel.

Grouting

There are four different methods described in NZS 4210 Clause 2.11.6, one relates to low lift (1.2 m high) and three relate to high lift systems up to 3.6 m.

The most structurally efficient way of grouting is the High Lift Grouting with Expansive Admixture.

This is the method specified in the Manual and is illustrated by the following sequence of steps, where the scaffolding shown is diagrammatic:

Step 1:

Figure 2: Clean-out Units in Rebated Base Clean-out grout space and remove all debris and It is usual to cut a face shell creating a 75 mm – 100 loose material from the construction joint. See mm wide opening the full height of the block. See Figure 3, page 2.

New Zealand Concrete Masonry May 2018 Page 1 Section 3.3 Association Inc.

New Zealand Concrete Masonry Manual

rodding or by using a 25 mm pencil vibrator. When dealing with window openings it is important to use a 25 mm vibrator in the cells adjoining the opening to ensure grout flow along the sill line. See Figure 5.

Wall Construction Wall

Figure 3: Step 1

Step 2:

Grout the wall in a semi continuous operation to the top. See Figure 4.

Figure 5: Step 3

Step 4:

Trowel down the top of the wall after grout expansion has taken place. See Figure 6.

Figure 6: Step 4

Figure 4: Step 2 Evidence that the expansion agent is working is often accompanied by the outside of the masonry Step 3: shells taking on a “wet appearance”. Testing has shown that significantly improved bond between Consolidate the grout using a bar or rod minimum face shells and the grout core is experienced when diameter 16 mm. This can be done by full depth using the agent.

New Zealand Concrete Masonry May 2018 Page 2 Section 3.3 Association Inc.

New Zealand Concrete Masonry Manual

Control Joints The joint itself can be formed using closed end blocks or open-ended blocks but using a filler strip Horizontal wall movements mainly associated with which is 30 mm narrower than the wall thickness – shrinkage may require the use of control joints. see Figure 7. The use of control joint blocks shown Since the movements are influenced by various in Figure 8 has largely been superseded. design factors such as the amount of horizontal steel, the positioning of the joints is the responsibility The matter of reinforcement details adjoining or of the designer. going through the joint is contained in Section 6.3.

Control joints are described differently in various On a practical note of weatherproofing the control New Zealand Standards and review of those joint, it is recommended that masking tape be

specifications with particular reference to NZS 4229 applied to the face of the concrete masonry on both Construction Wall is now contained in a new Section 6.3 Control Joints sides of the joints before applying the filler/sealant, in the Manual. thereby confining the filler/sealant to the joint and preventing the marking of the block face. The The control joint spacing may not exceed 6 m in masking tape is removed after the surface of the NZS 4229 and its positions in the building are shown filler/sealant has become firm. in Section 6.3. Commercial work would normally accept up to 8 m spacing.

Figure 7: Control Joint Using Standard Whole and Half Unit Figure 8: Control joint using control joint units

Construction Joints

Construction joints may be required between different masonry wall lifts. A horizontal construction joint will occur on the top of the uppermost masonry unit. The level of the construction joint, however, should not be lower than 20 mm from the top of this unit. See Figure 9.

The horizontal construction joint should be roughened to remove laitance and any loose matter lying on the surface of the hardened grout. This is a similar process to the preparation of the construction joint between the masonry wall and its supporting concrete beam or foundation. It is generally easy to wash and brush the joint a few hours after the grout

has hardened to provide a clean surface ready for the next lift. See Figure 10. Figure 9: Horizontal Construction Joint

New Zealand Concrete Masonry May 2018 Page 3 Section 3.3 Association Inc.

New Zealand Concrete Masonry Manual

At the position of this intermediate horizontal problems that might occur during hot weather construction joint it will, of course, be necessary to construction. Generally, when the air temperature form clean out ports, as was required for starting off rises above 27°C, or there is a drying wind even at the ground level. A sand covering of the cleaned though the temperature may be lower, it is surface will keep droppings from sticking to the necessary to take some additional precautions. surface. Cleaning out of the horizontal joint is required before placing the next lift. These are shown below:

(a) Masonry units may be lightly dampened before laying;

(b) Mortar shall be kept moist and not spread the

wall more than two unit lengths ahead of the Construction Wall units being placed;

(c) The mortar shall be prevented from drying so rapidly that it cannot cure properly. This may be done by applying a very light fog spray several times during the first 24 hours after laying or by some other protective measures over the same period; and

Figure 10: Construction Joint Preparation (d) Grout shall be protected from too rapid drying.

Various research tests have shown advantages in carrying out these recommended practices. Temporary Bracing

A point which can often be overlooked is the need for temporarily bracing the concrete masonry during Weathertightness construction. An ungrouted wall is very susceptible to failure from strong winds. Typically, a wall over 1 The basic requirements for achieving weathertight- metre in height is at significant risk. See Figure 11. ness are fully discussed in the CCANZ publication CCANZ CP01: Code of Practice for Weathertight It is important to take some measures to brace the Concrete and Concrete Masonry Construction, wall in order to prevent its premature failure. which is an approved approach for E2/AS3 of the Typically bracing at 3 metre centres is New Zealand Building Code. recommended.

Cold Weather Construction

The precautions for cold weather construction are shown:

(a) Water used for mixing mortar shall be heated;

(b) Masonry shall be protected for not less than 24 hours after laying by covers, blankets, heated enclosures, or the like to ensure that the mortar can gain strength without freezing or harmful effects from cold winds; and

Hot Weather Construction

We have just discussed precautions to be taken Figure 11: Maximum Unsupported Height of Ungrouted during cold weather. It is also necessary to consider Masonry During Construction

New Zealand Concrete Masonry May 2018 Page 4 Section 3.3 Association Inc.

New Zealand Concrete Masonry Manual

Basic Construction Details

The concept details on the following pages, indicate up into masonry walls. This matter is to be basic uses of concrete masonry in building individually considered bearing in mind site construction. They are presented as guides to conditions, structural design, construction procedure detailing and construction and not as finite solutions and other relative factors. Damp proof courses can to a wide variety of situations and conditions. be provided by painting the top of the footing with a bituminous or similar emulsion, but such a coating The details are primarily based upon NZS 4229 and would prevent a full bond between mortar and NZS 3604. Reference to these two New Zealand footing and between grouted cores and footing. Standards is often necessary to check the specific application of the detail to the job under design. A full mortar bed of waterproof mortar at the top of Construction Wall the footing might be acceptable, but in any and The exact size, number and positioning of every case the matters of damp proofing and reinforcing bars must be considered in every case. structural bond must be individually considered. Wall thicknesses, footing widths and other matters must likewise be considered in each and every case. Cavities of cavity walls or veneer walls must be drained and ventilated as indicated, and moisture Certain site conditions might require that masonry or must be prevented from rising from a cavity into the insitu concrete footings should be treated with a roof space. This matter is more fully described damp proof course to prevent ground moisture rising under the Veneer walls section of this manual.

Except where the Copyright Act and the Limited-License Agreement allows otherwise, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by any means without prior permission in writing of the New Zealand Concrete Masonry Association. The information provided in this publication is intended for general guidance only and in no way replaces the services of professional consultants on particular projects. No liability can therefore be accepted, by the New Zealand Concrete Masonry Association, for its use. For full terms and conditions see http://www.nzcma.org.nz/manual.html.

New Zealand Concrete Masonry May 2018 Page 5 Section 3.3 Association Inc.

New Zealand Concrete Masonry Manual

F0 FOUNDATION

CONCRETE MASONRY WALL CONCRETE SLAB PERIMETER STEPDOWN 20-50 mm

Wall Construction Wall

F0/A

A nominal stepdown to improve weathertightness of the structure at floor level can be used – 20-50 mm. The following consequences on the modular construction must, however, be considered:

1. Rebate required for any bonded internal walls.

2. Opening dimension from floor to modular head position will be reduced by the depth of rebate chosen. To maintain a satisfactory opening size and block coursing, it will be necessary to trim standard lintel blocks.

3. Width of rebate should be wide enough to permit the satisfactory provision of clean-out ports and their subsequent reinstatement.

4. Provisions to drain unfilled cells by way of weep holes should be made.