In-Plane and Out-of-Plane Load Testing and Evaluation of Sustainable Masonry Walls

This paper presents the results of a pilot study at Penn State University to compare the structural behavior of three types of masonry that have some sustainable attributes. The three masonry types chosen consisted of concrete masonry unit (CMU), autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC), and adobe. Design professionals are interested in the relative performance of sustainable wall systems and this pilot study was motivated because of the lack of such a comparative study. In the study reported in this paper, 4 ft x 4 ft wall specimens were tested in shear and flexure under dry and wet conditions. A specially made spray rack was used to simulate rain condition on wall specimens before structural tests for wet condition. Comparison of the test results and observations made during the tests are discussed.