Hello my name is Yassin
and I am a technical manager within the Building products division at Bekaert.
In this video, I will be talking about the ETA approval for Murfor Compact for structural use
in internal and external designed masonry and its calculation methods.
Murfor compact is a new generation of bed joint reinforcement
that has significantly higher tensile strength compared to traditional reinforcement.
This allows it to weigh less and have a smaller size than traditional reinforcement.
This reduction in size means that it doesnt fall within harmonised standards.
In order to comply with European rules and regulations for structural applications,
a European technical assessment, which is knows as an ETA, is needed.
Murfor Compact had to undergo rigours testing
for structural applications in an independent notified lab.
These tests consisted of reinforced masonry beams loaded vertically and reinforced masonry panels
loaded laterally in order to measure the capacity enhancement when Murfor compact is introduced.
The results of the tests were then distributed to the technical committees
in the European countries for verification.
Having an ETA allows Murfor Compact to carry the CE marking for Structural applications.
This means that Murfor Compact can be used for all kind of applications,
including designed structural masonry.
Structural applications include the strengthening of the structural member in flexural bending.
This can be for example wind or pressure loads for a structural masonry panel
where the wind posts are replaced by Murfor Compact,
or in-plane strengthening of a masonry lintel where the steel lintel is replaced
by Murfor Compact bed joint reinforcement.
Calculation methods for Murfor Compact are included in the ETA
and we have collaborated with structural analysis software companies
to include Murfor Compact in state of the art calculation programs.
If you have any questions related to the possibilities of Murfor Compact or bed joint reinforcement,
please let me know in the comments section below.
