CI/SfB

(Ff2)

MARCH 2005

CIVIL

E NGINEERING

PRODUCTS
w w w. F o r t i c r e t e . c o . u k

MEMBER
Construction CPD
Certification
Service

STEPOC® SYSTEM
BRITISH
BOARD OF
AGRÉMENT
CERTIFICATE No 98/3450

The British Board of Agrément

has approved Stepoc for use as set out in
Agrément Certificate No. 98/3450.

innovators in masonry™
STEPOC ® SYSTEM
Stepoc is a system of highly-engineered and dimensionally co-ordinated building modules which are designed to readily
accept both vertical and horizontal reinforcement for use where structural performance is the prime consideration.
THE FASTER, MORE ECONOMICAL WAY TO
BUILD WALLS WITH EXCEPTIONAL STRENGTH
Stepoc combines the ease of blockwork
with the versatility of in-situ concrete, and
yet is faster to apply than both, making it
an ideal component in fast-track
construction for:
• Retaining walls
• Sheer walls
• Laterally-loaded panels
• Blast panels
• Bund walls
• Basement walls
and any applications that require higher
compressive or lateral loads than those
achievable with standard masonry.
Built dry, with no mortar joint, and
requiring no special on-site skills or
techniques, as each unit weighs less than
20 kgs, they are bonded with liquid
concrete, which is poured down through
the interconnected cavities in the blocks.
The blocks’ unique design creates a
cascade or waterfall filling effect which
ensures a smooth filling of the poured
concrete, forcing out air and eliminating
segregation, to create walls which have
immense compressive and lateral strength.
The system is available in two widths –
190mm and 256mm and comprises four
units – a full length and a 1/3 rd length
standard block and a full length and 1/3 rd
length plain end block for use at corners
and ends of walls.
The blocks are laid to a running bond, in a
FULL LENGTH
BLOCK combination of 1/3 rd and full lengths,
which automatically creates the correct
pattern to produce the ‘waterfall’ effect.
Corners, T-junctions and cross junctions
are created using a combination of all four
units and specific data sheets are available
to illustrate these.
Filling is accomplished by a concrete
1/3 LENGTH
BLOCK pump. The concrete should possess the
characteristic strength specified by the
structural engineer, not less than 35N/mm2
and designed to be pumpable through the
specific pump to be used, possessing a
slump of no less than 150mm. The
maximum aggregate size should not
exceed 10mm and the mix should contain
no less than 300kg of Ordinary Portland
FULL LENGTH
P LA I N E N D Cement per cubic metre of fresh concrete.
Alternative methods to pumping may be
used, provided that the fresh concrete can
flow in a similar manner to pumped
concrete and that the method of
transportation and placing does not incur
an additional risk to the stability of the
wall. Mechanical vibration is unnecessary,
1/3 LENGTH
P LA I N E N D
and should not be used.
DESIGNING WITH STEPOC ®
Strength
Tests undertaken by Ceram Research yielded high values for characteristic compresive strength (fk) for Stepoc walls. The
256mm Stepoc achieved an fk of 18N/mm2 and 190mm Stepoc achieved 14N/mm2.
For axially loaded stocky walls not subject to the effects of buckling, the 256mm Stepoc wall provides a higher vertical load
resistance than a 328mm wall constructed from standard format bricks, with a compressive strength of 70 N/mm2, laid in
a class III mortar in accordance with BS 5628: Part 1: 1992. Similarly, 190mm Stepoc provides a higher vertical load
resistance than a 215mm wall constructed from standard format brickwork, with a compressive strength of 50 N/mm2 laid
in class III mortar.

Design Charts 70
Max Moment 68.5 KNM
These charts are intended to display the 65
range of strengths attainable under vertical
load and bending when Stepoc walls are 60

Design Moment KNM per metre (factored)

designed in accordance with BS 5628 55
‘Code of Practice for Use of Masonry’
50
The design loads referred to are at ultimate
45
limit state, i.e. factored. For unreinforced
256 STEPOC WALL
stepoc, a partial factor of safety of 3.1 for 40
material strength should be used, to
35
account for the special category of Max Moment 30.5 KNM

manufacturing control operated by 30

Forticrete. For reinforced Stepoc, the partial 25

factor of safety should be taken as 2 and
20
1.15 for steel in accordance with part 2 of 190 STEPOC WALL
the masonry code and Forticrete’s quality 15
control procedures. 10

5
E XA M P L E - S T E P O C
STRENGTH IN BENDING
F R O M LAT E R A L L OA D 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600
By reference to the laterally loaded design Area of high yield reinforcement (mm2/m)
chart, to sustain a bending moment of Laterally LOaded Wall (reinforced)
55KNM, 1250mm2 /m of high yield
vertical reinforcement is required within the NB The use of this chart is intended for guidance only at a preliminary stage. A full design
check should be undertaken by the designer in accordance with BS 5628: part 2: 1995
voids of 256mm Stepoc. ‘Structural use of Reinforced and Pre-stressed Masonry’, accounting for ultimate and
serviceability limit states as required.
From the reinforcement table, it can be
seen that this is easily provided by T16 1600 1600
bars at 133mm c/c. 1500
e ≤ 0.05t
1500
Design Vertical Load Resistance (KN/m)

Design Vertical Load Resistance (KN/m)

1400 1400
AREA OF REINFORCEMENT e ≤ 0.10t
( M M 2 / M ) F O R VA R I O U S B A R 1300 1300
DIAMETERS TO COINCIDE
W I T H VO I D PATT E R N 1200 1200

Bar Bar centres 1100 1100

diameter 133mm 266mm 399mm 1000

e ≤ 0.20t
1000

10 590 295 196 900 e ≤ 0.05t 900

12 850 425 283 800 e ≤ 0.10t 800

16 1511 755 503 700 700 e ≤ 0.30t

20 2362 1181 787 600 e ≤ 0.20t 600

500 500
E XA M P L E - S T E P O C 400 e ≤ 0.30t 400
STRENGTH UNDER
V E R T I CA L L OA D 300 300
By reference to the design chart for 200 200
vertically-loaded 256mm Stepoc, a wall
with an eccentricity of 0.10t (25.6mm), 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
with an effective height of 5000mm can Effective Height of Wall (metres) Effective Height of Wall (metres)
sustain a vertical design load (factored) of VERTICally LOaded 190mm VERTICally LOaded 256mm
950 KN/m. UNREINFORCED STEPOC Wall UNREINFORCED STEPOC Wall
NB The use of this chart is for guidance only at a preliminary stage. A full design check should
be undertaken by the designer in accordance with BS 5628:Part 1: 1992 ‘Structural Use of
Unreinforced Masonry’. The effective height is not neccessarily the overall height of the wall.
 Blocks can be cut on site
The concrete is pumped simply to allow continuity of
along the blocks and is reinforcement.
guided inside the wall to a
triangle configuration which
expels air.

The open jaws of Stepoc units

locate with the ribbed end of Laid dry, walls can be built up
the next ensuring precise at great speed with no
alignment. specialist skills required.

Laid to a 1/3rd running

bond, the Stepoc system
automatically creates a
unique internal
configuration, producing a
cascade filling effect when
the concrete is poured.
A combination of standard
full length and 1/3rd length
units creates the bonding
Vertical and horizontal
pattern.
reinforcement, positioned prior
to pouring, create a great
strength simply and efficiently.
L AYING S TEPOC IS FAST AND E ASY

1 When casting the
foundation, vertical
reinforcing bars may be
positioned, generally at 133
centres or multiples thereof.
Data sheets are available
for details at corners, stop
ends etc.
2 Check that the base is level
3 Lay the first course, bedding
in mortar to a stretched line.
Walls should generally start
at a corner with the open
ends of the block running
towards the centre of the
wall. The open ends of the
blocks should engage the
ribbed full end of the
adjacent block.

4 Position horizontal
reinforcement to engineer’s
requirements.
5 Stack blocks dry to a 1/3 rd
running bond and to a height
not exceeding 2.25m before
the first pour.
6 Check vertical faces for
plumb on completion of
alternate courses. Dry sand
may be used as a packing, to
ensure alignment.

7 Pump in concrete, directing the hose along the block in order to reduce the risk of displacing the units. To allow
initial setting, 24 hours should elapse between infills of concrete. Concrete should finish 50-75mm below the top
of the block to provide a key for subsequent courses.

innovators in masonry™
SPECIFICATIONS
Composition and Manufacture TYPE 190
Forticrete Stepoc blocks are manufactured to fine tolerances
using aggregates which satisfy BS 882 and cement to BS12. 400 133
28
28
They are manufactured at a plant which is registered under
the BSI Registered Firms Scheme, a third party quality
126 134 190 126 134
assurance scheme based on BS EN ISO 9002.
Dimensions 28
28
Forticrete Stepoc blocks are available in two standard sizes: 8 40 225 40 95 8 45 88

400 x 225 x 190mm

400 x 225 x 256mm 400 x 225 x 190 standard 133 x 225 x 190 1/3 length
Weight
Stepoc average weights per block are as follows:
400 x 225 x 190mm: 16.5kg TYPE 256
400 x 225 x 256mm: 19.85kg
400 133

Characteristic Compressive Strength (fk) 33

33

190mm – 14.0 N/mm2 256mm – 18.0 N/mm2

186 190 256 186 190

DENSITY

STEPOC BLOCK CONCRETE OVERALL

BLOCK DENSITY INFILL DENSITY 33 33
10 40 227 40 93 10 50 83
(mm) (kg/m3) (kg/m3) (kg/m3)
190 2000 2400 2110
400 x 225 x 256 standard 133 x 225 x 256 1/3 length
256 2000 2400 2120

CONCRETE INFILL

STEPOC BLOCK (mm) m3 per m2 of wall D E L I V E RY, S T O R AG E A N D H A N D L I N G

190 0.11 Delivery and Offloading

256 0.15 Stepoc blocks are supplied on pallets for offloading by forklift
truck or crane.
Manufacturing Tolerances (mm)
Height: +2, -2 Storage
Length: +2, -2 Blocks should be stored on reasonably dry, firm, level ground
Width: +2, -2 with protection from rain and snow. If blocks are accidentally
wetted, provision should be made for free circulation of air
Fire Resistance round the stack so that the units may dry out prior to being
Minimum fire resistance: 2 hours. For specific applications used. Blocks should not be stacked directly on sulphate-
refer to BS 8110 Part 1 1997. bearing ground, clinker or ashes, unless precautions are
Agrément Approval taken to prevent chemicals being drawn into them by rising
The British Board of Agrément has moisture, nor should they be stacked on newly-cast slabs
approved Stepoc for use as set until the concrete is fully matured.
BRITISH
BOARD OF
out in Agrément Certificate AGRÉMENT Handling
CERTIFICATE No 98/3450
No. 98/3450. Mechanical handling should not be used after the blocks
Resistance to Frost Damage have been offloaded from the wooden pallet.
The Stepoc system is resistant to the freeze-thaw conditions
that are likely to occur below a damp proof course.
Resistance to Sulphate Attack
Stepoc has adequate resistance to Class 3 sulphate ground
conditions.

For sales & product enquiries contact:

Forticrete Ltd., Hillhead Quarry, Harpur Hill,
Buxton, Derbyshire SK17 9PS.
Tel: 01298 23333, Fax: 01298 23000,
innovators in masonry™
E-mail: engsales@forticrete.com

® FORTICRETE is a registered trademark of Forticrete Ltd.

For technical information, call the Forticrete Technical Hotline:
© 2005 Forticrete Ltd.
FREEPHONE 0800 262136 or E-mail at technical@forticrete.co.uk.
Information on the complete range of Forticrete products can be
found on the Internet: www.forticrete.co.uk