Effect of Central Queensland sands on the shear capacity of concrete masonry containing damp proof course

The damp proof course (DPC) effectively breaks the bond between the masonry units and mortar Joints. The actual shear capacity that includes the shear bond strength and the frictional resistance is evaluated for hollow concrete block masonry joints containing DPC from seventy-two wallet tests. The effect of three mortar sands that are representative of the region of central Queensland is also investigated. It is shown that the type of sand in the mortar affects the shear capacity considerably. Other variables that affect the shear strength include the level of vertical stress and the inclusion ofDPC in mortar joint constitutive relations for materials under complex 3D states of stress by judiciously designing an experimental setup involving complex shapes of structures with simple load application, which will significantly reduce the costs of generating complex 3D loading on simple shapes of specimens as traditionally followed. The material parameters obtained are more realistic as they account for the true status of the structures.