Introducing a Novel Interlocking Block and Experimental Study on In-plane and Out-of-plane Behavior and Strength of its Prisms Specimens

In the developing countries, due to low cost, abundance of materials, substantial durability and ease of construction, masonry structures are still common construction system and blocks are conventional type of masonry units in these buildings. Despite the problems faced in utilizing simple blocks such as low out-of-plane strength and inconsistency in construction quality; achieving fast construction, economic solutions and enhancing performance and integrity subjected to in/out of plane loads encouraged civil engineers to make changes in the design and production process of masonry blocks for which interlocking blocks can be considered as an innovative solution. In this experimental study, a novel interlocking cement block were employed to construct small-scale masonry prisms. In two cases of using paste and mortarless interlocking blocks, six standard tests were used to evaluate in-plane behavior, including compressive strength, diagonal tensile strength, and in-plane direct shear strength tests, and out-of-plane behavior including flexural tensile strength in two directions and out-of-plane direct shear strength test of block prisms in the concrete technology laboratory of Shiraz University of Technology and the results were discussed. The proposed blocks can be used simply in practice. The results showed that the innovative blocks, due to the proper design of the appendages, showed appropriate and uniform behavior in terms of in/out of plane strength. In addition, adding paste can improve behavior and strength of the interlocking block.