| Masonry in Correctional Applications |
| In addition to schools, masonry’s attributes can make it a good choice for prisons. For lower-security facilities, such as juvenile detention centers, clay brick and concrete masonry units (CMUs) can provide the feel and look of a more standard institution such as a school or dormitory. However, it can even meet the needs of maximum-security facilities, satisfying stringent security requirements when extra reinforcement is added into wall cavities (to prevent deliberate breaching on the part of inmates). |
Often, another goal of school design is the finished building be flexible enough in order to accommodate future renovation. Typically, such renovation entails the alteration of classroom and hallway walls. If these are bearing walls, removing them is difficult and uneconomical to do in masonry construction. At the same time, the interior walls of a school meet programmatic requirements better if they are of a hard, durable material. In fact, Ohio guidelines specify both hallway and classroom walls be of a durable material and be non-loadbearing. Owners in many other parts of the country may mandate this kind of dual focus.
A recent project completed in Lancaster illustrates the complexities involved in fulfilling these competing criteria. State of Ohio guidelines were strictly enforced, which led to the building being built with two systems: steel for structural framing and masonry for wall surfaces. The team designed a structural frame that used 178-mm (7-in.) columns for structural support; masonry units were then pieced together around the columns to create a continuous wall surface.
Any column or vertical steel member that has a depth less than or equal to the 203-mm (8-in.) nominal thickness of the masonry unit can be concealed within or mounted flush with the masonry wall. Exposed steel can be mostly camouflaged—or articulated, if so desired—using paint. For the Lancaster project, because the school system did not have money in the budget for the redundant steel building frame, costs were recouped by value engineering elsewhere in the project. As the situation was recognized early in the design process, owners and designers were able to proactively address it, and project costs and schedule remained on track.
Further advantages
The use of masonry also provides additional dual benefits to the design of the building. Load-bearing walls also serve as shear walls to resist lateral loads. If the site location and seismic requirements do not require special detailing in the masonry, little additional reinforcing is typically needed for this to happen.
In buildings that use other structural systems, such as structural steel, masonry shaft walls or strategically placed masonry walls in areas of the building such as mechanical spaces can be used as shear walls. In structural steel systems, the typical lateral-load-resisting systems used are steel braced frames, steel moment frames, or shear walls.
Braced frames are an economical system, but they are not always compatible with the building design and they can be limiting if future flexibility of the interior spaces is needed. Moment frames result in heavier steel members and more expensive connections. Masonry shear walls, therefore, can be the most practical and economical lateral load-resisting system.
Public perceptions of building materials
Schools are particularly subject to the scrutiny of the taxpaying public. Done well, they can help broadcast a positive message that tax dollars are being wisely spent. The benefits of masonry are fairly well known—a fact helpful to the public entities that have to satisfy taxpayer interests. However, as with any material, there can also be negative opinions to address.
I completely agree with you that masonry is the ideal form of construction for educational buildings. It often is more durable than other types of building materials and is mold and fire resistant. I personally like the look of brick. It reminds me of my grandparents old house and many fond memories there.