Caribbean Disaster
Mitigation Project
Implemented by the Organization of American States
Unit of Sustainable Development and Environment
for the USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance and the Caribbean Regional Program
THE WALLS
WALLS
Concrete Block Walls
starter bars coming out of the foundation will tie the wall to the foundation.
Lay blocks so that those starter bars come out through block pockets. For earthquakes the recommended minimum vertical reinforcement is 3/8” diameter bars at 32” centres, this will provide adequate resistance to hurricanes. As more courses are laid you must add more lengths of steel to overlap for at least 12” with starter bars.
These lengths of steel will go right to the top of the walls.
pockets of block containing reinforcement are to be filled with concrete
as each course of blocks is laid, it must be set into a 1:3 mortar bed placed on the last course, mortar is also required on the sides of the blocks to form the vertical joints. Mortar joints should be 1/2” to 5/8” wide.
Galvanized horizontal reinforcement, Dar-O-Wal or Brickforce,