Experimental Evaluation of Flexural and Bond Behaviours of Adobe Masonry

Abstract

This paper presents the results of experimental testing of adobe masonry assemblages to study their flexure and bond behaviours. The properties of soil and water absorption of adobe units were also investigated. The plasticity index of the soil was 7.56 which was higher compared to that reported for the adobe soil in a few regions of the world. The silt and clay contents of the soil were also higher as compared to the soil used by the researchers elsewhere. High water absorption of the adobe units (27.37%) indicated their low cohesion characteristic which was evidenced by low bond strength. The flexure strength of the wallettes tested in a direction parallel to the bed joints was less as compared to those tested perpendicular to the bed joints. The tensile bond strength determined by the bond wrench method was considerably smaller as compared to the flexural strength of the wallettes. The observed flexural and bond strengths of the adobe masonry were also smaller as compared to those reported in the existing literature.