STRUCTURAL DESIGN FOR ARCHITECTURE

4 The bending action which results from the

application of out-of-plane forces to the

external walls is minimised by providing

lateral support at frequent intervals and

thus lowering the span. Attention is also

given to the selection of the cross-sectional

dimensions of external walls to ensure that

tensile bending stresses in response to out-

of-plane loads do not become excessive.

5.3.4 Tall multi-storey buildings
Tall multi-storey buildings may be regarded as
behaving like 'bundles' of vertical cantilevers
when subjected to wind loading (Fig. 5.37).
These perform best if the walls are arranged

Fig. 5.37 Tall multi-storey loadbearing-wall structures

behave as 'bundles' of cantilevers in response to wind

loading. The structural action is most effective when

individual wall groups are as large as possible.

into groupings which are as large as possible,

and which are bonded together at their vertical

junctions (Fig. 5.38). Symmetry in the dis-

position of walls is also desirable, to prevent

twisting of the building under the action of

asymmetrically applied horizontal load.

5.3.5 Tall single-storey buildings

Tall single-storey buildings are buildings which

consist predominantly of a single large interior

space (sports hall, swimming pool). If these are

constructed in loadbearing masonry the provi-

sion of walls which can withstand gravitational

load is rarely a problem. A post-and-beam form

can be adopted in which masonry walls support

Fig. 5.38 Typical planforms for tall

multi-storey loadbearing-wall struc-

tures. Each contains several very large

wall groupings which have complex

plans. These will make the largest

contribution to the resistance of wind

loading.

175

Masonry structures

(a) (b)