Mechanical and bond properties of solid clay brick masonry with different sand grading

To evaluate the performance of unreinforced masonry buildings under different loading conditions such as lateral seismic load, the mechanical properties of masonry materials are required. Masonry is a composite material which consists of brick units and mortar joints bonded together. On the other hand, sand is the main ingredient of mortar and its characteristics such as grading can affect the physical and mechanical properties of mortar. In this research, a comprehensive experimental study was conducted to assess the effects of sand grading on the properties of mortar as well as masonry. Considering the main standard tests recommended for masonry as a composite material, the behaviors of masonry assemblages and prisms fabricated using three mortar mixes with coarse and fine sand grading were assessed to examine compressive strength, diagonal-shear strength, and brick-mortar shear and flexural bond strengths.