Masonry stability in housing - Approved Document Part A

Are you knocking walls down in your house to get an open floor plan? Well, you may be compromising the stability of your walls!
This tutorial by a chartered engineer explains how building stability works. Every home-owner, architect and builder need to know these principles. ALWAYS get a Chartered Engineering to provide advice before knocking walls down!
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[@py_tok5589]

nice video Robin, when I was working as a junior engineer in Cornwall in 2014 , the senior engineer used to approach a similar method to timber frame panels/racking resistance . wind Analysis and racking resistance is quite important , unfortunately wind analysis/stability in university is very superficial .Thank you for sharing your knowledge Robin

[@RobindeJongh]

Thanks, I appreciate your feedback.

[@py_tok5589]

@@RobindeJongh you re welcome

[@efy5aru]

Yet another excellent and informative video...great work Robin...on a seperate note, I'd love you to take on an IStructE exam question at some point in future...It'll be incredibly useful to so many people..I

[@RobindeJongh]

Thanks Ahmad - Good suggestion!

[@DarthVader-px6ff]

Brilliant explanation, very understandable

[@RobindeJongh]

Glad it was helpful!

[@the_right_path_14]

i think that even if you take out one wall you will still have a couple from the perpendicular walls

[@user-vv6xv8yo9n]

Great video I've been looking for an explanation on this for a long time. Like the comments practical stuff like this isn't taught in university.
I'm going to go through all of these now !
So I have a quick question.
If the extension was a vaulted roof with biffolds at the rear would the building require masonry returnd at the rear elevation (at bi-folds)and at the internal location as per your vid. Or just at one ?

[@puktoon100]

Hi Robin,
I must thank you for sharing your knowledge. These are the sort of things that are not taught at university and sadly it is never explained by the senior engineers at the workplace. That minimum return of 665mm as per document A is commonly used by engineers however we do come across a client who wants minimum return (possibly less than 665mm) and I know it is possible on low rise building. Would you be able to share a video on how to tackle such problems and what to look for? Once again really appreciate your videos.

[@RobindeJongh]

Hi Abdul. This video covers what you need, I think: czcams.com/video/Y778te1q9lo/video.html

[@puktoon100]

@@RobindeJongh Hi Robin, Thank you for the link. I meant checks in masonry. why does it have to be 665mm. I am sure we can justify less return for a single-storey rear extension.

[@RobindeJongh]

@@puktoon100 Thanks for clarifying. You may have trouble justifying less than 665mm because there is little compression on the masonry pier for a single storey extension, and compression increases the moment resistance. I'll do a video on it all being well.

[@puktoon100]

​@@RobindeJongh For single-storey extensions I would design as cantilever pier as oppose to the propped cantilever. Any books that you would suggest for theory and examples. I look forward to your video and thank you for taking the time to reply.

[@ajazd8548]

Hi Robin. Excellent video. I have 1 question if you could answer. In regs part A they talk about a structure of upto 36m2 with 3 sides structural. If i was to do a rear extension taking out my existing wall making it flush walls but have returns on my bifold extension, but total internal space internal is less than 36m2. Do i still need a goalpost or min returns on the wall i have removed?

[@cliveh3330]

I have a similar problem and thanks to Robin for explaining the concept, it helps go a long way in understanding why returns are required.
In my case a small extension is being made (15m2) and the extension will have the 665 returns on the new rear external wall. The old rear wall is being removed and a beam installed and would like to have a flush wall along the side without any inset / stub so that the beam extends to and sits on the external wall. Given the extension (approx 3m deep) will have a flat roof with (probably) 2 layers of OSB boards (above and below the insulation for a warm roof) and 2 skylights (about 1m x .75m) would this provide sufficient rigidity to avoid any return / stub remaining on the existing wall that is being removed ?

[@denisepayne9195]

Robin Thank you for doing this video. You mention that a 665mm pier is adequate to provide buttressing to a wall, are you able to confirm which cause in Approved Document A this relates to?

[@RobindeJongh]

Hi Denise. It's Approved Document A, diagram 14.

[@cfgman1]

Another excellent video addressing the dark art of masonry stability. Much appreciated...do you teach ? ..thats probably you're 2nd talent..

[@RobindeJongh]

Thanks, I appreciate it.

[@kenantaylan3617]

Thanks Robin you are a lifesaver. Is there any minimum length which you draw on 11:01 and is there any guidelines or book we can learn this thing easily I have already read building structure regulation A but it is really confusing. Thanks

[@RobindeJongh]

Let me know which dim you mean and I'll check. Regarding books, BS 8103 is a little known standard for low rise buildings and gives much more info.