QUICK BRICK

Prefabricated masonry panels

 

RECOMMENDED PRACTICE & GUIDE SPECIFICATION

PRE-FABRICATED MASONRY PANELS

 

1.00 GENERAL

 

 

1.01 SCOPE

 

A.  Furnish all material, labour, equipment, engineering and incidentals for prefabrication and installation of "Prefabricated Masonry Panels" as shown on the drawings and in accordance with these specifications.

 

B.  Included in this work, but not limited to, are the following items:

 

1.    Integral steel frames, masonry ties, reinforcing bars, anchoring clips and attachment devices to supporting structural framing system.

2.    Bolts, lifting devices, etc., for handling and for installation of panels and as required for anchoring of other items as shown on the drawings.

3.    Providing openings, installing built-in items, etc., as specified in other sections of the specifications.

 

4.    Masonry units, including special shapes and sizes, mortar, grout, etc.

 

 

1.02    QUALITY ASSURANCE

 

A.  Contractors wishing to bid "Prefabricated Masonry Panels" shall submit to the Architect the ability to meet these specifications, no later than 15 days prior to the date for receipt of bids.  In judging the following submittals, the decision of the Architect shall be sole and final.

 

1.    Panel Manufacturer must demonstrate proficiency in prefabrication, handling, transportation and erection of "Prefabricated Masonry Panels" and submit evidence of successful experience and ability to perform.

 

2.    Panel Manufacturer must have qualified and experienced personnel for continuous quality, handling, transportation and erection of "Prefabricated Masonry Panels".

 

3.    Panel Manufacturer shall be responsible for the structural design and reinforcing of "Prefabricated Masonry Panels" and its components to resist all loads due to handling, transportation and erection.

 

4.    Panel Manufacturer shall possess factory-like environment with adequate space, equipment, financing etc., to produce "Prefabricated Masonry Panels" of required quality and to conform with the project progress schedule.

 

5.    Panel Manufacturer shall submit calculations with shop drawings to the design Architect or Engineer of record.

 

 

1.03    DESIGN CRITERIA

 

A.  Panel Manufacturer shall be responsible for the structural design of "Prefabricated Masonry Panels" in accordance with design criteria established by design architect and structural engineer and shall ensure that the panels shall:

 

1.    withstand lateral loads, both wind and seismic,

 

2.    withstand all loads incurred by handling, storage, transportation and erection, without forming tension cracks, and

 

3.    satisfy all applicable requirements of the local building code.

 

B.  Lifting devices shall have an ultimate capacity of four times the dead weight of the appropriate portion of panel.  Inclination of the lifting forces shall be considered.

 

 

1.04 REFERENCES

 

AS 101 2 -

     Part 1 (1981)          Method for sampling fresh concrete

 

     Part 8 (1986)          Method for making and curing concrete compression, indirect tensile and flexure test specimens in the laboratory or in the field.

 

     Part 9 (1986)          Method for the determination of the compressive strength of concrete specimens.

 

AS 1225 (1984)          Clay building bricks.

 

AS 1250 (1981)          The use of steel in structures.

 

AS 1302 (1982)          Steel reinforcing bars for concrete.

 

AS 1303 (1984)          Hard-drawn steel reinforcing wire for concrete.

 

AS 1650 (1989)          Hot-dipped galvanised coatings on ferrous articles.

 

AS 2733 (1984)          Concrete masonry units.

 

AS 3700 (1988)          Masonry in buildings.

 

Masonry Code of Practice. (1984) [Published by Association of Consulting Engineers of NSW.]

 

 

 

1,05 QUALITY CONTROL TESTING

 

A. An independent testing laboratory, selected and paid for by the manufacturer shall test specimens of masonry prisms, mortar cubes and grout cylinders for quality control, as defined herein, and provide special inspection if required.  All such work to be by an independent testing agency approved by the Architect/Engineer.

 

B. Panel Manufacturer shall supply masonry prisms, mortar, grout, etc., to the testing laboratory representative.

 

C. If the relation between 7 and 28 day strengths of such specimens has been established prior to commencement of work, submit test evidence to the Architect and the following tests may be performed for 7 days aging only.

 

1.    PRISMS: Masonry compressive strength shall be checked for every 500 square metres of panel area constructed.  Testing shall be carried out as per procedures outlined in appendix A of AS 3700 SAA Masonry Code.

 

2.    MORTAR AND GROUT: The day when prisms are made, representative batches shall be sampled from mortar and grout.  Three sets of cubes and cylinders each shall be moided from mortar and grout, cured for 28 days and tested as per procedures outlined in AS 1012 (parts 1, 8 & 9).

 

D.  Masonry units shall be tested as follows:

 

1.    Bricks shall be tested for every 50,000 brick quantity produced.  Bricks shall be tested in accordance with AS 1226.

 

2.    Blocks shall be tested for every 15,000 block quantity produced.  Blocks shall be tested in accordance with AS 2773.

3.    These tests shall be performed and a report submitted by the masonry unit (brick or block) manufacturer at his own expense.

 

1.06 PRODUCT HANDLING

 

A.  All masonry units, mortar and grout materials shall be stored above ground on level platforms to permit air circulation under the stack.  All materials shall be protected against the weather.

 

B.   All metal reinforcing accessories shall be stored above ground.

 

C.   Masonry panels shall be handled in such a manner as to assure against cracking, distortion, staining or other physical damage.

 

D.   During curing, storage and transportation, the panels shall not be overstressed, warped or otherwise damaged.  Panels unacceptably damaged shall be replaced.

 

 

 

1.07    SHOP DRAWINGS

 

A.  Shop drawings shall include:

 

1 .   Masonry layout and dimensions with identification of each "Prefabricated Masonry Panel" to indicate its location in the building.

 

2.    Detail elevations of typical members showing reinforcing bars, joint reinforcement, connection inserts, coursing, masonry bond, panel dimensions, size and shape of openings, drip, weep holes and other built-in items as specified in other sections, and

 

3.    Details of all panel connecting arms to the supporting structural framing system.  Details shall indicate the type and dimensions of field connection members and the type and size of welds and bolts.

 

 

 

 

1.08    SAMPLE PANEL

 

A.  Preassemble a full size sample of one typical panel using mortar colour, texture of face brick, quality of workmanship, procedures, equipment and jigs established for the production run.  This sample panel shall be prefabricated in strict accord with @proved shop drawings and specifications.  The Architect shall inspect and approve the sample panel at the manufacturers production facilities.  The sample panel shall be clearly marked as the approved sample and remain at the production facilities ' as the basis for maintaining a quality control of succeeding panels, until directed by the Architect to be incorporated into the building.

 

 

 

2.00 PRODUCT

 

 

 

2.01   BRICK

 

A.  Face brick to be cored extruded brick conforming to AS 1225.

 

B.  Brick shall be 100/140mm, as manufactured by Boral Bricks.

 

2.02 BLOCK

 

A. C.M.U. shall meet requirements of AS 2733.

 

B. Block shall be as manufactured by Boral Masonry

 

 

2.03   STEEL

 

A.      Steel reinforcement shall conform to AS 1302 and AS 1303.

 

B. Structural steel shall conform to AS 1250.  All embedded inserts and panel connecting arms shall be hot-dip galvanized to AS 1650, (unless otherwise noted on the detail drawings).

 

 

2.04    MORTAR AND GROUT

 

A.      MORTAR

 

1.    Mortar shall conform to AS 3700.

 

2.    Any additives used to increase the strength of mortar shall be approved by the Architect.

 

B.      GROUT

 

1. Grout shall conform to AS 3700.

 

 

3.00 EXECUTION

 

 

3.01    PREFABRICATION

 

A.  Panels shall be preassembled in the plant using procedures, equipment and jigs used when making the sample panel.

 

B.  Set masonry units plumb, true to line and maintaining all joints in alignment.  Proceed in a vertical direction with each succeeding course laid on top of the previous one.

 

C.  Hold vertical joints true to line by adjusting width of head joint to take up variations in brick size, while mortar is soft and plastic.

 

D.  Remove any unit disturbed after mortar has stiffened, clean joints and reposition the unit with fresh mortar.

 

E.  All joints in a length and height of panel shall be uniform in width and shall not vary more than 3mm from the average width of the joint in the panel, but in no case shall a joint be larger than 15mm.

 

F.  All erection and connection devices shall be inserted at the time of construction of panels (unless otherwise approved by the design engineer).

 

G.  Vertical joints shall be shoved tight and all the joints shall be completely filled with mortar.  Joints in exposed surfaces shall be compressed

 

and compacted. and tooled when thumbprint hard with a specially fabricated jointer.  Joint shall be formed clean to the edges of the brick.  Remove all fins and loose mortar at side of the joints.  Joints in unexposed surfaces shall be filled.

 

H.  All exposed surfaces shall be cleaned as soon as possible with an approved cleaning agent.

 

1.   Each individual prefabricated member shall be marked to identify and correspond to those shown on approved shop drawings (by mark number and date of manufacture).

 

J.   All surfaces which will be in contact with sealant shall be free of dust, sand or other material which would interfere with bonding.

 

 

3.02    PREFABRICATION TOLERANCES

 

A.  Based on actual dimensions, a "Prefabricated Masonry Panel" shall not vary from the detailed dimensions by more than the following:

 

1. 3m or under ... plus or minus 3mm.

2. 3m to 6m...    plus 3mm or minus 5mm.

3. 6m to 9m...    plus 3mm or minus 6mm.

4. For each additional 3m . . . plus or minus 1.5mm.

 

B.  Panels shall have a maximum out-of-square (difference in length of two diagonal face measurements) differential of not greater than 3mm per 2m or an absolute maximum of 6mm.

 

C   The faces of panels shall not be out of plane more than 3mm for each 2m of either height or width.

 

D.   The location of anchors, inserts, lifting and connection devices shall not vary from centre line location shown on the drawings by more than 1 Omm.

 

 

 

3.03    PANEL ERECTION

 

A.  General Contractor/Construction Manager shall provide the panel erector with all necessary lines and grades.

 

B.  Prior to beginning the installation of "Prefabricated Masonry Panels" all surfaces of the supporting structural frame shall be examined and all conditions detrimental to the proper and timely completion of the installation shall be brought to the attention of the General Contractor/Construction Manager for correction.

 

C.  Panels shall be erected only by an experienced and qualified erector under the supervision of the panel manufacturer.  Erector shall not handle the masonry panels in a manner which would cause damage to the panels.

 

D.  Panels shall be erected accurately, plumb and true, maintainin all surfaces level or plumb.

 

E     All connection details to other structural elements shall be treated in strict conformity with approved shop drawings.

 

F.   Clean all welds by wire brushing, then protect the weld with field coat of zinc rich epoxy primer ("Cold-Gal") or approved equivalent.  Remove the shims and joint spacers, as required, after fastening and before sealing.

 

 

3.04    PANEL ERECTION TOLERANCES

 

A   Reference lines for erection of all panels shall be from the exterior face of "Prefabricated Masonry Panels".

 

B.   Based on production dimensions, face of the erected panel shall not exceed 6mm, plus or minus, from the reference line.

 

C   Based on production dimensions, elevation of the erected panel shall not exceed 6mm, plus or minus, from the specified elevation.

 

D    Based on production dimensions, surface to surface of adjacent panel shall not exceed 5mm, plus or minus.

 

E     All joints between erected panels shall not exceed 12mm, plus or minus 3mm.

 

 

3.05   PREFABRICATED MASONRY PANEL REPAIR

 

A.  Any chipped corners or edges or structural damage of the erected masonry panels shall be repaired by an experienced and qualified personnel in a manner acceptable to the Architect.

 

 

3.06 SEALANT

 

A.  Sealant and sealant back-up shall be installed as specified on the detail drawings and approved by the Architect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CAVEAT - Every effort has been made to ensure that this "Recommended Practice and Guide Specification" is current, accurate and complete.  Neither Barrier Engineering and Construction Co. Pty.  Ltd. nor any of its subsidiaries or staff assume any liability arising out of the use of this document.