Page 95 - Design of Reinforced Masonry Structures

MASONRY UNITS: APPLICATIONS, TYPES, SIZES, AND CLASSIFICATION 2.47

FIGURE 2.46 Example of correct planning of a concrete-block wall. Note the matching dimensions of the
door and window openings. The 48-in. width of the window equals total length of three 16-in. blocks, and
the height equals seven 8-in.-high courses. The door width is equal to a combination of two 16- and one 8-in.
blocks, and the height equals eleven 8-in.-high courses. (Courtesy: NCMA.)

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Glass units may be either solid or hollow. Typical minimum face thickness is ⁄ 16 in.
Units with thicker faces, as well as 100 percent solid units, are also produced, which pro-
vide increased impact resistance, sound insulation, and fire ratings. These are produced in
a variety of sizes, shapes, patterns, and textures. Shapes are also available to accommodate
corners, radii, and exposed wall ends. Decorative blocks are available in clear, reflective, or
color glass with smooth, molded, fluted, etched, or rippled or wavy texture, providing vary-
ing degree of light transmission and privacy. Most glass is made of clear, colorless variety
that admits full spectrum of natural light. Light transmission characteristics of various types
of glass units are summarized in Table 2.9 [2.7].

TABLE 2.9 Light Transmission Characteristics of Glass
Units [2.7]

Type of glass block Percent of light transmitted
Solid 80

Hollow 50–75
Diffusion 28–40
Reflective 5–20

Glass unit masonry is used for nonload-bearing elements in interior and exterior walls,
partitions, and window openings. Window openings may be isolated, or in continuous
bands. Glass unit masonry panels are required to be isolated so that in-plane loads would
not be imparted to them.
Construction of glass masonry is covered in MSJC-08 Code Chap. 7: Glass Unit Masonry
[2.3] and in 2009 IBC Section 2110 [2.4]. Code provisions are empirical, based on previ-
ous codes, successful performance, and manufacturers’ recommendations. Since there is no