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Extreme Fiber Stress in Masonry

Mediummasonrycombined-stresseccentric-load
An uncracked, linear-elastic masonry section has net area A = 200,000 mm² and section modulus S = 10×10⁶ mm³ to each extreme fiber. It carries P = 160 kN axial compression and M = 12 kN·m. What stress does this model predict at the less-compressed extreme fiber (compression positive)?
  1. A2.00 MPa compression
  2. B0.80 MPa compression
  3. C0.40 MPa tension
  4. D1.20 MPa tension
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Answer: C. 0.40 MPa tension

σ = P/A ± M/S. P/A = 160,000/200,000 = 0.80 MPa. M/S = 12×10⁶ N·mm / 10×10⁶ mm³ = 1.20 MPa. Extreme fibers: 0.80 + 1.20 = 2.00 MPa compression on one face and 0.80 − 1.20 = −0.40 MPa, i.e. 0.40 MPa tension, on the other. 2.00 MPa is the more-compressed face. 0.80 MPa compression ignores bending and assumes full compression. 1.20 MPa tension ignores the axial compression. The result is a model prediction, not approval to rely on tension in unreinforced masonry.
MPa (tension)
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