- Author
-
Fishburn, C. C.
- Title
- Effects of Wetting and Drying on the Permeability of Masonry Walls.
- Coporate
- National Bureau of Standards, Washington, DC
- Report
-
BMS 55,
September 18, 1940,
8 p.
- Keywords
-
walls
|
masonry
|
wetting
|
drying
|
permeability
- Abstract
- Since the volume changes resulting from the wetting and drying of masonry units and mortars are unequal, changes in the mositure content of a masonry wall may produce differential volume changes between the units and the mortar, resulting in the formation or enlargement of cracks in the joints. The effects of changes in the moisutre content of 8 small masonry walls were studied by measuring the permeability of the walls during each of about 12 cycles of wetting and drying. The walls were wetted by applying water to the exposed face simulating an exposure to a wind-driven rain. The specimens were not subjected to freezing during wetting or drying. Five of the walls were of all-brick construction, one was a stucco-faced wall, and two were faced with brick and backed with hollow units. There was no significant change in the permeability of the walls resulting from the exposure to wetting and drying.