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Supporting Brick Veneer and Backup Wall Systems
Masonry veneer walls are typically non-load bearing walls that serve as the exterior facade for a building envelope. It is common in low-rise construction to see clay brick veneer walls anchored to backup walls constructed in concrete masonry, steel stud, wood framed, or even cast-in-place concrete material.
There are several items to consider when designing support for veneer walls –
1) the weight of the veneer wall
2) lateral loading imposed onto the veneer wall, and
3) anticipated movement of the veneer wall, the structural backup wall, and structural floor framing that may be supporting the veneer. Controlling movement between the veneer and its structural backup is essential in order to minimize the potential for visible cracking and failures in the unreinforced masonry veneer. Since controlling this movement between the veneer and its backup is critical, the backup wall material chosen for a project plays a significant factor in designing an efficient veneer support system. Concrete and concrete masonry serve as rigid backup walls with similar material and thermal properties to clay brick masonry veneer. Although clay veneer expands and a concrete backup wall shrinks over time, the differential movement that results between these two cementitious materials is less significant than the differential movement that would occur between clay masonry and wood/steel backup walls.
Prescriptive criteria in the TMS Code Section 12.2 does not limit the height of clay veneer walls backed by concrete or masonry, nor does it require intermediate supports for the veneer. However, the Code does require prescriptive intermediate support or alternate design methods for veneer backed by wood or steel stud walls. Therefore, choosing concrete or concrete masonry backup walls results in a more design efficient and cost effective choice to support veneer walls.
When intermediate veneer supports are required (typically with wood or steel backup walls), the veneer wall can be vertically supported by steel shelf angles. The shelf angles are designed to transfer the weight of the veneer wall to the base structural building system – typically connecting to the floor slab or beams.
For more content, drawings, and charts please view the PDF below.
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