Abstract
New wall-units have been designed at the Civil Engineering Department of SQU, with improved and reliable thermal insulation properties for construction of buildings in hot climatic conditions. as in the Sultanate of Oman. The thermal resistance of many types of concrete units has been analyzed. Hundreds of various types of the new concrete hollow blocks as well as six-column sections made of these wall-units have been tested in full scale. The relationship of compressive strength of the new concrete hollow blocks, walls made of these units and cube samples has been investigated. The wall columns have been tested under axial load and with various eccentricities. The types of column failure have been studied. The aim of the test was to determine the characteristic compressive strength of the new concrete hollow blocks and the characteristic compressive strength of masonry made of these hollow blocks. The results of the test have shown that the new wall-units could have been used Successfully for construction of the walls in buildings.