Research of Behaviour of Bed Joints Reinforced Masonry Walls with Openings Made of Autoclaved Aerated Concrete under Horizontal Shearing

This article describes results from testing reinforced and unreinforced walls with openings of different shapes. Conducted tests mainly focused on determining the effect of used reinforcement on the cracking morphology and values of cracking and failure forces. Every wall was made of AAC masonry units. Tests covered 12 walls with the following external dimensions l = 4.43 m, h = 2.43 m, t = 180 mm, which varied in shape and dimensions of openings. The walls were reinforced with steel trusses of EFZ 140 / Z 140 type (Z1 type) and meshes made of plastics (Z2 type). In remaining six series, used walls (external dimensions l = 4.43 m, h = 2.43 m, t = 180 mm) with different opening shapes denoted by convention as A, B and C. Elements with A-type opening, 1.48 m wide and 0.98 m high, consisted of two models marked with the symbol HAS-AAC-Z1 (Z1 type of reinforcement) and HAS-AAC-Z2 (Z2 type of reinforcement). Elements with B-type opening, 2.66 m wide and 0.98 m high, consisted of two unreinforced models were marked with the symbol HBS-AAC-Z1 (Z1 type of reinforcement) and HBS-AAC-Z2 (Z2 type of reinforcement). The third series included a window opening with the width of 1.62 m and the height of 0.98 m, and a door opening with the width of 1.03 m and the height of 1.90 m. The arrangement of openings was denoted by convention as C. Similarly, as in case of walls with A- and B-type openings, the series of C-type opening included tests on two models marked with the symbol HCS-AAC-Z1 (Z1 type of reinforcement) and HCS-AAC-Z2 (Z2 type of reinforcement). The results were compared with test results for unreinforced walls with openings, tested under the same initial conditions. A mechanism of wall destruction, changes in cracking morphology, and values of cracking and failure stresses were analysed.