MCRP 12-10B.1, page 346

b. In the Middle East and tropical regions, the most common type of housing is the enclosed courtyard. Houses are added to one another with little regard to the street pattern. The result is a crooked, narrow maze that is harder to move through or fire in than dense European areas. (Figure I-20). Figure I-20. Enclosed Courtyard 5. Characteristics of Buildings. Certain characteristics of both mass-construction and framed buildings can be helpful in analyzing a built-up area. Leaders can use Table I-1 to determine how to defend or attack a certain building given the unit’s available weapons systems. Type of Construction Building Material Height (Stories) Average Wall Thickness (cm) Mass Stone 1 to 10 75 Mass Brick 1 to 3 22 Mass Brick 3 to 6 38 Mass Concrete block 1 to 5 20 Mass Concrete wall and slab 1 to 10 22 to 38 Mass Concrete tilt-ups 1 to 3 18 Framed Wood 1 to 5 3 Framed Steel (heavy cladding) 3 to 50 30 Framed Concrete/steel (light cladding) 3 to 100 2 to 8 Table I-1. Characteristics of Buildings Military Operations on Urbanized Terrain I - 13