Masonry - sustainable, contemporary and durable

Looking around us, we notice the durability of masonry structures. A well-built masonry structure provides a long term sustainable solution by virtue of its durability, adaptability and maintainability. However, building practice has changed in the last 50 years: building speed and technology, rather than quality and durability, have become the major drivers for the mainstream construction industry. The common market created by the EU has led to a unified market requiring common definitions. Unified product standards have been developed, and structural engineering guidelines written, to ensure a market where products can freely circulate. In the sector concerned with restoration of cultural heritage, scientists and conservators have been working to develop products that match original materials and performance, many of which have been standing for hundreds of years. In recent years, sustainability and durability have increasingly driven the mainstream construction industry. In current masonry practice, several issues have been observed: masonry has become increasingly brittle, stress sensitive and increasingly slender, therefore calling into question its traditional image of solid, durable and sustainable building material. Lesson for modern masonry practice can be found from current studies of traditional work and materials. The complex stress state in the mortar explains the ductile behaviour of masonry with low strength lime based mortars. The lower strength and stiffness of lime mortars is beneficial to traditional walls. Inspired by these observations, the article discusses the background of this evolution and searches for a future of durable, sustainable masonry.