ATGB2303 Construction Technology II

Week 5 to 6 Tutorial: Walls and Partitions

Self-Assessment Questions

1. Walls are described as external or internal to differentiate functional requirements,

and as load bearing or non-load bearing to differentiate structural requirements.
Define the meaning of each:

a. External walls-External walls are those that enclose and protect a building.

b. Internal walls-Internal walls are those that divide buildings into

compartments or rooms.

c. Load bearing walls-Load bearing walls are those that carry loads from floors
and roofs, in addition to their own weight

d. Non-load bearing walls-Non-load bearing walls are those that carry only
their own weight and freestanding.

e. Partitions-Partitions are generally used to describe those non-load bearing

internal dividing walls.

2. Bricks, blocks, stone, concrete, timber, metal and glass can be used for the walls
construction in a decorative and structural capacity and thus different types of wall
are available for design options.

Explain the following types of wall construction with an example:

a. Masonry walls-

-Constructed of individual units of materials such as bricks, blocks or stones

joined together in mortar with the units laid to overlap in some form of
bonding in horizontal courses.

-Example brickwall (,blockwalls, stone wall,etc.)

b. Monolithic walls

-Constructed of one fluid uninterrupted material such as plain or reinforced

concrete which is poured wet into some form of support in the initial stage
and harden into an unbroken mass.
-Example traditional earth/retaining walls,( modern RC shear walls, etc.)

Prepared by Tee HK 1
ATGB2303 Construction Technology II
Week 5 to 6 Tutorial: Walls and Partitions

c. Membrane walls

-Constructed as a sandwich of two or more thin skins or sheets of plywood,

reinforced plastic, metal or other suitable materials.

-E.g. ETFE (Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene) membrane walls, etc.

d. Framed walls

-Constructed as a structure of small members of concrete, timber or metal joined together,

with thin panels of some materials such as plasterboards fixed over both sides or between the
members.
E.g. precast concrete framed wall panels, (timber stud framed walls, metal stud framed walls,
etc)

3. The following classifications are used to define brick types for use in wall
construction. Summarise the main characteristics of each:

a. Clay bricks-Sandy texture and irregular in shape and colour.

b. Sand and lime bricks-Very uniform in shape and colour. Normally a dull
white.

c. Cement and sand bricks-More consistent in shape,size and colour than clay
bricks.Come in a variety of colour and finishes

Prepared by Tee HK 2
ATGB2303 Construction Technology II
Week 5 to 6 Tutorial: Walls and Partitions

d. Common bricks
 -These are bricks that are sufficiently hard to carry the loads normally supported by
brickwork safely.
 Suitable for general building work but does not give an attractive appearance, hence
required plastering.
 Because they have a dull texture or poor colour, these bricks are used for internal
walls that are not usually exposed to view.

e. Facing bricks
-This includes any brick that is sufficiently hard burned to carry normal
loads, is capable of withstanding the effects of rain, wind and frost without
breaking up and that is thought to have a pleasant appearance.

-Specially made or selected to have an attractive appearance when used

without plastering.

-These bricks can be used for external walls that are usually exposed to view.

f. Engineering bricks
-These are bricks that have been made from selected clay, carefully crushed,
moulded and burned so that the finished brick is very solid and hard and is
capable of safely carrying much heavier loads than other types of brick.
-These bricks are very dense and do not readily absorb water.
-These bricks are mainly used for walls carrying exceptionally heavy loads
such as civil engineering works.

g. Solid bricks

 Those in which small holes passing through or nearly through the brick do not exceed
25% of its volume, or in which frogs do not exceed 20% of its volume.
 A small hole is defined as a hole less than 20mm wide or less than 500mm2 in area.

h. Perforated bricks

Prepared by Tee HK 3
ATGB2303 Construction Technology II
Week 5 to 6 Tutorial: Walls and Partitions

 Those in which holes passing through the brick exceed 25% of its volume and the
holes are small as defined above.

i. Hollow bricks
Those in which the holes passing through the brick exceed 25% of its volume and the holes
are larger than those defined as small holes.

j. Cellular bricks
Those in which the holes are closed at one end and exceed 20% of the brick
volume.

Prepared by Tee HK 4
ATGB2303 Construction Technology II
Week 5 to 6 Tutorial: Walls and Partitions

4. When building with bricks, it is necessary to lay the bricks to some recognised bond.
To give various bonds, cutting bricks are produced.

a. List the purposes of brickwork bonding.

 When building with bricks, it is necessary to lay the bricks to some recognised pattern
or bond in order to ensure stability of the structure and to produce a pleasing
appearance.
 Various bonds are designed so that no vertical joint in any one course is directly
above or below a vertical joint in the adjoining course.
 To give various bonds, cutting bricks are produced.

b. Identify with the aid of sketches to show some examples of cutting bricks.

Prepared by Tee HK 5
ATGB2303 Construction Technology II
Week 5 to 6 Tutorial: Walls and Partitions

c. Draw the elevation and alternate course plans at a corner of one brick thick
wall constructed in:

i. English bond ii. Flemish bond

Prepared by Tee HK 6
ATGB2303 Construction Technology II
Week 5 to 6 Tutorial: Walls and Partitions

5. Bricks and blocks are commonly used for walls construction in Malaysia.

a. Differentiate between bricks and blocks in terms of their dimensions and raw
materials.

Brick
 A brick is defined in BS 3921 as a walling unit with standard size of _215mm_
length, 102.5mm width and 65mm height.
 (With a 10mm mortar joint, the working size becomes _225x 112.5 x 75mm_.)
 Majority of bricks used today are made from clay, although bricks can also made
from sand and lime or cement and sand.

Blocks
 A block can be defined as a walling unit exceeding the BS dimensions specified for
bricks, and its height should not exceed either its length or six times its thickness.
 Blocks are made of clay or concrete.

b. Suggest why blocks are not as widely used as the bricks for walls construction
in Malaysia.
A brick wall has very good fire resistance, does not deteriorate structurally if well built and
requires very little maintenance over a long period of time

6. Mortar is required for brickwork bonding.

a. State the functions of mortar in brickwork bonding.

 To join the brickwork or blockwork of a wall into one solid mass, thus increasing its
strength and stability.
 To transfer the tensile, compressive and shear stresses uniformly between adjacent
bricks or blocks.
 To take up any inequalities of bricks or blocks.
 To make the wall reasonably waterproof and airproof under ordinary conditions.

b. Describe the requirements that mortar must satisfy to perform its functions.

 It must have adequate strength, but not greater than that required for the design
strength.
 It must have good workability.
 It must retain plasticity long enough for the bricks to be laid.

Prepared by Tee HK 7
ATGB2303 Construction Technology II
Week 5 to 6 Tutorial: Walls and Partitions

 It must be durable over a long period.

 It must bond well to the bricks.
 It must be able to be produced at an economic cost.

c. Identify the suitable mortar types and mixtures for different conditions of
brickwork.

1. _Cement mortar( cement : sand)__

 1:3 – suitable for brickwork in exposed conditions such as parapets and

foundations.

2. Lime mortar (lime: sand)

 1:3 – for internal use only.

3. Gauged mortar( cement : lime : sand)

 1:1:6 – suitable for most conditions of severe exposure;
 1:2:9 – suitable for most conditions except those of severe exposure;
 1:3:12 – for internal use only.

7. All external and internal brickwalls of lowest floor above ground shall be applied
with damp proof course.

a. State the primary function of damp proof course in walls construction.

 A suitable damp proof course shall be inserted in the wall thickness placed just
above ground level to prevent ground moisture creeping up the wall by
capillary action (i.e. rising damp), which otherwise would make wall surfaces
damp and then damage wall finishes.

b. Describe the appropriate positioning of damp proof course in walls

construction.

 The horizontal dpc should be continuous for the whole length and thickness of wall
and be at least 150mm above finished ground level to avoid the possibility of a build
up material against the wall acting as a bridge for moisture from the ground.

Prepared by Tee HK 8
ATGB2303 Construction Technology II
Week 5 to 6 Tutorial: Walls and Partitions

c. Describe the characteristics which materials used as damp proof course

should have.

 Be completely impervious;
 Be durable by having a longer life than the other building components and
therefore not need replacement during its lifetime;
 Be in comparatively thin sheets to prevent disfigurement of the building;
 Be strong enough to support the loads placed upon it without exuding from the
wall;
 Be flexible enough to give with any settlement of the building without
fracturing.

d. Suggest the suitable materials for used as damp proof course in walls
construction.
1. Polythene sheet
-Black low density polythene sheet of single thickness not less than
0.5mm thick is commonly used; it is easily laid but can be torn and
punctured easily.

2. Bitumen
-This is supplied in the form of felt fabric, usually to brick widths, and is
therefore laid quickly with the minimum number of joints.

8. An opening in a wall consists of a head, jambs or reveals, and a sill or threshold.

a. Sketch to identify the various parts of opening in a wall.

b. Discuss the functions of the various parts of opening in a wall.

Head of openings
- Function of a head is to carry the load of brickwork over the opening and
transmit this load to the jambs at the sides.

Prepared by Tee HK 9
ATGB2303 Construction Technology II
Week 5 to 6 Tutorial: Walls and Partitions

Lintels
 Lintel (alternatively spelt lintol) is any single solid length of concrete, brick,
stone, timber or steel built in over an opening to support the wall above it.

c. Brickwork over the head of openings has to be supported by either a lintel or

an arch. In short, differentiate between lintel and arch.

Lintel (alternatively spelt lintel) is any single solid length of concrete, brick, stone, timber or
steel built in over an opening to support the wall above it.

Arches are arrangements of wedge shaped bricks called voussoirs, which are designed to
support each other and carry the load over the opening, round a curved profile, to abutments
on either side

d. With the aid of sketches, identify the different types of arch construction for
door and window openings.

. _Semi-circular arch_____
The most efficient method of supporting brickwork over an opening is by the use of a semi-
circular arch, which transfers the load of wall it supports most directly to the sides of opening
through the arch.

Segmental arch
A segmented arch, which takes the form of a segment (part) of a circle, is less efficient in that
it transmits loads to the jambs by both vertical and outward thrust.
The recommended segment is such that the rise of arch is 130mm for every metre of span of
the arch.

Prepared by Tee HK 10
ATGB2303 Construction Technology II
Week 5 to 6 Tutorial: Walls and Partitions

Camber arch___
 A flat camber arch is not a true arch as it is not curved.
 It is more like a flat brick lintel with voussoirs radiating from the centre.
 The widths of voussoirs measured horizontally along the top of arch are the same, this
width will be 65mm or slightly less.
 A slight rise or camber is formed on the soffit of the arch.
 This rise is usually calculated at 6 or 10mm for every metre of span.

e. With the aid of sketches, describe the construction requirements of a window

sill.

Prepared by Tee HK 11