A106.3.3.1 Mortar Tests

The quality of mortar in all masonry walls shall be determined by performing in-place shear tests in accordance with the following:

1. The bed joints of the outer wythe of the masonry shall be tested in shear by laterally displacing a single brick relative to the adjacent bricks in the same wythe. The head joint opposite the loaded end of the test brick shall be carefully excavated and cleared. The brick adjacent to the loaded end of the test brick shall be carefully removed by sawing or drilling and excavating to provide space for a hydraulic ram and steel loading blocks. Steel blocks, the size of the end of the brick, shall be used on each end of the ram to distribute the load to the brick. The blocks shall not contact the mortar joints. The load shall be applied horizontally, in the plane of the wythe. The load recorded at first movement of the test brick as indicated by spalling of the face of the mortar bed joints is V_test in Equation A1-3.
2. Alternative procedures for testing shall be used where in-place testing is not practical because of crushing or other failure mode of the masonry unit (see Section A106.3.3.2).