Stability and Load Capacity of Members with No Tensile Strength

A mathematical solution is derived which permits the computation of critical load, deflection and stresses for eccentrically loaded slender prismatic compression members made of materials that have compressive strength but no tensile strength. A graphical presentation of the solution facilitates its applicaiton. In an example of application, the solution is used to compute the strength of masonry walls which were tested by the Structural Clay Products Institute. Even though there are limitations to our ability of predicting the behavior of a complex material such as masonry by a mathematical solution based on a simplified model, there is good agreement between computed and measured strength.