ABSTRACT
Most of the masonry structures in the United Kingdom were built before the beginning of the twentieth century. The terrain they occupy varies from flat agricultural land to hills and valleys, providing foundations ranging from soft alluvial deposits to competent rock. Materials used in construction often reflect the terrain and the geology. Where stone could be found, this would be used; elsewhere, bricks were made from local clays. Serious distress in such structures is often associated with plastic yielding of the soil beneath them or that providing stabilizing thrust, accompanied by the collapse of those parts of the structure providing direct contact with the ground.
