Masonry: Encyclopedia II - Masonry - Dry set masonry

Masonry - Dry set masonry

The strength of a masonry wall is not entirely dependent on the bond between the building material and the mortar; the friction between the interlocking blocks of masonry is often strong enough to provide a great deal of strength on its own. The blocks sometimes have grooves or other surface features added to enhance this interlocking, and some dry set masonry structures forego mortar altogether.

Masonry - Rocks

Stone masonry without the use of mortar was common in early civilizations, was frequently used for farmstead boundaries where rocks must be cleared from fields, and is sometimes seen today in primitive trail bulkheads and stream crossings. Owing to its poor performance in earthquakes, it is not used in modern buildings, although with careful use of mortar and stone selection its appearance may be emulated, especially when used as a veneer.

Masonry - Gabions

Gabions are rectangular wire baskets, usually of zinc protected steel that are filled with fractured stone of medium size. These will act a single unit and are stacked with set-backs to form a revetment or retaining wall. They have the advantage of being both well drained and flexible, and so resistant to flood, water flow from above, frost damage, and soil flow. There expected useful life is only as long as the wire they are composed of and if used in severe climates (such as shore-side in a salt water environment) must be made of appropriate corrosion-resistant wire.

Masonry - Bagged concrete

A low grade concrete may be placed in woven plastic sacks similar to that used for sandbags and then emplaced. The sacks are then watered and the emplacement then becomes a series of artificial stones that conform to one another and to adjacent soil and structures. This conformation makes them resistant to displacement. The sack becomes non-functional and eventually disintegrates. This type of masonry is frequently used to protect the entrances and exits of water conduits where a road passes over a stream or dry wash. It is also used to protect stream banks from erosion, especially where a road passes close by.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Dry set masonry", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki