The impact of mortar thickness on the strength of Globigerina limestone masonry wall

Abstract

The compressive strength of the mortar plays an important role in the strctural stability of masonry constructions, and finding the optimal mortar thickness can significantly improve the overall integrity of these structures. The primary objective of this research is to examine the impact of different mortar thicknesses of bed joints on the compressive strength of small-scale Globigerina limestone walls. Each wall was composed of a couplet consisting of locally sourced Globigerina limestone masonry blocks with different mortar thicknesses ranging from )mm to 15mm, with incremental intervals of 5mm. The composition of the mortar mixtures was maintained constant, and the compressive strength was assessed using standardized testing procedures. The tests were conducted until the failure load of the test subject so that the behaviour of the wall at the ultimate failure load could be determined. The effect of the mortar thicknesses on the failure envelope of the wall was hence defined.