masonry veneer and shelf angle
 

masonry veneer and shelf angle
hi,
a constractor ask me if it's possible to not install shelf angles when the masonry veneer (brick) wall exceed 11m (empirical method)?
this implies that brick becomes structural in compression. lateral loads are supported by structural backing made with steel studs. is it possible to evaluate the compressive resistance of a masonry veneer as a non-reinforced masonry wall?
thanks for your precious help.
seems to me that there was a post a couple of weeks ago regasrding cracking brick veeneer over a garage door header that had a steel angle lintel bolted to a wood header.
i would be leary of omitting the header for any span over four feet.
i think what the contractor is getting at is the innate arching action of the brick, however, the brick below the arch section must still be supported. if in a high seismic zone, well supported, as with a steel angle lintel.
mike mccann
mmc engineering
the codes that i work under usually specify a maximum height of brick veneer when backed up by wood or metal studs....30 ft. usually (9.1m).
for concrete or masonry backup the veneer is only limited by the compressive capacity of the brick.
going along with jae's response, i believe that beyond this height, movements due to temperature and swelling become significant.