Thread: reinforced masonry vs un-reinforced masonry

How can you tell the difference at an inspection. Are most block homes in florida reinforced or unreinforced?

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Originally Posted by Jerome W. Young

How can you tell the difference at an inspection. Are most block homes in florida reinforced or unreinforced?

Reinforced masonry.

With in infrared camera.

Other than that, it would be quite difficult to see that it was reinforced masonry, and, even with the infrared camera, you are only seeing the filled cells, not if there is steel in them - but, without filled cells, it is not reinforced masonry.

First photo is what you see with your eyes and what the digital camera see.

Second photo is what the infrared camera sees.

Thanks again Jerry!

Or simply use one of these, it will pick up the reinforcing steel when you scan the wall at the right locations. Easy to use.

Originally Posted by Dom D'Agostino

Or simply use one of these, it will pick up the reinforcing steel when you scan the wall at the right locations. Easy to use.

Dom,

"when you scan the wall at the right locations"

Easier said than done ... "at the right locations".

The infrared camera will tell you those right locations, then, if you want to scan for steel, do so.

Trying to scan the entire wall to find them - not so easy and quite time consuming (yeah, there should be one on each side of each opening, but that's not only where they are, scanning those only gives a false sense of right).

Jerry,

The post was asking for a way to determine if the masonry is reinforced. Not necessarily to map out all the properly placed steel.

If there is steel at the corners, window and door frames, etc, then it's reinforced. Once you scanned a few, it's easy to tell.

Dom.

Originally Posted by Dom D'Agostino

Jerry,

The post was asking for a way to determine if the masonry is reinforced. Not necessarily to map out all the properly placed steel.

If there is steel at the corners, window and door frames, etc, then it's reinforced. Once you scanned a few, it's easy to tell.

Dom.

Dom,

No, if there is steel ONLY AT those locations, then it is at least "partially" reinforced.

"Reinforced masonry" has specific requirements which need to be followed on locations for the steel, spacing between the steel, etc.

Take the way they typically build in South Florida as an example, they build with tie columns and tie beams, with tie columns at all of those locations (plus maximum spacing between tie columns, etc.), that does not make it "reinforced masonry" - which is a different way to build all together (well, not "altogether different" but does have different requirements for locations, etc.).

My infrared photo showed a typical reinforced masonry wall. It would take a while to locate and verify all of those locations.

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

Dom,

No, if there is steel ONLY AT those locations, then it is at least "partially" reinforced.

Must you complicate every single thing?

If there's NO steel in those locations, it ain't reinforced. It's just a quick way to check for rebar. Assuming you know where to expect it.

On a normal job, I don't check it anyway. I was just throwing out an idea that's inexpensive and simple.

Dom.

Originally Posted by Dom D'Agostino

Must you complicate every single thing?

Complicate it?

No.

Try to make sure it is stated correctly and understood correctly?

Yes.