Impact of Incorporating Rattan Cane in Red Brick Unit Interlocking Systems on Compression and Shear Strength Properties

The interlocking mechanism enhances the material's shear strength by increasing its resistance to shear forces and reducing the likelihood of brittle failure. In this study, rattan was employed as the interlocking material due to its inherent ductility, which is anticipated to improve the shear performance of masonry walls. This system was applied to locally produced red brick units in West Sumatra, Indonesia. The proposed interlocking system introduces a lightweight, affordable, and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional strengthening techniques. The home industry usually makes red bricks in Indonesia with minimal supervision; hence, the compression and shear strength are inadequate. The test objects were red bricks available in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Rattan interlocked these bricks at penetration depths of ۰.۵ cm, ۱ cm, and ۱.۵ cm. Compressive and shear strengths were tested on the masonry with these interlocking configurations. The results showed that the bricks with ۱.۵ cm interlocking had the best performance; their compressive strength of ۱۱.۷۴ Kg/cm۲ decreased by only ۱۳% compared to bricks without an interlocking system of ۱۳.۴۴ Kg/cm۲. The shear strength was ۵.۹۸۸ Kg/cm۲, which increased by ۶۳% compared to the brick unit without an interlocking system, which was ۳.۵۹۹ Kg/cm۲

کلیدواژه ها:

Masonry ، Interlocking Bricks ، Rattan ، Shear strength ، Compressive Strength