General Design of Concrete Masonry Structures
This course explores the required concrete masonry design considerations to ensure a fully designed wall system that adheres to structural, fire, acoustic and energy design. The structural consideration will include the basis of design parameters, applications, design considerations, elemental design and limit states. While structural design is important, the course will discuss our ensuring fire, acoustical and energy compliance must also fit into the requirements of the wall system.
Maximizing Concrete Masonry Performance Through Structural Design
This course will cover various design components of efficient structural masonry design. It is intended to help the audience understand the implications of structural design solutions and their impact on masonry performance. The goal is to offer actionable recommendations and standards that promote efficient, cost-effective masonry solutions.
Partition Wall Calculator
This calculator designs interior concrete masonry partition walls in accordance with the strength design provisions of TMS 402/602-22 and the loading criteria of ASCE/SEI 7-22. Highlighted cells are user inputs. Inputs and outputs use inch-pound units.
Concrete Masonry Elevator and Stairwell Building Core Design Guide
Elevator and stairwell building cores are often used to provide structural stability to buildings and to transfer load from upper stories to the foundations. Such building cores are often constructed using reinforced concrete masonry. Concrete masonry construction is ideal in this function as it is durable, has a high fire resistance, excellent sound resistance, rapid construction, and is easily reinforceable.
Designer Checklist for Unreinforced Loadbearing Concrete Masonry Walls Based on TMS 402/602-22
One of the many intrinsic characteristics of concrete masonry construction is its ability to resist large axial loads with or without concurrently applied in-plane or out-of-plane loads. This Checklist covers the general and prescriptive design and detailing requirements for unreinforced, single wythe loadbearing masonry walls subjected to axial or out-of-plane loads. While unreinforced wall systems may contain reinforcing steel, the presence of any reinforcement is not taken into consideration when determining the strength of these assemblies. For information covering the design of reinforced loadbearing concrete masonry walls see:
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DC-9-22, Designer Checklist for Reinforced Loadbearing Concrete Masonry Walls
The following Checklists review additional information related to the design and detailing of concrete masonry shear walls systems:
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DC-4-22, Designer Checklist for Ordinary Reinforced Concrete Masonry Shear Walls
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DC-5-22, Designer Checklist for Ordinary Reinforced Concrete Masonry Shear Walls
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DC-6-22, Designer Checklist for Intermediate Reinforced Concrete Masonry Shear Walls
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DC-7-22, Designer Checklist for Special Reinforced Concrete Masonry Shear Walls
TMS 402 contains design modeling options for both allowable stress design (ASD) and strength design (SD). Where design checks differ between these two modeling approaches, they are addressed separately in this Checklist.
CHECK REQUIREMENT REFERENCE DESIGNER NOTE
Designer Checklist for Ordinary Plain and Detailed Plain Unreinforced Shear Concrete Masonry Shear Walls Based on TMS 402/602-22
The lateral force-resisting system of most masonry structures is typically provided by masonry shear walls. This Checklist specifically covers the general and prescriptive design and detailing requirements for ordinary plain and detailed plain unreinforced masonry shear walls. While these shear wall systems may contain reinforcing steel, the presence of any reinforcement is not taken into consideration when determining the strength of these assemblies.
Ordinary plain and detailed plain unreinforced concrete masonry shear walls are permitted to be used as part of the lateral force-resisting system in structures assigned to Seismic Design Category (SDC) A and B as well as for all wind speed zones, provided design loads can be safely resisted discounting the presence of any reinforcement. Ordinary plain unreinforced masonry shear walls require no minimum prescriptive seismic reinforcing while detailed plain unreinforced masonry shear walls are prescriptively reinforced in the vertical direction with conventional mild reinforcement and in the horizontal direction using reinforced bond beams or joint reinforcement. Bond beams are horizontal, sloped, or stepped structural elements within masonry walls used to distribute lateral and gravity loads, provide continuity, and resist bending, shear, and torsional forces. They are particularly critical at floor and roof levels and at the tops of walls. Bond beams may also coincide with the top of openings, in which case they may also provide the dual function of a lintel. See separate Checklist DC-2-22, Designer Checklist for Concrete Masonry Lintels, for information specific to masonry lintels (beams) over openings. Additional Checklists related to the design and detailing of concrete masonry shear walls systems include:
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DC-5-22, Designer Checklist for Ordinary Reinforced Concrete Masonry Shear Walls
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DC-6-22, Designer Checklist for Intermediate Reinforced Concrete Masonry Shear Walls
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DC-7-22, Designer Checklist for Special Reinforced Concrete Masonry Shear Walls
TMS 402 contains design modeling options for both allowable stress design (ASD) and strength design (SD). Where design checks differ between these two modeling approaches, they are addressed separately in this Checklist.
Designer Checklist for Special Reinforced Concrete Masonry Shear Walls Based on TMS 402/602-22
The lateral force-resisting system of most masonry structures is typically provided by masonry shear walls. This Checklist specifically covers the general and prescriptive design and detailing requirements for special reinforced masonry shear walls. Special reinforced concrete masonry shear walls are permitted to be used as part of the lateral force-resisting system in structures assigned to any Seismic Design Category (SDC) as well as for all wind speed zones. Special reinforced masonry shear walls are reinforced in the vertical direction with conventional mild reinforcement and in the horizontal direction typically using reinforced bond beams. Bond beams are horizontal, sloped, or stepped structural elements within masonry walls used
to distribute lateral and gravity loads, provide continuity, and resist bending, shear, and torsional forces. They are particularly critical at floor and roof levels and at the tops of walls. Bond beams may also coincide with the top of openings, in which case they may also provide the dual function of a lintel. See separate Checklist DC-2-22, Designer Checklist for Concrete Masonry Lintels, for information specific to masonry lintels (beams) over openings. Additional Checklists related to the design and detailing of concrete masonry shear walls systems include:
• DC-4-22, Designer Checklist for Detailed Plain Concrete Masonry Shear Walls
• DC-5-22, Designer Checklist for Special Reinforced Concrete Masonry Shear Walls
• DC-6-22, Designer Checklist for Intermediate Reinforced Concrete Masonry Shear Walls
TMS 402 contains design modeling options for both allowable stress design (ASD) and strength design (SD). Where design checks differ between these two modeling approaches, they are addressed separately in this Checklist.
Designer Checklist for Intermediate Reinforced Concrete Masonry Shear Walls Based on TMS 402/602-22
The lateral force-resisting system of most masonry structures is typically provided by masonry shear walls. This Checklist specifically covers the general and prescriptive design and detailing requirements for intermediate reinforced masonry shear walls. Intermediate reinforced concrete masonry shear walls are permitted to be used as part of the lateral force-resisting system in structures assigned to Seismic Design Category (SDC) A, B, and C as well as for all wind speed zones. Intermediate reinforced masonry shear walls are reinforced in the vertical direction with conventional mild reinforcement and in the horizontal direction using reinforced bond beams or joint reinforcement. Bond beams are horizontal, sloped, or stepped structural elements within masonry walls used to distribute lateral and gravity loads, provide continuity, and resist bending, shear, and torsional forces. They are particularly critical at floor and roof levels and at the tops of walls. Bond beams may also coincide with the top of openings, in which case they may also provide the dual function of a lintel. See separate Checklist DC-2-22, Designer Checklist for Concrete Masonry Lintels, for information specific to masonry lintels (beams) over openings. Additional Checklists related to the design and detailing of concrete masonry shear walls systems include:
• DC-4-22, Designer Checklist for Detailed Plain Concrete Masonry Shear Walls
• DC-5-22, Designer Checklist for Ordinary Reinforced Concrete Masonry Shear Walls
• DC-7-22, Designer Checklist for Special Reinforced Concrete Masonry Shear Walls
TMS 402 contains design modeling options for both allowable stress design (ASD) and strength design (SD). Where design checks differ between these two modeling approaches, they are addressed separately in this Checklist.
Designer Checklist for Ordinary Reinforced Concrete Masonry Shear Walls Based on TMS 402/602-22
The lateral force-resisting system of most masonry structures is typically provided by masonry shear walls. This Checklist specifically covers the general and prescriptive design and detailing requirements for ordinary reinforced masonry shear walls. Ordinary reinforced concrete masonry shear walls are permitted to be used as part of the lateral force-resisting system in structures assigned to Seismic Design Category
(SDC) A, B, and C as well as for all wind speed zones. Ordinary reinforced masonry shear walls are reinforced in the vertical direction with conventional mild reinforcement and in the horizontal direction using reinforced bond beams or joint reinforcement. Bond beams are horizontal, sloped, or stepped structural elements within masonry walls used to distribute lateral and gravity loads, provide continuity, and resist bending, shear, and torsional forces. They are particularly critical at floor and roof levels and at
the tops of walls. Bond beams may also coincide with the top of openings, in which case they may also provide the dual function of a lintel. See separate Checklist DC-2-22, Designer Checklist for Concrete Masonry Lintels, for information specific to masonry lintels (beams) over openings. Additional Checklists related to
the design and detailing of concrete masonry shear walls systems include:
• DC-4-22, Designer Checklist for Detailed Plain Concrete Masonry Shear Walls
• DC-6-22, Designer Checklist for Intermediate Reinforced Concrete Masonry Shear Walls
• DC-7-22, Designer Checklist for Special Reinforced Concrete Masonry Shear Walls
TMS 402 contains design modeling options for both allowable stress design (ASD) and strength design (SD).
Where design checks differ between these two modeling approaches, they are addressed separately in this Checklist.
Concrete Masonry: From Manufacturing to Structural Applications
This module explores the fundamentals of concrete masonry construction, beginning with the manufacturing process of concrete masonry units (CMUs) and examining both standard gray block and architectural finishes.
Participants will learn about various CMU shapes, sizes, and modular design principles that optimize construction efficiency. The course covers essential structural considerations, including the differences between unit compressive strength and specified masonry assembly strength (f’m), and examines how tall structures can be built using concrete masonry.
Additionally, the module introduces efficient design strategies that help reduce both project costs and embodied carbon, making concrete masonry an economical and sustainable building solution.