Enclosure walls have a key role in building construction, providing structural safety and protecting interiors from intrusion. The concept of an enclosure wall is a traditional one, common to the building history of many countries. There is a tremendous variety in types of enclosure walls, depending on such variables as climate and local technologies. Progress in these traditional practices has been stimulated by new national and international standards in the construction industry. These standards have contributed to improvements in areas such as thermal insulation and earthquake resistance and have promoted the development of new materials and methods in enclosure wall construction. The aim of this book, by the Commission on Wall Structures of the International Council for Building (CIB), is to select certain countries or regions, and examine enclosure masonry walls which are perceived as being typical. For each example, the following are considered: characterization of the building sector; the customary materials used in masonry; typical problems and solutions for enclosure walls; and evolutionary trends.
