Building Construction Handbook, Eighth Edition

(Nancy Kaufman) #1

Attached Piers ~ the main function of an attached pier is to give
lateral support to the wall of which it forms part from the base to
the top of the wall. It also has the subsidiary function of dividing a
wall into distinct lengths whereby each length can be considered as
a wall. Generally walls must be tied at end to an attached pier,
buttressing or return wall.


Typical Examples ~


Requirements for the external wall of a small single storey non-
residential building or annex exceeding 2.5 m in length or height and
of floor area not exceeding 36 m^2 ~



  • Minimum thickness, 90 mm, i.e. 102.5 mm brick or 100 mm block.

  • Built solid of bonded brick or block masonry and bedded in
    cement mortar.

  • Surface mass of masonry, minimum 130 kg/m^2 where floor area
    exceeds 10 m^2.

  • No lateral loading permitted excepting wind loads.

  • Maximum length or width not greater than 9 m.

  • Maximum height as shown on page 331.

  • Lateral restraint provided by direct bearing of roof and as
    shown on page 462.

  • Maximum of two major openings in one wall of the building.
    Height maximum 2.1 m, width maximum 5 m (if 2 openings, total
    width maximum 5 m).

  • Other small openings permitted, as shown on next page.

  • Bonded or connected to piers of minimum size 390  190 mm at
    maximum 3 m centres for the full wall height as shown above.
    Pier connections are with pairs of wall ties of 20  3 mm flat
    stainless steel type at 300 mm vertical spacing.


Brick Bonding---Attached Piers

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