Reinforced brick masonry is brickwork that has been fortified by the use of mild steel iron mesh or bars. The feature of reinforced brick masonry is that it can withstand both compressive and tensile shear stress. Compressive stress occurs when weight is applied to an element, while tensile stress results from tension in a member. Reinforced brick masonry can therefore be used where strength under compression or tension is required. Brick is a hard, durable material that is easy to work with and inexpensive. It is non-combustible and does not melt at room temperature. These are just some of the reasons why it is widely used in building construction. However, brick has the disadvantage of being heavy and thus difficult to transport. This makes it impractical for use on large projects such as skyscrapers. As its name suggests, reinforced brick masonry uses metal rods or wires to strengthen bricks. There are two types of reinforced brick: monofilament and multistrand wire. Monofilament wire is made up of one single strand of metal that is either galvanized or stainless steel. It is commonly used to reinforce thin panels such as glass or plastic. Multistrand wire consists of several strands of metal wire twisted together. It is usually used to strengthen thick elements such as walls and bridges.