PROJECT SUPPORT

Concrete Masonry: From Manufacturing to Structural Applications

1.0 PDH

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.

Objectives

  1. Explore how concrete masonry units (CMU) are made, the aesthetic options and the types of wall assemblies that can be built with CMU.
  2. Explain the basics – CMU parts and pieces, layout, coursing, mortars, grout and reinforcement. 
  3. Learn about structural considerations including unit strength, specified compressive strength or f’m, and how tall you can build with structural concrete masonry.
  4. Introduce and explore efficient design and discover how these strategies can lower the overall cost and embodied carbon of a project.

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