A wythe is a continuous vertical section of
masonry
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units, which are often laid in and bound together by mortar; the term ''masonry'' can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are bricks, building ...
one unit in thickness. A wythe may be independent of, or interlocked with, the adjoining wythe(s). A single wythe of
brick
A brick is a type of block used to build walls, pavements and other elements in masonry construction. Properly, the term ''brick'' denotes a block composed of dried clay, but is now also used informally to denote other chemically cured cons ...
that is not structural in nature is referred to as a
masonry veneer
Masonry veneer walls consist of a single non-structural external layer of masonry, typically made of brick, stone or manufactured stone. Masonry veneer can have an air space behind it and is technically called "anchored veneer". A masonry veneer ...
.
A multiple-wythe masonry wall may be composed of a single type of masonry unit layered to increase its thickness and structural strength, or different masonry units chosen by function, such as an economical concrete block serving a structural purpose and a more expensive brick chosen for its appearance.
In the Eurocodes the continuous vertical section is referred to as a 'leaf'. A single-leaf wall is a wall without a cavity or continuous vertical joint in its plane. A double-leaf wall is a
wall consisting of two parallel leaves with the longitudinal joint between filled solidly with mortar and securely tied together with wall ties so as to result in common action under load. The difference between the leaf and the wythe is found in the leaf always being joined as one structural element, while wythes may be independent of one another.
References
*
*{{cite web , last=, first=, title = EN 1996-1-1:2006+A1:2013 , publisher = NEN , url = https://connect.nen.nl/Family/Detail/29570?compId=10037&collectionId=0 , date = January 2013, accessdate=19 August 2021
Masonry