Difference between brick-concrete and frame structures

The structural difference lies in the way load is carried. In a brick-concrete structure, the load is supported by slabs and walls; the weight of the cast-in-place concrete slabs is transmitted to the walls, which then transfer it to the foundation. A frame structure is a load-bearing structure composed of floor slabs, beams, and columns; the floor slabs transfer forces to the beams, which then transfer them to the columns, and from there the forces are transferred to the foundation. Advantages of frame structures over brick-concrete structures: First, they offer more open space, as the beam and column framework allows for spaces of over 6 meters in size, whereas due to the limited load-bearing capacity of bricks, brick-concrete structures can only achieve spaces of around 5 meters ； Second is the floor height; brick-concrete structures can reach a maximum of 6 floors, whereas frame structures can achieve heights of over 100 meters. Theoretically, due to the material used, frame structures have a longer service life and greater seismic resistance compared to brick-concrete structures. But in practice, there are standards for the seismic resistance of buildings; structures in a given area must meet certain seismic requirements. Therefore, when designing buildings, developers take meeting these seismic requirements as a prerequisite, and even for frame structures, they do not incur additional costs to enhance their seismic resistance. So in terms of stability, brick-concrete and frame houses are similar. Brick-concrete structures also have their own advantages; aside from their lower cost, red bricks help regulate air humidity, making living in such structures healthier compared to concrete houses. As a further note, it is advised that you avoid focusing on structural issues, as structural engineering involves tasks that are usually hidden; even if you’re told what to pay attention to, you won’t be able to see those aspects, such as rebar placement, binding of rebar, pouring processes, seismic considerations, and the ratio of sand to gravel. It’s better to focus more on factors like the location of the house, its surrounding environment, layout, and price. Brick-concrete mix refers to a combination of bricks and concrete ； The entire structure is cast in one go using steel rebar and concrete; there are no bricks used, and its strength is higher than that of brick-concrete structures. In fact, brick-concrete structures have high costs, and their thermal and sound insulation are inferior to those of monolithic cast structures; therefore, houses built with brick concrete are also more expensive. But when high-rise buildings reach a certain height, steel structures or reinforced concrete are required to meet the strength requirements.

The load-bearing elements of frame structure houses are beams, slabs, and columns, whereas those of brick-concrete structure houses are floor slabs and walls. In terms of stability, theoretically, frame structures can achieve greater stability than brick-concrete structures; therefore, when designing buildings with brick-concrete structures, the height cannot exceed 6 floors, whereas frame structures can reach dozens of floors. However, in the actual construction process, **there are specified seismic resistance standards that buildings must meet; whether they are brick-concrete or frame structures, they need to comply with these standards. Even if developers use frame structures for building, they will not invest extra funds to enhance the strength of the buildings, as long as the seismic resistance standards are met. In terms of sound insulation, brick-concrete residential buildings offer moderate levels of insulation. The sound insulation performance of frame structures depends on the type of partition materials used; some high-quality partition materials provide better insulation than brick-concrete materials, while ordinary partition materials such as cement hollow blocks have very poor sound insulation properties. If you are planning to renovate an indoor space, frame structures are relatively easy to modify since most of the walls in such structures are not load-bearing; you can simply remove those walls. In contrast, in masonry structures, many walls are load-bearing and cannot be removed, so you can only make changes to a few non-load-bearing walls. A simple way to distinguish between load-bearing walls and non-load-bearing walls is by checking the wall thickness; walls that are 240 mm thick are load-bearing, while those that are 120 mm thick or thinner are non-load-bearing.

What was said upstairs is more specific; it would be better to provide a detailed explanation in terms of calculations

This is quite basic; it’s recommended that the original poster take a good look at the textbook.

Simply put, in a frame structure, the main framework is poured first; it’s possible to avoid using bricks or to use them instead. In a brick-concrete structure, bricks are laid first and then the structural columns are poured

– Load-bearing characteristics: Brick-concrete structure: The weight of the floor slabs is transferred to the brick walls that support them, and from there it is transmitted to the foundation. Frame structure: The weight of the floor slabs is transferred to the beams, which in turn transfer it to the columns, and the columns pass it on to the foundation. It can be seen that in a brick-concrete structure, the walls cannot have large openings made in them or be removed, as this would result in the floor slabs losing their supporting structures, leading to safety hazards. The walls of frame structures (except concrete walls) generally serve only as partitions, and any changes to these walls do not affect the structural safety. II. Material characteristics: Brick-concrete structures: In the past, solid clay bricks were commonly used, but to protect arable land, regulations were issued a couple of years ago prohibiting their use. Nowadays, load-bearing hollow bricks may be used in such structures. While this material saves resources and helps protect the environment, I believe its reliability and technical maturity are not as good as those of solid clay bricks. Framework: The internal partition walls are usually non-load-bearing hollow bricks, which are lightweight; however, they provide poor insulation, heat resistance, and sound insulation when used as exterior walls. The beams, slabs, and columns are all cast in place concrete. III. Comparison of technical advantages and disadvantages A. Brick-concrete structures are relatively sensitive to changes in temperature and ground settlement, which leads to the appearance of various cracks in the walls – such as those under the roof panels on the top floor, at the corners of windows, and at the corners of window sills on the ground floor. It can be said that wall cracks in brick-concrete structures are a very common issue, though in most cases they do not affect the structural safety ； There are fewer such problems with frame structures, but cracks often appear at the junction where the frame beams meet the top of the infill walls (this is a common issue that is difficult to completely avoid); especially if cracks occur in this area of the exterior walls, water will seep through them. B. In terms of cost, brick-concrete structures are generally 100–200 yuan cheaper than frame structures. C. In terms of seismic performance, brick-concrete structures have poorer resistance to earthquakes ； Although frame structures with irregular columns (L-shaped and T-shaped columns, with a thickness equal to that of the walls to prevent them from protruding) also have poor seismic performance, strict regulations have been established in various places in recent years. By **increasing the safety margin, it is possible to compensate for the weak mechanical properties of such structures; therefore, overall, they are still acceptable (referring to buildings with reasonable design). a. For brick-concrete structures, these are less common these days; they generally have a low quality standard, with simple and ordinary floor plans. As a result, it is relatively easy to meet various design specifications, unless the projects lack the necessary documentation and have not undergone proper construction drawing reviews. One can simply check how long the wall between adjacent windows in the outer longitudinal walls is, as well as the distance from the corner walls to the side windows; the regulations specify that this distance should be no less than 1 meter, with a minimum of 0.8 meters (in other words, the load-bearing walls cannot be very thin). This requirement is of great importance for the seismic performance of brick-concrete structures. Many developers, in an effort to create larger windows to please customers, often exceed these limits. Whether to prioritize safety or comfort is a decision that each person must make for themselves. As for structures with irregular frameworks, developers often aim for something sophisticated and complex in terms of design; many architects who create such designs don’t understand structural principles at all, resulting in designs that are difficult to implement structurally, or they have to force their way through despite the challenges. Since many clients won’t adjust the design plan due to structural issues, they simply demand that the design firm come up with a structural solution anyway (focusing only on generating revenue from attractive designs). What results from this approach is, from a structural and rational perspective, quite problematic!

My opinion: The \"ma ya cha\" is a characteristic structural element of brick-concrete structures.