Editing Masonry (section)

==Applications==
Masonry has both structural and non-structural applications. Structural applications include walls, columns, beams, foundations, load-bearing arches, and others. On the other hand, masonry is also used in non-structural applications such as fireplaces chimneys and veneer systems.<ref name=":0" />

Brick and concrete block are the most common types of masonry in use in industrialized nations and may be either load-bearing or non-load-bearing. Concrete blocks, especially those with hollow cores, offer various possibilities in masonry construction. They generally provide great compressive strength and are best suited to structures with light transverse loading when the cores remain unfilled. Filling some or all of the cores with concrete or concrete with steel reinforcement (typically [[rebar]]) offers much greater tensile and lateral strength to structures.

===Advantages===
* The use of materials such as bricks and stones can increase the thermal mass of a building.
* Masonry is a non-combustible product and can protect the building from fire.
* Masonry walls are more resistant to projectiles, such as debris from hurricanes or tornadoes.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Holmes |first=Mike |date=2008-04-25 |title=A brick house isn't as solid as you think |language=en-CA |work=The Globe and Mail |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/home-and-garden/a-brick-house-isnt-as-solid-as-you-think/article571941/ |access-date=2023-01-13 |archive-date=2023-01-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230113033223/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/home-and-garden/a-brick-house-isnt-as-solid-as-you-think/article571941/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Disadvantages===
* Extreme weather, under certain circumstances, can cause degradation of masonry due to expansion and contraction forces associated with freeze-thaw cycles.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Common Problems with Brick Masonry (U.S. National Park Service) |url=https://www.nps.gov/articles/common-problems-with-brick-masonry.htm |access-date=2023-01-13 |website=www.nps.gov |language=en |archive-date=2023-01-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230123145828/https://www.nps.gov/articles/common-problems-with-brick-masonry.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Masonry tends to be heavy and must be built on a stable ground made of either undisturbed or mechanically-compacted soil, otherwise cracking may occur.<ref>{{Cite web |last=House |first=This Old |date=2020-01-18 |title=The Basics of Masonry |url=https://www.thisoldhouse.com/masonry/21072473/the-basics-of-masonry |access-date=2023-01-13 |website=This Old House |language=en |archive-date=2023-01-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230113033222/https://www.thisoldhouse.com/masonry/21072473/the-basics-of-masonry |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Unlike concrete, masonry construction does not lend itself well to mechanization, and requires more skilled labor.<ref name=":0" />

===Structural limitations===
One problem with masonry walls is that they rely mainly on their weight to keep them in place; each block or brick is only loosely connected to the next via a thin layer of mortar. This is why they do not perform well in earthquakes, when entire buildings are shaken horizontally. Many collapses during earthquakes occur in buildings that have load-bearing masonry walls. Besides, heavier buildings having masonry suffer more damage.