Workmanship Impact on Raw Earth Masonry Tensile Strength

Earthen masonry has observed a resurgence of interest in recent years with the urgent need to address climate change. However, its use can be constrained by an important vulnerability of these structures to seismic loading. One of the critical points is their out-of-plane behaviour, governed by mortar-brick interface strength. This paper focuses on understanding how operator workmanship influences the interface’s strength between the brick and mortar. Through tensile tests on crossed-brick couplets, this study aims to improve the understanding of the mechanical behaviour of earthen masonry and examine the impact of different operators. This study highlights the variability in bond strength obtained among different operators.