For building approvals for high-precision vertically perforated bricks, structural strength tests on individual bricks and specimen walls are essential. For high-precision vertically perforated bricks with large-chamber perforations, there is a special consideration concerning tests of wall compressive strength in EU countries other than Germany. Here for such high-precision perforated bricks, for instance, centric tests on RILEM specimens, in accordance with EN 1052-1, are required for determination of the compressive strength. In Germany, the National Annex to Eurocode 6 rules out this procedure for high-precision vertically perforated bricks with large-chamber perforations. For the purpose of general building approvals, the Deutsches Institut für Bautechnik requires for this brick type double-eccentric compression tests on storey-high walls. This results in an economic disadvantage for German national products as, on the one hand, the compressive strength values determined in this way are lower than values obtained in a centric test and, on the other hand, the test is very complex and cost-intensive.

The tests are conducted as part of a joint project with OTH-Regensburg University of Applied Sciences and described in the talk.

Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Andreas Kleemann B.Sc., Institut für Ziegelforschung Essen e.V.