ENGINEERED

MASONRY WALLS

ENGINEERED MASONRY WALLS

Engineered masonry walls fall outside the empirical
design restrictions and provisions of the National
Building Regulations. Where the height, length, shape
or load-bearing capacities go beyond the empirical
tables a competent engineer must submit a suitable
design to the local authority for approval.

Engineered boundary walls - effective in commercial,

residential and industrial situations

Examples above and right are engineered walls which

form part of a private clinic in Panorama, Cape. The
broad-fluted tinted Split-Face masonry produced by
Columbia DCM meets architectural demands for
aesthetics, but at the same time has a practical and
functional use.

An important aspect of free-standing walls is their

ability to withstand the high wind loads that are
experienced in the Cape. This Columbia test sample
wall structure was designed by consulting engineer
Mike Arndt for walls 2.1m above ground level in 5m
panels of 140mm hollow concrete masonry. This
design has become standard.

TYPICAL BOUNDARY WALL PANEL IN

HOLLOW DENSE CONCRETE MASONRY

TYPICAL BOUNDARY WALL PANEL IN

HOLLOW DENSE CONCRETE MASONRY
Calculate your own costs

1. Determine the total length of wall or walls

2. Divide it into 5m lengths or portions of 5m lengths
3. Determine the height (up to maximum permissible as shown on
4.
5.
6.

drawing)
Calculate the number of building block plus pilaster blocks (see
calculation plan or determine number of variationsof standard
module)
Phone an SABS supplier in your area for the price for the number
of bricks plus delivery to site
Information required:
Quantity of block
Colours: (grey or tinted)
Textures: (smooth or split face)

Reinforcing per panel

No

Mark

Diam

Length

Bending

Y12

1600

270 (700 cage)

Y12

1900

Straight

R10

1650

150 (620 cage)

TYPICAL BOUNDARY WALL PANEL IN

HOLLOW DENSE CONCRETE MASONRY

This plan is acceptable for submission to local

authorities. Simply submit this drawing with
your house plan to indicate the wall position.

Specifications
1. All joints to be 10mm
2. Max. length = 5190mm
3. Max. height above ground = 2100mm
Concrete mix (foundation 15MPa)
1 sack cement

2 barrows damp sand

30 litres water

3 barrows 26mm stone

Name
Address

Mortar
1 sack lime

NB: This panel is the maximum size

permissible for a freestanding wall under
normal urban and per-urban conditions.

1 sack cement

3 barrows sand

Post code

Concrete mix (pier core 15MPa)

Telephone

1 sack cement

2 barrows damp sand

E-mail

35 litres water

2 barrows 13mm stone

Footings
30m 60m

100m 200m

Fax

ENGINEERED MASONRY WALLS

The up-market Marina da Gama housing estate required a
combination, the first 1m a retaining wall, and above that a
2.1m wall giving security and good road-noise reduction.
Reinforced 400 x 400mm pilaster blocks created the edge
support for the 5m long panels. For the soil retaining portion a
modular 190mm wide modular block was used and above that
a 140mm wide modular block was used and above that a
140mm wide unit. The wall has withstood the full force of
seasonal south-easter wind since early 1993.

An attractive residential security and road-noise screen wall

was constructed with modular 190mm blocks for walls and
piers.

The tallest vertical, fully reinforced retaining wall in

the Western Cape, designed by Liebenberg and
Stander circa 1985, forms a proud part of a
housing development in Higgovale, Cape Town.
The wall stands 5.2m high and is built with modular
190mm hollow masonry combined with 190mm
beam blocks every second course.

ENGINEERED MASONRY WALLS

Sturdy, closed-off yard areas are combined with attractive
open security fencing in Cape industrial areas, using
pilaster blocks and tubular steel fencing sections for
architectural effect.
Cover picture: At Ratanga Junction, Century City, this
engineered, reinforced boundary wall was erected using
hollow, dry stack units. The total length is 2.3km. The units
were manufactured by Columbia DBL, Cape.
Inset: Some of the steel placements.

Ilco Homes surrounded their "Summergreen"

economic housing development with tinted M140mm
block walls from Inca (Cape). The walls are 2m high
from ground level with wet-cast capping units
decoratively rounding off the columns.
Below: Clients in modern housing estates require
secure living with access control. Inca (Cape) supplied
many kilometres of 2m high decorative walling to meet
customer requirements.

Concrete Manufacturers Association - Membership List (Masonry) 2001/2002

Head Office
PO Box 168 Halfway House 1685
Tel: +27118056742
Fax: +27113154683
Email: cma@cis.co.za
Website:http://www.cma.org.za
Western Cape Regional Office:
GR Koch
PO Box 7231, Roggebaai,
Cape Town 8012
Tel:/Fax: +27214612511
Cell: 0824547657
Email: imes@mweb.co.za

Cape Brick

(021)5112006

Morula Brick & Sand (Pty) Ltd*

(012)5491727

Concor Technicrete (Pty) Ltd *

(011)4952200

Neat Contech cc*

(046)6481359

Corobrik (Pty) Ltd*

(031)5603911

Precast Concrete Industries

(Namibia)

(09264)612804103

Columbia DBL (Pty) Ltd*

(021)9051665

Stanger Brick & Tile (Pty) Ltd*

(032)4570237

Deranco Blocks (Pty) Ltd*

(041)4633338

Watson Concrete*

(011)7400910
(011)8733949

False Bay Bricks (Cape)*

(021)9041620

Western Granite Bricks (Pty)

Ltd*

(021)9041620

Inca Masonry Products (Pty) Ltd*

(043)7451215

White River Cement Bricks

(013)7501271

Infraset*

(012)6520000

Lategans Cement Works*

(021)8731154
*Companies which hold the SABS mark