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Specification Associate, 2, 1, pp. 1-3, 1960-04-01
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Modular masonry
Kent, S. R.
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NATIONAT RESEARCH
COUNCIT
CANADAD I V I S I O N
O F B U I L D I N G
R E S E A R C H
MODULAR MASONRY
ByS t o n l e y R . K e n t
A N 4 . t Y T
T D
R E P R I N T E D F R O MSPECIFICATION
ASSOCIATE
V O L . 2 , N O . l , W I N T E R 1 9 6 0 , Poge 13 T E C H N I C A L P A P E R N O . 9 5 O F T H E D I V I S I O N O F B U I I . D I N G R E S E A R C H Ottowo BUILDING ffESEARCH. LIBRARY.
t{AY l4 1960
iIIIOIAL RESEARCH GOUI{CIL
N R C 5 6 3 8 P r i c e l 0 c e n t s
This publication is being distributed by the Division of Building Research of the National Research Council as a con-tribution towards better building in Canada. It should not be reproduced in whole or in part, without permission of the original publisher. The Division would be glad to be of assist-ance in obtaining such permission.
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M(|DUTAR
MAS||I{RY
by Stonley R. Kent, MRAIC
VIDENCE continues to increose, from experience in mony
Euro-peon countries, the United Slotes o n d C o n o d o , t h o t t h e n e w u n i t o f m e o s u r e m e n t f o r d e t e r m i n i n g t h e size of building moleriols is the m o d u l e - q u n i t of meosurement obout holf the width of this poge-4 inches. This being so, the question often osked is, whot hoppens to lhe units of meosure, which for centuries h o v e d o m i n o t e d t h e b u i l d i n g i n -dusiry by deiermining window sizes, d o o r s i z e s , w o l l t h i c k n e s s o n d s o o n , i n c l u d i n g c l o y b r i c k s .
Meetings on coordinotion in build-ing, over mony ports of the world, hove considered this question ot greot length before odopting the new 4 inch unit of meosure, ond with the exception of Germony, there w o s q g r e e m e n t t h o t t h e m e o s u r e d e -termined by brick sizes wqs irrqt i o n o l o n d u n u s o b l e in m o d e r n b u i l d -i n g . I n 1 9 5 1 , G e r m o n y r e s -i z e d -i t s b r i c k , o n d q l l o i h e r c o m p o n e n t s i n the corcoss of o building, occording to o chqrt of preferred reloted di-mensions which were multiples of 1 2 . 5 c m . T h e d e c i s i o n o n 4 i n c h e s did nol meon lhot existing brick w o u l d n o l o n g e r b e u s o b l e , b u t rother it would become o port of o rolionol system, some brick sizes fitting the system with reosonoble flexibility, whereos olhers would, un-fortunotely, be quite inflexible, os will be described loter.
In Greot Britqin, where the brick
Sfonley R. Kenl, Bachelor of Architecture, graduoted lrom the School of Architecture, University of Toronto, where he is now en-goged os on Assislonl Professor. Mr. KenI is consultont in Modulor Coordinalion to the Division of Bvilding Reseorch, Notionol Re-seorch Council.
i s 9 i n c h e s l o n g b y 3 i n c h e s h i g h , o method of selecting numbers wos devised whereby two dimensions 4t/2 inches (holf the brick lengthl ond 3 inches could be mothemol-icolly combined for coordinqtion of mosonry ond other components, but successful opplicotion of the method hos not been corried out in the field. With this ottempt to utilize q brick size nof working out in proclice, ihe 4 inch module is likely to be odopted very shortly.
Modulor Componenls
One of the most comprehensive popers on brickwork wos presenled by Bruce Mortin (Foofnofe I), on orchitect in chorge of the modulor siudies ot the British Stondords In-sfitute, illustroting the monner in which brickwork, of non-modulor brick, could be utilized in the 4 inch m o d u l o r s y s l e m , d i o g r o m l . H e Brick Hierorchy
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4 inch modulor brick, repeoted brick or brickwork would eventuqlly co-incide within o lorge seclion of the grid ond form o modulor compo-nenf. The 9 inch by 3 inch brick would, thus, form a modulor brick-work component 36 inches by I 2 i n c h e s . A l t h o u g h lh e s e n o n - m o d u l o r bricks would only be conveniently
used in lorger multiples of this
brick-work component, they do become usqble in the modulor system. Brick-work hos olwoys enioyed moximum flexibility in design, ond o smoll unit, repeoted os oflen os brick, should nqlurolly do so, but il is now opporent thot, if it is not compotible with the modulqr system, it con only be used with the inflexibility of sheet c l o d d i n g d i m e n s i o n s . Modulor Brickwork
F # , F
gqtct4woh'l. LsaAalol nelhw 6vbi& ( = ) D - t t l ,Qlto - f i t r r F 4 r I t ) t o -7 l , s K l t s 20 ro t q t T q 2 t " ' eg 1O', Diogrom l.reosoned thot, olthough <r non-m o d u l o r b r i c k s u c h o s 9 i n c h e s b y 3 i n c h e s , ( i n c l u d i n g i o i n t s ) d o e s n o t fit into o smoll section of the mod-ulor grid, os would on 8 inch by
{ l ) P u b l i s h e d i n ' T h e M o d u l o r Q u o r f e r l y ' , S u m m e r 1 9 5 8 , b y i h e M o d u l o r S o c i e t y , [ o n d o n , E n g -f o n d . D i o g r o m s 1 , 2 o n d 4 o r e -f r o m l h i s p o p e r . '- -9.1 _ t ' 4 4 Diogrom 2. I n d i o g r o m N o . 2 M r . M o r t i n il l u s -trqtes modulor brickwork for some Europeon bricks, ond it is interest-ing to conlinue this process for the Ontorio size brick ond the Americon size brick. Before going furfher, you will note thot coordinqtion in the
follows, is in lwo dimensions only,-height ond length of the foce; co-ordinotion of non-moduler mosonry, with the grid in the fiird dimen-sion, would result in wolls mony feel t h i c k .
Beginning with the verficol dimen-sion for modulor brickwork, of On-tqrio brick size, which is 2 3/s inches high, Diogrom 3 shows course heights, using mortor ioints of 3/e inch qnd 1/2 inch.
T h e g o m e i s i o determine. w h o t might be the lowest height, .9t it is desiroble to hove the briikwork componenl smoll, fitting into the 4 inch grid. lt oppeors thot, with o Vz inch ioint, 7 courses equols I foot, ond 8yB inches could be squeezed to on even I foot 8 inches, w i t h o 1 5 / 3 2 i n c h ioint. Then, with opproximotely the some ioint, five stretchers ol 83/e inch brick would give o dimension of 44 inches. Thus, the modulor brickwork component, u s i n g O n t o r i o b r i c k s i z e , would be 2 0 i n c h e s b y 4 4 i n c h e s . B y t h e s o m e procedure, q modulor brickwork componenl, wiih Americon brick size, 2/a inches by 8 inches, using opproximotely 3/s inch ioinf, would b e 8 i n c h e s b y 9 2 i n c h e s .
The modulor brickwork component, using stondord modulor brick 2la inches by 7 5/s inches, with o 7s inch ioint, is 8 inches by 8 inches PLUS coordinotion in the third dimension qt 4 inches.
History wos unkind to the brick industry in Ontorio when it ollowed the qbove non-modulor sizes of brick to become populor.
8 / a ' i x 2 y s " x 4 "
The comporison of brickwork components demonslroted thot, for flexibility in design, fhe modulor size brick is highly fovoured. For od-vontoges in working with the mod-ulor system, Mr. J. E. Coombs, o U.S, mosonry controctor, with much ex-perience in the use of the stondord modulor brick, cloims reduction in mqsonry costs through the following: I . An estimqting procedure foster qnd less prone to errors, due to colculoling in multiples of the brick-w o r k c o m p o n e n t ( 8 i n c h b y 8 i n c h l . 2. One system of meosurements on working drowings which con be uniform throughout the indusfry-rqther lhon mony individuolistic sys-iems now in use.
3. Reduction of on-the-iob dimen-s i o n o l e r r o r dimen-s o n d , h e n c e , dimen-s i m p l e r supervision of work.
4. Almost totol eliminotion of mo-leriol woste: hqlf qnd whole bricks ore required to fif modulor dimen-s i o n dimen-s .
5. Simplicity in introducing the syslem io workmen on the site.
6. Reduction of loying time by the diminution of cutting ond potch-i n g , o n d t h e e l potch-i m potch-i n o t potch-i o n o f l h e n e e d to squeeze qnd slretch morlor ioints os the position of eqch brick ond ioint is predetermined by the mod-u l o r g r i d .
Additionol Advontoges
In oddition, he receives o product with better oppeoronce qnd finer fin ish.
So for the system looks good, but since it is not in internqtionol or locol use, some discussion of proboble
Loying Dimensions
reqsons should be stoted, in order thot thought moy be given to the fulure of modulor mosonry.
Undoubtedly, the first is thot the modulor system hos only been in existence for twenty yeors, ond only within lhe losf six yeors hos inler-notionol considerotion been given. We, therefore, find requirements in building circles providing only for existing brick sizes, ond os lhere hos been little reseorch doto to subston-tiofe chonges, codes hove remoined sfqtic. The moior point qt issue is in woll thickness. Wolls stipuloted to be 8 inches thick permit use of Ontqrio ond Americon brick sizes, but not the stondord modulor brick of 7le i n c h e s .
The technique of preporing work-ing drowwork-ings for the preplonnwork-ing of modulor components is not well k n o w n .
There ore reosons slemming from ihe orgonizotion of lhe building in-dustry itself. Mony builders purchose b u i l d i n g p l o n s o n d m o t e r i o l s , l h e n controct for lobour. Seldom ore lhe plons dimensioned for economy in the purchose of moleriols, or mo-leriols purchosed for economy of in-stollotion. The seporolion of pur-chose of moteriols, from lobour ond instollolion, os in fhe cose of brick-work, encouroges eoch port lo lry to qchieve moximum individuql econ-ofiy, whereos q little odditionol money spent on moteriql of o co-ordinqted size could result in gredler soving in instollolion.
The mqnufocturers of components which ore built into mosonry, such
8 " x 2 % "
x 3 % "
% " J O I N T LENGTH 0 ' - 8 n l'- $ys' t'- 4yt, l ' - 8 % ' 2 ' - 0 % ' z',- 5%' 2'- gys' 3 ' , - t % ' 3'- 5y2' 4'- U/t' 4 ' - l | Y t ' 5'- 6/e'6',-
s',
6'-U%' H E I G H T I L E N G T H 0'- Zt/e, 0 ' - 5 % , 0 ' - 8 % , , 0'-tLyr' t ' - 2 % , H E I G H T I L E N G T H0 ' -
2 y ,
0'- syr'
0 ' - 8 % ' 0'-ly l , - l 3 a n 0 ' - g ' r , - 0 y 2 , l ' - 4 Y 2 " t ' - 9 , 2 ' - t' z',- s%', 2'- 9y2' 3',- 2', 3',- 6' 4',- 4%', S',- 01/e' s',- g%', 6',- 6%', 7 ' , - 3 % ' r , - 4 y 2 , l ' - 7 y . ' L',-10' ?'.- 0%! 2 ' - 3 Y 2 ' t , - l l l / e , 8',- 8%', g',- s%', 1 0 ' - 2 % ' L 0 ' - t \ h ' Diogrorn 3.os door fromes, windows ond sills, hove been too foleront of lhe voriety of mosonry opening sizes qnd hqve developed their productions lo occ o m m o d o t e i t , o n d , i n s o d o i n g , o b -sorbing the expense of mode-lo-meosure production. Or is if the owner who foots the bill?
The mosonry industry hos enioyed the mqndqtory requirement of some building codes for solid mosonry wolls, os o meons of conlrolling lhe spreod of fire. Keeping the wolls sionding, olthough the inside of the house burned out wos essentiol when houses were close to fhe lot line, ond spreod of fire by rodioiion, q serious possibility when lhe fire horses were slow in bringing woter lo the fire. Perhops preferentiol lreotment hos kept mosonry out of the competition, omong building moleriols, so thot it seeks no odvonfoges in improved lechniques.
The brick industry olso enioys s e l l i n g l h e l o r g e n o n m o d u l o r O n -torio brick to on industry which, os mentioned previously, does not ol-wqys combine moteriol cosf with lqbour cosf. At present, under this system, there is no incenlive for the monufocturer to produce o lorge size modulqr block, such os q 4 inch by 8 i n c h o r 4 i n c h b y 1 2 i n c h o r 2 t / t i n c h b y l 2 i n c h . A d d i t i o n o l b r i c k sizes, compounded with lhe vorious colours from non-uniform burning, presents q situotion which the monu-foclurer would like to qvoid.
Progress Towqrd Coordinqtion These foctors, deloying the co-ordinotion of mosonry ond qll mod-ulor components, connof be over-come quickly, buf progress is being mode. Studies on the slructurol co-pocity of brickwork hove begun by reseorch teoms, ond doto on woll thickness will become ovoiloble, but, in the meonlime, the Associote Com-mittee of the Notionol Building Code h o s p u b l i s h e d o n i n t e r p r e t q t i o n o f t h e C o d e p e r m i t t i n g t h e t h i c k n e s s o f modulor brick wolls io be o froction
o f q n i n c h ( 7 e ) l e s s t h o n l h e n o m i n o l thickness of wolls, which is stoted in full inches. This decision should en-c o u r d g e m o n y o u t h o r i t i e s , w h o d o not hove lhe focility for on engineer-i n g o p engineer-i n engineer-i o n , t o o c c e p t m o d u l o r b r engineer-i c k mqsonry woll thicknesses.
Preplonning for modulor mosonry is o simple procedure for those who t q k e o l i t t l e t i m e t o l e o r n . T h e s y s -f e m b o s i c o l l y r e q u i r e s d i m e n s i o n s to be in multiples of four inches on plon, os, in this woy, only holf ond w h o l e m o d u l o r b r i c k s o r e u s e d . l n lhe verticol dimension, where bricks stock 3 courses lo 8 inches, multiples of 8 inches give the simplest loying d i m e n s i o n s o n d o s s e m b l y c o o r d i n o -tion. The inleresf in modulor drow-i n g s g r o w s q s m o d u l q r c o m p o n e n l s i n c r e o s e in n u m b e r .
To encouroge the use of modulqr bricks, o fovourqble price differentiol per thousond, to offset, in porl, the lorger quontity required on the iob, compored to the Ontorio brick size, is desirqble. But this is, perhops, not feosible, <rs certoin monufocturing costs ore constqnt for qll sizes of brick, (jusf like the new "compocf" cors) qnd the only moior difference being in lhe quontity of cheop cloy. Another solution is to increqse the size of brick to onother modulor d i m e n s i o n , s u c h o s 4 x 4 x 8 , 4 x 4 x 1 2 , o r 4 x 2 - 2 / 3 x l 2 i n c h e s . T h i s would result in fqsler loying times, smqller quontities required on the iob, ond oll other benefits of mod-ulor brickwork. The lengih of time it would loke customers to become qccustomed to the oppeoronce of the new size qnd proporfions, would n o t b e l o n g .
Brick Sizes
It is interesting lo nole the differ-ence in brick sizes in vorious coun-tries renowned for fine brickwork, os s h o w n i n d i o g r o m 4 . I n c r e o s i n g t h e voriety of sizes is not the problem, to the modern brick mqnufocturer thot it would hove been before the developmenl of brick-moking mochines operoting with o drier
F B A N C E I T A I Y I I I I I I I I 6 E B M A N Y r I I I A U s T B IA I I B E L G I U M I I I I I I I I D E N M A B I 4 G A E E C E I I I I I I I I
r r r r
G' BBITAIN I I r r l I r -I -I I I U O L L A N D I I N O B W A Y I I S W s D E N I ' I I I E Diogrom 4.mud, ond with qccurotely controlled t e m p e r o t u r e f u n n e l k i l n s . T h e s e i m -provements reduce lhe vqriotions in size, due to shrinkoge, ond in colour, due to firing. Then ogoin, the in-dustry moy hove to foce the foct thqt more thqn one size is required, ond plon occordingly, os the monufoc-turer of concrete blocks hqve hqd to do.
This orticle hqs considered only brick mosonry, ond, in porticulor,-cloy brick. lt is not the intention to exclude other mosonry units, con-crete block ond hollow structurql lile from the generol leom, but rother to include them with the simple stote-ment thol they ore olreody ovqiloble i n s t o n d o r d m o d u l o r d i m e n s i o n s , o n d hove been for some lime.
Oflen one now heors of the lowly brick,-q coin in o Penny-onte gome. Why hos lhis rich ond neorly perfecl moteriql of so mony uses sunk to o degroded position? Why hos it not d e v e l o p e d w i i h c h o n g i n g b u i l d i n g lechniques, ond become port of the new, fost, big-leogue building gome? Hos its superior role os o non-combustible mqteriol ploced it in o p r i m o d o n n o p o s i t i o n o n t h e t e o m o f b u i l d i n g c o m p o n e n t s ? l t s p l o c e o n t h e t e o m i s b e i n g c h o l l e n g e d b y light, fost-moving ployers, os the new cooch, colled Mr. Module, fields o more flexible, coordinoted teom. The lroining rules for brick ore cleor. W e h o p e i f c o n g e l i n t o c o n d i t i o n . I
