Reinforced brick masonry is a relatively new type of construction with specific design procedures and construction techniques.
UBC-97 is the only code that designs reinforced brick masonry on empirical, allowable and ultimate strength design approach.
The use of reinforced brick masonry (RBM) is very old and it is in practice for over more than 175 years.
Colonel Pasley (1837) of the Crops of Royal Engineers conducted various tests on reinforced brick masonry beam.
Brebner (1923) representative of Public works department of the Government of India, published research paper after carrying out extensive tests on various elements of reinforced brick masonry. He performed tests on 282 structural elements composed of reinforced brick masonry.
General: Reinforced brick masonry (RBM) is composed of bricks, mortar and reinforcement.
Reinforced brick masonry column has been designed by strength design method and their design shows that UBC design approach using strength design method is economical compared to EC.