Types and installation of flexible connections for brickwork

Flexible connections for masonry are an important element of the building structure, connecting the load-bearing wall, insulation and cladding material. In this way, the strength and durability of the building or structure being erected is achieved. Currently, no reinforcing mesh is used, since they have proven themselves on the negative side, and special metal rods are used.

The internal walls of a building always have an almost perfectly stable temperature, due to the fact that they are not affected by external weather conditions. However, the facing (outer) wall can easily be heated in warm weather up to + 700 degrees Celsius, cooled in winter to minus 400 degrees. Such temperature differences between the inner and outer wall lead to the fact that the geometry of the outer cladding changes.

Flexible connections at this point allow you to maintain the integrity of the structure and avoid cracks. Reinforcement anchors are highly flexible, tensile and corrosion resistant. These rods do not create cold bridges at low thermal conductivity. Such characteristics allow achieving high reliability and long service life of the building.

The structure is a figured metal rod with a length of 20 to 65 cm. These parts allow you to connect all the elements of the wall, including facing brick and aerated concrete. The size of the chosen bundle depends on the construction features used in the construction of a particular building. So, for houses no higher than 12 meters, it is recommended to use rods with a cross section of 4 millimeters. For higher structures, metal structures with a cross section of 6 millimeters are suitable. The flexible connection also has a thickening made of metal at both ends. This is necessary for a more reliable fastening of the structure, since they play the role of anchors that are firmly fixed in the seams of the brickwork. Sand fasteners are perfectly combined with the mortar used for the installation of seams between the masonry. It provides a firm hold for a flexible connection. The walls are additionally protected against corrosion.

The building element is used for walls with classic brickwork, aerated blocks and facing bricks. Several types of rods are produced.

This composite material is lightweight and yet withstands high loads. Such products, for example, are produced in Russia under the Galen trademark. It has the lowest weight and does not create additional stress on the foundation of the house.

They are made of carbon steel and have a high level of corrosion protection. The most popular among professional builders are flexible Bever connections made in Germany. For protection against rust, they are coated with a special zinc compound.

They are only slightly inferior to basalt rods in some characteristics. So, they are less elastic, but have good tensile strength. Does not corrode.

Made of stainless steel. These flexible connections are capable of forming cold bridges, so they are used only with insulation.

The choice of this or that type of material depends on the specific conditions in which the installation will be carried out, as well as on the components in contact with the piping.

In modern construction, composite materials are most popular, since they have a number of positive characteristics, including:

• low weight, which does not additionally affect the masonry;
• an excellent degree of adhesion to the mortar, which organizes the brickwork;
• reliable protection against corrosion, which can occur due to the alkaline environment of concrete on metal rods;
• low thermal conductivity does not allow cold bridges to form in brickwork;
• resistance to adverse environmental conditions makes it possible to achieve durability and strength of the structure.

Despite the obvious advantages, composite rods also have significant disadvantages. There are two of them.

There is a low elasticity index; such rods are not suitable for vertical reinforcement, since they will not be able to adequately ensure the integrity of the structure. They are used only for horizontal structures.

Low fire resistance. Composite rods lose all their properties at temperatures above 6 thousand C, which means they cannot be used in buildings that are subject to increased requirements for fire resistance of walls.

In order to establish flexible connections (especially for aerated concrete, as it is a very soft material), the following sequence of actions is applied:

• the size of the rods is determined;
• the required number is calculated.

The length of the rod can be found by adding the parameters of the thickness of the insulation and the size of the gap for ventilation. Add twice the depth of the anchor penetration. The depth is 90 mm and the ventilation gap is 40 mm.

The calculation formula looks like this:

L = 90 + T + 40 + 90, where:

T is the width of the insulation material;

L is the calculated length of the anchor.

This method can be used to calculate the size of the flexible link needed. For example, if the thickness of the insulation is 60 mm, a rod with a length of 280 mm is required.

For flexible links to function properly, you must follow the recommended workflow. An important role in the final result is played by the correct number and size of anchors, which vary depending on the thickness of the insulation. The immersion depth of the rods in the structure should be taken into account; it should not be less than 90 millimeters. Only after that they begin to directly prepare the wall itself for installation.

1. They clean the wall from excess mortar, dust and debris remaining after laying (you can use a construction vacuum cleaner).
2. Cracks are closed with freshly prepared mortar.
3. A primer is applied, and then a special composition that has antifungal properties.
4. Mount the base for mounting flexible ties.

The base for the outer wall is reinforcement and concrete. They are placed in a trench along the entire length of the walls and deepened by 300 or 450 millimeters. The base must be at least 20 centimeters above ground level.

The device of the reinforcing connection for brick and aerated concrete walls is different. For brickwork, standard schemes are used.

• For each 1 m 2, 4 anchors are placed, which are sunk into the seams. If min. cotton wool, then the distance between the rods is increased to 50 centimeters.When polyurethane foam is used, the "step" along the length of the wall is 250 millimeters, and in height it can be less than or equal to the size of the slab (no more than 1 meter). Additionally, reinforcing rods are installed in the corners of deformation of the seams, near window and door openings, as well as in the corners and near the parapet of the building. It should be borne in mind that sometimes the horizontal seam of the main wall does not coincide with the seam of the cladding. In this case, the rod of the flexible ligament is positioned vertically and then covered with mortar.

• When installing a reinforcing belt in walls made of aerated concrete or gas silicate blocks, 5 rods are used for 1 m 2. They are mounted in a parallel position with respect to the seams of the facing bricks. To do this, holes of 10 mm in diameter and at least 90 millimeters in length are preliminarily arranged in the wall of gas blocks using a perforator. Then they are thoroughly wiped from dust and the anchors are mounted at a distance of 50 centimeters from each other. Then everything is thoroughly covered with mortar.

Flexible communications are essential in every building. They ensure the safety of the structure, its durability and strength. If you observe all the nuances and choose the right reinforcing rods, then you can independently mount these structures into the walls. This will save money and get great results. In addition, you can gain invaluable experience with these building elements.

You can learn more about flexible links in the video below.