Masonry Magazine January 1972 Page.15
MCAA
MASONRY is pleased to present this article by Albert W. Isberner, Research Engineer for Portland Cement Association. It presents a logical and factual approach to All-Weather Construction. We urge you to read and study this material as it will be a valuable guide in the winter months ahead.
All-Weather Program
All-Weather Masonry Construction
By Albert W. Isberner
In the United States and Canada, all-weather masonry construction is experiencing renewed emphasis through the combined efforts of the Mason Contractors Association of America and the Bricklayers and Laborers International Unions as well as the various industries manufacturing masonry materials. Collectively we are sponsoring research to improve our understanding of masonry performance during adverse climatic conditions.
In 1922 such a venture was initiated by the Engineering Society of Wisconsin under the chairmanship of the late Professor M.O. Withey. After a literature search, the committee concluded that insufficient information had been reported to allow drafting cold weather masonry recommendations. Consequently laboratory research was initiated.
About The Author
Mr. Isberner joined the Portland Cement Association, Applied Research Section, Research and Development Laboratories in 1955 and presently serves as Project Engineer. His professional experience during the past 17 years (three of which were spent with American Cement Corporation) has been principally concerned with various research projects on masonry mortars, plaster and concrete.
A graduate of the University of Wisconsin with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering, Mr. Isberner also served as Civil Engineer with the Wisconsin State Highway Commission and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He is a member of ASTM and ACI and is active on committees of both organizations.
Their laboratory findings and conclusions derived therefrom are technically applicable to present-day technology, but their concern about allowing cold weather masonry construction below 40°F. without protection is mellowing.
During the interim from 1929 to 1968, little or no research regarding weather effects on masonry was completed in the United States. Some studies were completed by the Structural Clay Products Research Foundation, individual cement companies and the Portland Cement Association. Recently, however, some very excellent reports have been received from European countries.
In 1967 the Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA) expressed interest in creating an International Masonry Industry All-Weather Committee with the objective of establishing an industry-accepted cold weather specification. Representation presently includes: Bricklayers, Masons & Plasterers International Union of North America; Laborers' International Union of North America; MCAA; National Concrete Masonry Association, Portland Cement Association and Brick Institute of America.
To date this committee has completed an annotated bibliography and a state-of-the-art report. The committee has also developed after lengthy investigation and study-a Recommended Practice for Cold-Weather Masonry Construction and a Guide Specification for Cold-Weather Construction. Both of these technical documents are now in their second printing and have been distributed to over 40,000 architects, engineers and others in the buying segment of the industry.
In this article we will describe research related to all-weather masonry construction that has been completed at the Portland Cement Association Laboratories in Skokie, Illinois. This research, begun in 1959, serves as the technical base for our present thinking about all-weather masonry construction.