Abstract:
This study deals with the properties of unreinforced masonry. Masonry is a two phase
material, and the properties of the assemblage depend on that of bricks and mortars. On the other
hand, the quality of bricks mostly depends on the type of raw material and the production
process. The quality of mortars is more complicated to assess since it depends on its mix design,
which is highly variable from batch to batch. The procedure of assessment of properties for bricks
and prisms is well established in various standards while the compressive strength of existing
mortars has always been a challenge. In Albania there are a considerable number of URM
structures and therefore assessing the properties of masonry is an important task. Therefore,
samples from Tirana, Vlora, Elbasan, Rreshen and Bulqiza are obtained and tested, mainly in
compression to assess the compressive strength of bricks and mortars. Large and highly
populated cities are targeted. The expected outcome of this experimental program is the set of
mechanical properties of unreinforced masonry for the selected cities, confronted with the design
values provided by production factories and theoretical values.
