Connex

Mortarless Masonry Block System

Innovative dry stack system
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100 300 100 300 200 or 400 as per engineer
1
0
0
3
0
0
3
0
0
1
0
0
2
0
0

o
r

4
0
0
Chip lug away
to fit against
corner unit
Connex Mortarless Masonry Block System
Connex is a drystack masonry system
W hen reinforced and core-filled, C onnex is ideal for load-bearing basem ent w alls, blade w alls and boundary retaining w alls.
C onnex can also be used for non load-bearing m asonry w hen partially reinforced and surface bonded.
Fire
The C onnex system can achieve the highest Fire Resistance
Level (FR L) required by the B uilding C ode of Australia (B C A ):
240/240/240
The B C A allow s FR Ls for building elem ents of m asonry to be
determ ined through accordance w ith AS3700, the M asonry
Structures code.
W hen reinforced and core-filled, C onnex system achieves a 240
(Srf < 36) / 240 / 240 FR L from the follow ing:
The 240-m inute Structural Adequacy FR L is achieved w hen
these blocks are reinforced and the Slenderness ratio (Srf) of
the w all is less than or equal to 36 as per Table 6.1
A typical basem ent w all of 3.6m high has an Srf of 15 from
Form ula 6.3.2.2(2) w hich is less than half the m axim um allow ed.
The 240-m inute Integrity FR L is achieved as per C lause 6.4.2
w hich requires the other 2 FR Ls to reach 240-m inutes.
The 240-m inute Insulation FR L is as per AS3700:2001, Table 6.3
w hich requires 180m m of concrete m asonry m aterial. The
C onnex block has 200m m of m aterial.
Strength
The m inim um characteristic unconfined com pressive strength
( uc) of C onnex m asonry units is 15M Pa w hen tested as per
AS4456.4:2003.
Sound Rating
The highest sound rating required by the B C A is R w + C tr 50.
This is for party w alls betw een hom e units.
M ass Law calculations and sim ilar tests show this can be
achieved w ith the addition of 10m m of render to each face of
the C onnex block. If the party w all divides a w et area from a
habitable room in the other unit, a stud w all, (no w all ties)
around the w et area, w ith plum bing betw een studs can be
added to achieve the required im pact rating.
Planning
C heck w ith your local council before com m encem ent. G enerally,
they require reinforced w alls and footings to be designed by a
suitably qualified engineer.
Design
W all heights and lengths should be in m ultiples of 200m m to
avoid cutting.
Estimating
There are 12.5 full C onnex blocks per m
2
There are 5 courses per vertical m etre.
There are 2.5 H alf units per vertical m etre at ends and openings.
There are 2.5 Full end units per vertical m etre of ends
and openings.
There are 5 C orner units per vertical m etre at corners.
O ne cubic m etre of concrete grout fills 93 C onnex blocks (7.44m
2
)
Construction
W here starter bars are required (retaining w alls), the first starter
bar is 100m m in from all ends and corners.
The 2nd starter bar is 300m m from the 1st bar. See fig 1.
O ther starter bars are spaced at 400m m or 200m m as required
by the engineer.
A clean-out course is not required as there w ill be no m ortar
droppings, how ever the cores m ust be kept clear of rubbish.
The first course of C onnex is laid w ith nibs on top, in a bed of
conventional m ortar as footings and floor slabs are seldom
perfectly level.
The follow ing courses are dry-stacked. C heck each course is
plum b and level. U se tile w edges to adjust, inserting them from
inside the core.
G rout-fill C onnex blocks w ith 20M Pa concrete w ith a m axim um
aggregate size of 7m m and a m inim um quantity of 300kg
cem ent per cubic m etre.
W alls over 1.5m high should be filled to half w ay, allow ing half
an hour before returning to start to fill the rem ainder. This is to
give the first part of the pour enough tim e to firm , reducing the
am ount of hydrostatic pressure at the bottom of the cores.
Fig 1. Starter bar spacing from ends and corners
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Connex Mortarless Masonry Block System
Construction Steps
01
Starter bars
W here starter bars are
required (retaining w alls) the
first starter bar is 100m m in
from all ends and corners. The
second starter bar is 300m m
from the first bar. O ther starter
bars are spaced at 400m m or
200m m as required by the
engineer. Please see Fig 1. A
clean out course is not required
as there w ill be no m ortar
droppings, how ever the cores
m ust be kept clear of rubbish.
05
Half units and
corner/end units
H alf units and corner/end units
are laid to alternate courses to
form an end or opening.
06
Following courses
The follow ing courses
are dry-stacked. C heck each
course is plum b and level. U se
tile w edges to adjust, inserting
them from inside the core.
07
Horizontal reinforcing
H orizontal reinforcing
steel bars can be easily
positioned into the block recess.
A fter chipping aw ay a recess
betw een the knock-out grooves
in the side of C onnex 92 block.
08
Grout fill
G rout fill C onnex blocks
w ith 20M Pa concrete w ith a
m axim um aggregate size of
7m m and a m inim um quantity of
300kg cem ent per cubic m etre.
02
The first course
The first course of
C onnex is laid w ith nibs on
top, in a bed of conventional
m ortar as footings and floor
slabs are seldom level.
03
90 corners
To form a 90
0
corner,
lay one C onnex C orner/End unit.
04
Remove nib
C hip the vertical
nib off the end of a C onnex
Stretcher unit to fit flush
w ith the side of the C onnex
C orner/End unit.
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Connex Mortarless Masonry Block System
Typical Details
Section through Retaining Wall
Connex Design Guidelines
Fully Propped Wall
Base dimensions
Wall height Steel details Level backfill Sloping Backfill max 1:4
Total Reinforcem ent H eel Base H eel Base H eel
height V-bars w idth w idth depth w idth depth
(m m ) (m m ) (m m ) (m m ) (m m ) (m m )
H W B D B D
800 N 12 at 400 450 600 500 800 500
1400 N 16 at 400 450 1200 500 1400 600
1600 N 16 at 400 450 1400 600 1600 700
1800 N 16 at 400 450 1600 700 1800 800
2000 N 16 at 400 600 1800 700 2000 800
Locate the
continuous
drain at the
bottom of
the base
Free
draining
granular
material
Filter fabric to
keep silt out of
drainage material
Surcharge or
sloping backfill
(1 in 4 max.)
Backfill
Dish
drain
200
W
B
D
250
600
minimum
lap
H
SL72 Fabric
N16@400
N12@400
Optional capping
Longitudinal
reinforcement:
N12@400 cts.
Omit on top of
clean-out course
N16 in top
course only
V bars
N12 at 400 cts
200
55mm
cover
1000
N16 @400 cts or
N12 at 200 cts
N12 @400 cts
2700 max.
Floor slab
reinforcement
Floor slab
reinforcement
N12 at 200 cts
Ag. drain
Vertical
reinforcement:
N16 @400 cts,
central
Tanking to back face of wall
e.g. Bituminous coating
Connex
blocks
Horizontal
reinforcement,
N12 at 400 cts
For higher w alls please refer to the Boral M asonry D esign G uide.
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Connex Mortarless Masonry Block System
16kg (approx)
The C onnex Stretcher
is the m ain unit. It is
called a stretcheras it
stretches betw een end
blocks and corner blocks.
200
400
200
Stretcher Unit
16kg (approx)
The C onnex End and
C orner unit can be used
for either left or right
hand corners as w ell as
a full end block.
200
400
200
End and Corner Unit
Components
9kg (approx)
The C onnex H alf unit,
used as an end block
allow s w all lengths to
be built in m ultiples of
200m m . It is also used
on each 2nd course at
w indow and door
openings, alternating
w ith the C onnex End
and C orner units.
200
200
200
Half Unit
Introducing Connex
The Boral C onnex B lock System introduces
a dry m ortarless w all system that w hen
core-filled and reinforced is suitable for load
bearing, blade and retaining w alls.
The Boral C onnex B lock can also be used
for non-loadbearing w alls w hen partially
core-filled and reinforced.
The Boral C onnex B lock System com prises
of three m odular com ponents w hich key
together elim inating the need for m ortared
joints above the first course.
Advantages
The system is quick and easy to install
C an be laid quicker than a standard
block w all
M inim al need for m ortar
Reduced w et w aste on site
A D IY alternative
Sim ple m odular system only three
com ponents required
Four hour fire rated (240/240/240)
H igh acoustic perform ance
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Sizes
Contact your nearest Boral Masonry sales office for the
full range of Connex sizes available in your state. Not all
sizes are available in all regions. Custom Connex sizes
are available, however minimum order quantities apply.
Colour and Texture Variations
The supply of raw materials can vary over time. In addition,
variation can occur between product types and production
batches.
We reserve the right to change the details in this publication
without notice. For a full set of Terms and Conditions of Sale
please contact your nearest Boral Masonry sales office.
Front Cover
Banks Road, Castle Hill NSW
Connex is a registered trademark
of Boral Masonry Limited. Boral Masonry All Rights
Reserved 2006.
Boral Masonry LimitedABN 13 000 223 718
Connex Mortarless Masonry Block System
Connex Blocks Additional Information
For technical assistance:
C allSpecifier Line on1300 360 255
Visit www.boral.com.au/mdg
SYDNEY
Clunies Ross Street,
Prospect NSW 2148
Tel (02) 9840 2333
Fax (02) 9840 2344
SOUTH QLD
62 Industrial Ave,
Wacol QLD 4076
Tel (07) 3271 9292
Fax (07) 3271 1815
CANBERRA
16 Whyalla Street,
Fyshwick ACT 2609
Tel (02) 6230 1029
Fax (02) 6280 6262
ADELAIDE
Main North Road,
Pooraka SA 5095
Tel (08) 8262 3529
Fax (08) 8260 3011
MELBOURNE
17-47 Turner Street,
Port Melbourne VIC 3207
Tel (03) 9681 9722
Fax (03) 9681 9766
Orders, product samples andsales enquiries
02/06
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