SynC™

SynC · Editorial revision

Unit Masonry

Revision8
EditedSep 14, 2026
StatusCurrent
Contents

View changes in this revision   Revision history

Current revision. This is editorial revision 8, the current text of this standard. Read it on the standard's page.

SynC Standards Team — Specifier (Platform Standards) ✓ OfficialDiscloses employment SynC (SynC Platform Team)
Remake for template neutrality (from-scratch field inventory, five-state defaults, parameters and derived fields, schedule deferrals)

1 Scope

NOTE This standard governs the unit masonry wall as an assembly: the units, mortar, grout, reinforcement, ties, and connections brought together in the field into a wall that carries load, resists lateral force, divides space, or backs up a cladding. (1.1)
NOTE The assemblies in scope are single-wythe concrete masonry load-bearing and shear walls, single-wythe non-load-bearing partitions, composite and multi-wythe walls that combine concrete masonry with clay units, the masonry backup wythe of a cavity wall, and masonry pilasters and piers; a wall built of clay brick alone, including a reinforced hollow brick wall, is governed by Brick MasonryBrick MasonryResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/brick-masonry. (1.2)
NOTE The masonry assembly standards on this platform are layered, and this standard sits at the assembly layer: the product standards fix what arrives at the site, the mortar and grout standard fixes what binds it, the veneer and flashing standards govern the cladding wythe and its drainage, and the masonry umbrella carries the workmanship and protection provisions shared by every masonry scope. This standard owns the decisions that exist only once the pieces become a wall. (1.3)
NOTE The following are governed elsewhere and are outside this standard: (1.4)
  • concrete masonry units as a product, including weight class, cell geometry, finish, absorption, shrinkage, and delivery sampling, under Concrete Masonry UnitsConcrete Masonry UnitsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/concrete-masonry-units
  • clay and shale brick units, their grade and type, pre-wetting, and brick-only assemblies, under Brick MasonryBrick MasonryResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/brick-masonry
  • mortar and grout materials, cementitious system, proportioning, property and proportion methods, slump, pour and lift height, consolidation, and mortar and grout sampling, under Masonry Mortar And GroutMasonry Mortar and GroutResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/masonry-mortar-and-grout
  • anchored masonry veneer, its anchors and ties, air space, cavity insulation, and shelf angles, under Masonry Anchorage And VeneerMasonry Anchorage and VeneerResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/masonry-anchorage-and-veneer
  • through-wall flashing, weeps, end dams, and cavity drainage, under Through Wall FlashingThrough-Wall Flashing and Masonry Moisture ControlResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/through-wall-flashing
  • sealant, backer rod, and joint filler in movement joints, under Joint SealantsJoint SealantsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/joint-sealants
  • workmanship, cold and hot weather protection, cleaning, construction tolerances, and field quality control shared by every masonry scope, under Masonry Common ResultsCommon Work Results for MasonryResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/masonry-common-results
  • reinforcing steel procurement, fabrication, and handling, under Concrete ReinforcementConcrete ReinforcementResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/concrete-reinforcement
  • the special inspection agency, its qualifications, and the statement of special inspections, under Special Inspections And TestingSpecial Inspections and Structural TestingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/special-inspections-and-testing
  • fire-resistance-rated assembly designs and their listings, under Fire Rated Wall And Floor AssembliesFire-Resistance-Rated AssembliesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/fire-rated-wall-and-floor-assemblies
  • post-installed anchors set into cured masonry, under Post Installed AnchorsPost-Installed Concrete and Masonry AnchorsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/post-installed-anchors
  • cast stone trim and units, under Cast StoneCast StoneResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/cast-stone
  • autoclaved aerated concrete, glass unit masonry, adhered veneer, natural stone masonry, and refractory brick
  • the structural design of the masonry, which the Engineer of Record performs under TMS 402 and records on the structural drawings
NOTE A masonry wall has no strength until it is assembled, and the assembled strength depends on the unit, the mortar, the grout, and the workmanship all at once; a deficiency in any one of them is not visible in the finished face and is not recovered by the others. (1.5)
1.6 The locations, extents, and types of masonry walls shall be as indicated on the wall type schedule.
1.7 Masonry construction shall comply with TMS 402/602, with Chapter 21 of the adopted building code, and with the structural drawings.
1.8 Where the contract documents, the adopted code, and a referenced standard impose conflicting requirements on the same subject, the more stringent requirement shall govern unless the Engineer of Record directs otherwise in writing.
1.9 Where the masonry bears on or is anchored to concrete, the work shall be coordinated with Cast In Place ConcreteCast-in-Place ConcreteResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/cast-in-place-concrete.
1.10 Where insulation is installed in the cells of the masonry or against the masonry, the insulation shall comply with Building Thermal InsulationBuilding Thermal InsulationResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/building-thermal-insulation.

2 Referenced Standards

2.1 Materials, design values, and construction shall comply with the latest adopted edition of each of the following unless a specific edition is cited.
2.2 Where referenced standards conflict, the more stringent requirement shall govern unless the Engineer of Record directs otherwise in writing.
Standard Title
TMS 402 Building Code Requirements for Masonry Structures
TMS 602 Specification for Masonry Structures
IBC Chapter 21 International Building Code, Masonry
IBC Chapter 17 International Building Code, Special Inspections and Tests
ASCE/SEI 7 Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures
ACI/TMS 216.1 Code Requirements for Determining Fire Resistance of Concrete and Masonry Construction Assemblies
ASTM C90 Dry-Cast Loadbearing Concrete Masonry Units
ASTM C129 Nonloadbearing Concrete Masonry Units
ASTM C55 Concrete Brick
ASTM C216 Facing Brick (Solid Masonry Units Made from Clay or Shale)
ASTM C652 Hollow Brick (Hollow Masonry Units Made from Clay or Shale)
ASTM C62 Building Brick (Solid Masonry Units Made from Clay or Shale)
ASTM C270 Mortar for Unit Masonry
ASTM C476 Grout for Masonry
ASTM C1314 Compressive Strength of Masonry Prisms
ASTM C140/C140M Sampling and Testing Concrete Masonry Units and Related Units
ASTM C67/C67M Sampling and Testing Brick and Structural Clay Tile
ASTM C1019 Sampling and Testing Grout for Masonry
ASTM C780 Preconstruction and Construction Evaluation of Mortars for Plain and Reinforced Unit Masonry
ASTM A615/A615M Deformed and Plain Carbon-Steel Bars for Concrete Reinforcement
ASTM A706/A706M Deformed and Plain Low-Alloy Steel Bars for Concrete Reinforcement
ASTM A767/A767M Zinc-Coated (Galvanized) Steel Bars for Concrete Reinforcement
ASTM A775/A775M Epoxy-Coated Steel Reinforcing Bars
ASTM A955/A955M Deformed and Plain Stainless Steel Bars for Concrete Reinforcement
ASTM A951/A951M Steel Wire for Masonry Joint Reinforcement
ASTM A641/A641M Zinc-Coated (Galvanized) Carbon Steel Wire
ASTM A153/A153M Zinc Coating (Hot-Dip) on Iron and Steel Hardware
ASTM A123/A123M Zinc (Hot-Dip Galvanized) Coatings on Iron and Steel Products
ASTM A899 Steel Wire, Epoxy-Coated
ASTM A580/A580M Stainless Steel Wire
ASTM A240/A240M Chromium and Chromium-Nickel Stainless Steel Plate, Sheet, and Strip for Pressure Vessels and for General Applications
ASTM A36/A36M Carbon Structural Steel
ASTM D2000 Rubber Products in Automotive Applications (control joint gaskets)
ASTM D2287 Nonrigid Vinyl Chloride Polymer and Copolymer Molding and Extrusion Compounds (control joint gaskets)
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.706 Requirements for Masonry Construction
MCAA Standard Practice for Bracing Masonry Walls Under Construction Council for Masonry Wall Bracing
NOTE The National Concrete Masonry Association TEK notes and the Brick Industry Association Technical Notes are consensus industry guidance on detailing and are cited in this standard for the practices they describe, not as mandatory code. (2.3)

3 Submittals

3.1 Action Submittals

3.1.1 The Contractor shall submit the following for review before the corresponding materials are procured or the corresponding work is started:
  • product data for each concrete masonry unit type, identifying the governing unit standard, the net area compressive strength, and the weight class, submitted under Concrete Masonry UnitsConcrete Masonry UnitsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/concrete-masonry-units and referenced here
  • product data for each clay unit type, identifying the governing unit standard, grade, and type, submitted under Brick MasonryBrick MasonryResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/brick-masonry and referenced here
  • the mortar and grout mix designs, submitted under Masonry Mortar And GroutMasonry Mortar and GroutResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/masonry-mortar-and-grout and referenced here
  • the documentation that establishes compliance with the specified masonry compressive strength by the method selected in the datasheet, either the unit strength records and mortar type or the preconstruction prism test report
  • reinforcing bar shop drawings showing bar sizes, grades, lengths, bends, lap locations and lengths, positioner locations, and the cell each bar occupies
  • product data for joint reinforcement, wythe ties, and intersecting-wall connectors, identifying the wire size, configuration, and corrosion protection of each
  • product data for control joint gaskets, expansion joint fillers, and bar positioners
  • product data for loose steel lintels, identifying the section, grade, bearing length, and corrosion protection
  • the grouting procedure, identifying the grouting extent, grout type, pour and lift heights, cleanout locations, consolidation method, and the sequence of grouting relative to laying
  • the wall bracing plan for masonry under construction, prepared in accordance with the MCAA Standard Practice for Bracing Masonry Walls Under Construction
  • the sample panel proposal, identifying the location, size, unit types, bond pattern, joint profile, mortar color, and the embedded items to be represented
Action Submittal Packagecheckbox
☑ Concrete masonry unit product data
☑ Clay unit product data
☑ Mortar and grout mix designs
☑ Masonry compressive strength compliance documentation
☑ Reinforcing bar shop drawings
☑ Joint reinforcement, tie, and connector product data
☐ Control joint gasket, expansion joint filler, and positioner product data
☐ Loose steel lintel product data
☑ Grouting procedure
☑ Wall bracing plan
☐ Sample panel proposal
3.1.2 Masonry shall not be laid until the compliance documentation for the specified masonry compressive strength and the reinforcing bar shop drawings have been reviewed and returned.
NOTE The compressive strength of the assembly cannot be tested into existence after the wall is built; it is established by the unit, the mortar type, and the grout that go into it, so those three are confirmed on paper before the first course rather than by coring afterward. (3.1.3)

3.2 Informational Submittals

3.2.1 The Contractor shall submit the following with or before the action submittals:
  • the masonry contractor's qualification statement, listing comparable completed projects with the assembly types, the approximate wall area, and a reference for each
  • the cold weather and hot weather construction procedures required by Masonry Common ResultsCommon Work Results for MasonryResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/masonry-common-results, referenced here for the walls in this scope
  • the special inspection reports issued during construction, transmitted as they are issued
Informational Submittal Packagecheckbox
☑ Masonry contractor qualification statement
☑ Cold and hot weather construction procedures
☑ Special inspection reports as issued

3.3 Closeout Submittals

3.3.1 The Contractor shall submit the following before the masonry is accepted:
  • the masonry compressive strength verification records for the project, including every prism test report where the prism method applies, with the location, date, and age at test of each set
  • the record of each accepted deviation from the specified masonry compressive strength, with the Engineer of Record's written acceptance and any design modification that accompanied it
  • the as-built record of reinforcement, grouted cells, bond beams, and cleanout locations where they differ from the shop drawings
  • the record of control joint and expansion joint locations as built
  • the special inspection final report
Closeout Submittal Packagecheckbox
☑ Masonry compressive strength verification records
☑ Accepted strength deviation records
☑ As-built reinforcement and grouting record
☑ As-built movement joint locations
☑ Special inspection final report

4 Quality Assurance

4.1 Masonry Contractor Qualifications

4.1.1 The masonry contractor shall have constructed unit masonry assemblies of the types in this scope for not less than the period indicated in the datasheet.
Minimum Masonry Contractor Experiencerange
years
2351015
4.1.2 The foreman directly supervising the masonry shall have supervised the construction of reinforced masonry where reinforced masonry is in this scope.
4.1.3 Where the parties disagree whether a listed project is comparable, the Engineer of Record shall make the initial determination.

4.2 Pre-Construction Conference

4.2.1 A pre-construction conference shall be held before masonry is laid, attended by the Contractor's superintendent, the masonry contractor's supervisor, the Architect, the Engineer of Record, the special inspector, and the Owner's representative.
4.2.2 The conference shall cover the status of the action submittals, the compressive strength compliance method, the grouting procedure and its sequence relative to laying, reinforcement placement and positioning, the cleanout and inspection sequence, the special inspection program, the wall bracing plan, and the weather protection procedures in force.
NOTE Grouting is the step at which the assembly's strength is fixed and at which an error is most expensive to reach afterward, which is why the sequence of laying, inspection, and grouting is settled before the first lift rather than negotiated at the wall. (4.2.3)

4.3 Sample Panel

4.3.1 Whether a sample panel is constructed shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Sample Panelradio
○ Sample panel constructed before production masonry
○ No sample panel
NOTE A sample panel earns its cost where the masonry is exposed to view, because it settles color, texture, joint profile, and tooling in one place before the standard is applied to a whole elevation; where every wall in the scope is concealed behind finishes, the panel demonstrates workmanship only, and the pre-construction conference and the first inspected lift carry that purpose. (4.3.2)
4.3.3 Where a sample panel is constructed, its face area shall be not less than the area indicated in the datasheet.
Sample Panel Minimum Face Arearange
sq ft
16324864100
NOTE The minimum area is the 4 ft by 4 ft panel TMS 602 requires where sample panels are called for; a larger panel is used where a bond pattern, a color blend, or a movement joint detail cannot be represented in a smaller one. (4.3.4)
4.3.5 The sample panel shall be built with the units, mortar, joint reinforcement, and bond pattern of the production work, by the crew that will lay the production work, and shall include a control joint or expansion joint, a section of joint reinforcement, and, where the wall is grouted, a grouted cell exposed for inspection.
4.3.6 The sample panel shall be reviewed and accepted in writing before production masonry of the represented type is laid.
4.3.7 The accepted sample panel shall be protected and retained as the standard of comparison until the Architect directs its removal in writing, and shall not be removed before substantial completion.

4.4 Quality Assurance Level

4.4.1 Masonry shall be inspected and tested under the quality assurance level indicated in the datasheet.
Masonry Quality Assurance Level (TMS 402)select
Level A
Level B
Level C
Derived — TMS 402 Section 3.1 applied to the design method of the masonry (empirical, veneer, or engineered) and the Risk Category the adopted building code assigns to the building (by default)
NOTE TMS 402 assigns the quality assurance level from two facts that are already fixed by the time the specification is written: whether the masonry is engineered or empirical, and the Risk Category of the building; Chapter 17 of the adopted building code invokes the same tables. (4.4.2)
4.4.3 The inspection tasks, their frequency, and the tests required at the selected level shall be those TMS 402 Tables 3.1.1 through 3.1.3 assign to that level.
4.4.4 The special inspector shall verify that the units, mortar type, grout, reinforcement, ties, and connectors are those submitted, that reinforcement is sized, positioned, and lapped as shown on the structural drawings, that cells to be grouted are clean and the reinforcement is in place before grouting, that grouting follows the accepted procedure, and that the assembly is protected during the weather conditions the umbrella standard defines.
4.4.5 The special inspector shall report a nonconformance to the Contractor and the Engineer of Record on the day it is observed.
4.4.6 Masonry that has been grouted in a location where a required inspection was not performed shall be evaluated by the Engineer of Record, and the cost of any exploratory opening, testing, and repair the evaluation requires shall be borne by the Contractor.

5 Wall Assemblies

5.1 The wall assembly types on the project shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Unit Masonry Wall Assembly Typescheckbox
☐ Single-wythe reinforced concrete masonry bearing and shear walls
☐ Single-wythe concrete masonry non-load-bearing partitions
☐ Concrete masonry backup wythe of a cavity wall
☐ Composite multi-wythe walls bonded to act together
☐ Multi-wythe non-composite walls
☐ Masonry pilasters and piers
☐ Masonry retaining and below-grade walls
Per drawings — the wall type schedule (deferred by default)
NOTE Each assembly type carries its own set of decisions: a bearing wall has a specified compressive strength to verify, a partition has a deflection gap to preserve, a composite wall has a collar joint to fill and wythe ties to place, and a cavity wall backup has a veneer standard on its other face. (5.2)
NOTE Where a cavity wall combines a masonry backup wythe in this scope with an anchored veneer, the backup wythe, its reinforcement, and its grouting are governed by this standard, and the veneer wythe, the air space, the anchors, and the shelf angles are governed by Masonry Anchorage And VeneerMasonry Anchorage and VeneerResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/masonry-anchorage-and-veneer. (5.3)
5.4 Where an assembly combines concrete masonry and clay brick in one wall, the clay units shall be selected under Brick MasonryBrick MasonryResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/brick-masonry.
5.5 Where an assembly combines concrete masonry and clay brick in one wall, the assembly shall be constructed under this standard.
5.6 Wall thickness, height, and the location of every pilaster, pier, bond beam, and opening shall be as indicated on the structural drawings.

6 Masonry Compressive Strength

6.1 Specified Masonry Compressive Strength

NOTE The specified compressive strength of masonry, f'm, is the strength of the assembly the structural design relies on, and every unit strength, mortar type, and grout strength in this standard exists to deliver it. (6.1.1)
6.1.2 The specified masonry compressive strength for each wall type shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Specified Masonry Compressive Strength f'mrange
psi
150017502000225025002750300035004000450050006000
Per drawings — the structural general notes (deferred by default)
NOTE The strength is a design value the Engineer of Record sets for each wall from the loads it carries, and it has no norm across projects; it is read from the structural general notes rather than chosen here. (6.1.3)
6.1.4 Where the structural drawings state different values for different walls, each wall shall be constructed to the value stated for it.

6.2 Compliance Method

6.2.1 Compliance with the specified masonry compressive strength shall be established by the method indicated in the datasheet, in accordance with TMS 602 Article 1.4 B.
Masonry Compressive Strength Compliance Methodradio
● Unit strength method
○ Prism test method
NOTE The unit strength method reads the assembly strength from TMS 602 Table 1 or Table 2 given the unit strength and the mortar type, and needs no assembly test; the prism test method builds and crushes prisms of the actual units, mortar, and grout, and is the method that applies where the units, mortar, or grout fall outside the tables or where the design relies on a strength the tables do not reach. (6.2.2)
6.2.3 Where the prism test method is selected, prisms shall be constructed and tested in accordance with ASTM C1314 from the units, mortar, and grout of the production work, using the bedding and grouting of the production work.
6.2.4 Where the prism test method is selected, one preconstruction set of prisms shall be tested before masonry is laid, and the result shall equal or exceed the specified masonry compressive strength before the units and mortar are accepted for the work.

6.3 Unit Compressive Strength

6.3.1 The minimum net area compressive strength of concrete masonry units shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Concrete Masonry Unit Net Area Compressive Strength, Minimumrange
psi
200022502500275030003250350037504000450050006000
Derived — the specified masonry compressive strength f'm and the mortar type selected for the wall, read from TMS 602 Table 2 under the unit strength method; where the prism test method is selected, the unit strength the preconstruction prism set was built from (by default)
NOTE The lower bound of the field is the minimum net area compressive strength ASTM C90 requires of every loadbearing unit, so a lower value is not procurable under the governing unit standard. (6.3.2)
6.3.3 The minimum compressive strength of clay masonry units shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Clay Masonry Unit Compressive Strength, Minimumrange
psi
20003000400050006000800010000120001500020000
Derived — the specified masonry compressive strength f'm and the mortar type selected for the wall, read from TMS 602 Table 1 under the unit strength method; where the prism test method is selected, the unit strength the preconstruction prism set was built from (by default)
NOTE Under the unit strength method the required unit strength is not a choice: given the specified masonry compressive strength and the mortar type, the TMS 602 table returns one value, and a stronger mortar type lowers the unit strength the table requires. (6.3.4)
6.3.5 Unit compressive strength shall be verified by the manufacturer's test reports or by sampling and testing in accordance with ASTM C140 for concrete masonry units and ASTM C67 for clay units, under the sampling required by Concrete Masonry UnitsConcrete Masonry UnitsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/concrete-masonry-units and Brick MasonryBrick MasonryResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/brick-masonry.
6.3.6 Units whose verified strength is below the datasheet value shall not be incorporated in walls designed to the specified masonry compressive strength that value serves.

6.4 Grout Compressive Strength

6.4.1 The minimum compressive strength of grout, f'g, shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Grout Compressive Strength f'g, Minimumrange
psi
2000250030003500400045005000
Derived — the specified masonry compressive strength f'm, taken not less than the 2,000 psi minimum ASTM C476 and TMS 602 Article 2.2 require of grout (by default)
NOTE TMS 602 requires the grout to be at least as strong as the masonry it is placed in and never weaker than the ASTM C476 floor, so the grout strength follows from the specified masonry compressive strength rather than being chosen on its own. (6.4.2)
6.4.3 The grout mix that delivers the datasheet value, its slump, and its sampling shall be as required by Masonry Mortar And GroutMasonry Mortar and GroutResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/masonry-mortar-and-grout.

7 Mortar Type by Wall Class

NOTE The mortar type is the one mortar decision that belongs to the assembly, because it enters the unit strength table and the seismic detailing rules; the cementitious system, proportions, and properties that produce that type are governed by Masonry Mortar And GroutMasonry Mortar and GroutResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/masonry-mortar-and-grout. (7.1)
7.2 Mortar for load-bearing walls, shear walls, and reinforced masonry shall be the ASTM C270 type indicated in the datasheet.
Mortar Type for Structural Wallsselect
Type M
Type S
Type N
7.3 Mortar for non-load-bearing interior partitions shall be the ASTM C270 type indicated in the datasheet.
Mortar Type for Non-Load-Bearing Interior Partitionsselect
Type M
Type S
Type N
Type O
7.4 Mortar for masonry in contact with earth, including below-grade walls and retaining walls, shall be the ASTM C270 type indicated in the datasheet.
Mortar Type for Masonry in Contact with Earthselect
Type M
Type S
NOTE Mortar strength is not a virtue in itself: a mortar much stronger than the units it joins concentrates movement stress in the units instead of the joints, while a mortar weaker than the design assumed lowers the assembly strength the unit strength table returns. The type for each wall class is chosen against the units and the loads, which is why the three classes are decided separately. (7.5)
7.6 Where TMS 402 Chapter 7 restricts the mortar in the lateral force-resisting system for Seismic Design CategorySeismic Design CategoryParameterEach project supplies its own value.seismic-design-category, which it does in Seismic Design Categories D, E, and F, that masonry shall be laid in Type M or Type S mortar and masonry cement mortar shall not be used in it.
7.7 Type O mortar shall be used only where the datasheet selects it for non-load-bearing interior partitions, and shall not be laid in masonry exposed to weather or to freezing while saturated.
NOTE Type O mortar has no entry in the TMS 602 unit strength tables, so masonry laid in it has no compliance path to a specified compressive strength; that is why the structural and earth-contact fields do not offer it. (7.8)
NOTE The mortar type for a veneer wythe is selected under Masonry Anchorage And VeneerMasonry Anchorage and VeneerResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/masonry-anchorage-and-veneer or Brick MasonryBrick MasonryResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/brick-masonry and is not set by this standard. (7.9)

8 Masonry Units in the Assembly

8.1 Concrete masonry units for load-bearing walls, shear walls, pilasters, and any wall that supports load from above shall comply with ASTM C90.
8.2 Concrete masonry units for non-load-bearing interior partitions shall comply with the unit standard indicated in the datasheet.
Concrete Masonry Units for Non-Load-Bearing Partitionsradio
○ ASTM C90 loadbearing units
○ ASTM C129 nonloadbearing units
NOTE Nonloadbearing units cost less and weigh less, and are limited by their standard to walls that carry nothing but their own weight; loadbearing units used in a partition remove the risk of a nonloadbearing unit finding its way into a bearing wall on a site where both are stocked. Neither policy is the norm across projects. (8.3)
8.4 Where nonloadbearing units are selected, they shall be stored separately from loadbearing units and shall be identified on the delivery ticket and on the pallet.
8.5 Clay units in a wythe of a composite or multi-wythe wall in this scope shall comply with ASTM C216 where the wythe is solid and exposed and with ASTM C652 where the wythe is hollow, selected under Brick MasonryBrick MasonryResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/brick-masonry.
8.6 Clay units shall not be wetted before laying except where Brick MasonryBrick MasonryResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/brick-masonry requires pre-wetting for the unit's initial rate of absorption.
8.7 Concrete masonry units shall not be wetted before laying.
NOTE A concrete masonry unit laid wet shrinks in the wall as it dries, and the shrinkage that would have happened in the yard happens instead at the bed joints as horizontal cracking. (8.8)
8.9 Unit weight class, cell geometry, finish, color, absorption, and shrinkage limits shall be as required by Concrete Masonry UnitsConcrete Masonry UnitsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/concrete-masonry-units.

9 Grouting of the Assembly

9.1 Grouting Extent

9.1.1 The grouting extent for each wall type shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Grouting Extentselect
Fully grouted
Partially grouted, cells containing reinforcement and bond beams only
Partially grouted, cells containing reinforcement, bond beams, and the cells indicated
Ungrouted
Per drawings — the structural drawings (deferred by default)
NOTE The grouting extent is a structural design decision that changes the wall's weight, its shear capacity, its fire rating, and its sound rating, and it differs from wall to wall on most projects; it is read from the structural drawings. (9.1.2)
9.1.3 Cells containing reinforcement, anchor bolts, or embedded items shall be grouted regardless of the grouting extent selected for the wall.
9.1.4 Cells to be grouted and the bond beams to be grouted shall be as indicated on the structural drawings.

9.2 Grout Space and Cell Alignment

9.2.1 Cells and cavities to be grouted shall be vertically aligned to provide a continuous unobstructed opening not smaller than the least clear dimension TMS 602 Table 7 requires for the grout type and pour height in the accepted grouting procedure.
9.2.2 Mortar protrusions extending more than 1/2 in. into a cell to be grouted shall be removed before the grout is placed.
9.2.3 Cells to be grouted shall be kept free of mortar droppings and debris throughout the laying of the lift.
9.2.4 The grout type, fine or coarse, its slump, and its maximum pour and lift heights follow from the grout space established under this article and shall be as required by Masonry Mortar And GroutMasonry Mortar and GroutResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/masonry-mortar-and-grout.

9.3 Cleanouts

9.3.1 Where the grout pour height exceeds 5 ft 4 in., cleanouts shall be provided in the bottom course at every cell containing vertical reinforcement, and at a horizontal spacing not exceeding 32 in. where the wall is solidly grouted, in accordance with TMS 602 Article 3.2 F.
9.3.2 Each cleanout opening shall be not less than 3 in. in its least dimension.
9.3.3 Cleanouts shall be used to remove mortar droppings and debris, and shall remain open until the special inspector has observed that the cell is clean and that the reinforcement is in place.
9.3.4 Cleanouts shall be closed with a unit face or a form that resists the grout pressure and matches the adjacent face where the wall is exposed.
NOTE A cleanout is the only way to see the bottom of a tall cell before it is grouted; a cell that is inspected from the top and grouted from the top can carry a mortar bridge two feet up that stops the grout above the reinforcement it was meant to embed. (9.3.5)

9.4 Grout Placement in the Assembly

9.4.1 Grout shall be placed in the sequence stated in the accepted grouting procedure, and shall not be placed in a lift until the reinforcement in that lift has been positioned and inspected.
9.4.2 Where grouting is stopped for one hour or longer, the grout shall be stopped not less than 1-1/2 in. below the top of the uppermost unit so that the next lift keys into the last.
9.4.3 Grout shall not be placed against masonry that has not cured long enough to resist the grout pressure without displacement of the units, and the Engineer of Record shall make the initial determination where the parties disagree.
NOTE The mortar joints of a fresh wall carry the hydrostatic head of the grout as a lateral load they were never designed for, which is why the pour height in the accepted procedure is a limit and not a target. (9.4.4)
9.4.5 Consolidation, reconsolidation, and grout sampling shall be as required by Masonry Mortar And GroutMasonry Mortar and GroutResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/masonry-mortar-and-grout.

10 Bar Reinforcement

10.1 Bar Material

10.1.1 Reinforcing bars shall be deformed bars of the standard and grade indicated in the datasheet.
Reinforcing Bar Standard and Gradeselect
ASTM A615 Grade 60
ASTM A615 Grade 40
ASTM A615 Grade 80
ASTM A706 Grade 60
ASTM A706 Grade 80
NOTE ASTM A706 controls the chemistry of the bar for weldability and ductility; ASTM A615 does not, so an A615 bar that is to be welded needs a supplemental analysis first. Where bars are welded to connectors or to steel framing, A706 removes that step. (10.1.2)
10.1.3 Reinforcing bars shall be procured, fabricated, and handled in accordance with Concrete ReinforcementConcrete ReinforcementResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/concrete-reinforcement.
10.1.4 The corrosion protection of reinforcing bars shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Reinforcing Bar Corrosion Protectionselect
Uncoated
Hot-dip galvanized, ASTM A767
Epoxy-coated, ASTM A775
Stainless steel, ASTM A955
NOTE A bar embedded in grout with the masonry cover TMS 402 requires is protected by the alkalinity of the grout, which is why uncoated bar is the norm; a coated or stainless bar is used where the wall is exposed to chlorides, where the cover cannot be achieved, or where the Owner requires a service life the grout alone does not warrant. (10.1.5)

10.2 Bar Sizes and Placement

10.2.1 Reinforcing bar sizes, spacing, lap splice lengths, hook dimensions, and the cell each bar occupies shall be as indicated on the structural drawings.
10.2.2 The Contractor shall not reduce a lap length, change a bar size, or relocate a bar from the cell shown without the Engineer of Record's written approval.
10.2.3 Bar size shall not exceed No. 11, and the bar diameter shall not exceed one-eighth of the nominal wall thickness nor one-quarter of the least clear dimension of the cell in which it is placed, as TMS 402 requires.
10.2.4 The area of reinforcement in a cell shall not exceed the fraction of the cell area TMS 402 permits, including at lap splices.
10.2.5 The clear distance between a bar and any face of a masonry unit shall be not less than 1/4 in. where fine grout is used and not less than 1/2 in. where coarse grout is used.
10.2.6 Bars in the same cell shall be separated by a clear distance of not less than the nominal bar diameter and not less than 1 in.
10.2.7 Masonry cover over reinforcing bars shall be not less than TMS 402 requires for the bar size and for exposure to weather or earth.

10.3 Bar Positioning

10.3.1 Reinforcement shall be held in position before and during grouting by bar positioners, spaced at intervals not exceeding 192 bar diameters along the bar and at the top and bottom of each lift.
10.3.2 Reinforcement shall be placed within the tolerances TMS 602 Article 3.4 assigns to the effective depth of the reinforcement and to its position along the length of the wall.
10.3.3 A bar that has moved during grouting shall be returned to position before the grout takes initial set, and where that is no longer possible the condition shall be reported to the Engineer of Record before the lift above is laid.
NOTE The effective depth of a wall's reinforcement is the distance from the bar to the compression face, and a bar that drifts half an inch in an 8 in. wall has lost a measurable share of the wall's flexural capacity; positioners are the only thing holding it where the design assumed it would be. (10.3.4)
10.3.5 Reinforcement shall be clean of loose rust, mortar, oil, and other coatings that would reduce bond at the time the grout is placed.

10.4 Dowels and Splices to Concrete

10.4.1 Dowels connecting the masonry to a concrete footing, slab, or frame shall be cast into the concrete under Cast In Place ConcreteCast-in-Place ConcreteResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/cast-in-place-concrete at the locations and projections shown on the structural drawings.
10.4.2 A dowel out of position by more than the placement tolerance for the wall reinforcement shall not be bent into position, and the correction shall be as directed by the Engineer of Record.
10.4.3 Where the Engineer of Record accepts a post-installed dowel as the correction, it shall be installed under Post Installed AnchorsPost-Installed Concrete and Masonry AnchorsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/post-installed-anchors.

11 Joint Reinforcement

11.1 Wire Size and Configuration

11.1.1 Joint reinforcement shall be fabricated from wire conforming to ASTM A951, with longitudinal wires of the size indicated in the datasheet.
Joint Reinforcement Longitudinal Wire Sizeselect
W1.7 (9 gauge)
W2.8 (3/16 in.)
11.1.2 The longitudinal wire shall be not smaller than W1.7 and shall not exceed one-half the mortar joint thickness, as TMS 402 requires.
NOTE In a 3/8 in. bed joint the largest wire that can be embedded with the required cover on both faces is W2.8, so the field offers the two sizes the joint admits. (11.1.3)
11.1.4 The joint reinforcement configuration shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Joint Reinforcement Configurationradio
○ Ladder type, cross wires perpendicular to the longitudinal wires
○ Truss type, cross wires diagonal between the longitudinal wires
NOTE Where the cells of a wall are to be grouted or are to receive vertical bars, ladder-type cross wires span the web and leave the cell open, while truss-type diagonals cross the cell space and obstruct the grout and the bar; where the wall is ungrouted, the diagonal cross wires of truss type stiffen the assembly against in-plane shear between wythes, which is the condition it was developed for. (11.1.5)
11.1.6 Joint reinforcement for a multi-wythe wall shall have cross wires, tabs, or adjustable eye-and-pintle components that engage every wythe, of the type selected under the wythe tie article of this standard.

11.2 Joint Reinforcement Spacing and Placement

11.2.1 Joint reinforcement shall be placed at the vertical spacing indicated in the datasheet, or at a closer spacing where the structural drawings require.
Joint Reinforcement Vertical Spacingrange
in.
816243248
NOTE Spacing at every second course of 8 in. units is the crack-control spacing the National Concrete Masonry Association guidance pairs with the control joint spacing in this standard; spacing at every course is used where the design counts the joint reinforcement as horizontal reinforcement or where the control joint spacing is stretched, and wider spacing is used where the structural drawings supply horizontal bars in bond beams instead. (11.2.2)
11.2.3 Joint reinforcement shall be placed so that the longitudinal wires are embedded in mortar with cover of not less than 5/8 in. from a face exposed to weather or earth and not less than 1/2 in. from a face not so exposed.
11.2.4 Joint reinforcement shall be lapped not less than 6 in. at splices.
11.2.5 Prefabricated corner and intersection pieces shall be used at corners and intersections, and joint reinforcement shall not be field-bent to form a corner.
NOTE A field-bent corner kinks the wire at the point where the wall changes direction, which is exactly where the reinforcement is asked to carry tension across the corner; the prefabricated piece carries the wire around continuously. (11.2.6)
11.2.7 Joint reinforcement shall be discontinued at control joints and at expansion joints unless the structural drawings require it to be continuous.
NOTE Continuous joint reinforcement across a control joint restrains the movement the joint exists to release, so the wire is cut at the joint by default and carried through only where the design has decided the joint should transfer force. (11.2.8)
11.2.9 Where masonry is laid in other than running bond, horizontal reinforcement of not less than 0.00028 times the gross vertical cross-sectional area of the wall shall be provided at a vertical spacing not exceeding 48 in., as TMS 402 requires, using joint reinforcement, bond beam reinforcement, or both.

12 Corrosion Protection of Embedded Metal

12.1 The corrosion protection of joint reinforcement, wythe ties, intersecting-wall connectors, and other embedded metal accessories shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Embedded Metal Accessory Corrosion Protectionselect
Mill galvanized carbon steel, ASTM A641
Hot-dip galvanized carbon steel, ASTM A153 Class B
Epoxy-coated carbon steel, ASTM A899 Class B
Stainless steel, Type 304
Stainless steel, Type 316
Derived — TMS 402 Section 6.1 applied to whether the wall is an interior wall not exposed to weather or earth, or is exposed to weather or earth, together with any chloride exposure identified in the contract documents (by default)
NOTE TMS 402 sets the protection from the exposure of the wall rather than from preference: the mill coating is permitted only on accessories in interior walls not exposed to weather or earth, and every accessory in an exterior wall or one exposed to earth carries the hot-dip, epoxy, or stainless protection the code lists. Chloride exposure from a coastal site or de-icing salt is the condition under which a stainless accessory is chosen over the galvanized one the code would otherwise accept. (12.2)
NOTE The corrosion protection of anchors and ties for an anchored veneer is selected under Masonry Anchorage And VeneerMasonry Anchorage and VeneerResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/masonry-anchorage-and-veneer and is not set by this field. (12.3)
12.4 A component whose protection is below that required for its exposure shall not be embedded, and one found embedded shall be removed and replaced at the Contractor's expense.
12.5 Where a wall contains both an interior face and a face exposed to weather or earth, the exposed condition shall govern the protection of every accessory embedded in that wall.
12.6 Dissimilar metals, including a stainless accessory welded or wired to a carbon steel component, shall not be placed in contact within the masonry.

13 Wythe Ties and Intersecting-Wall Connections

13.1 Multi-Wythe Wall Ties

13.1.1 Wythes of a composite or non-composite multi-wythe wall shall be connected by the tie type indicated in the datasheet.
Multi-Wythe Wall Tie Typeselect
W2.8 wire Z-ties
W2.8 wire rectangular ties
Adjustable two-piece eye-and-pintle ties
Joint reinforcement with tab cross wires
Joint reinforcement with adjustable eye-and-pintle cross wires
Masonry headers
13.1.2 Ties shall be spaced at a rate per unit area and at maximum horizontal and vertical spacings not exceeding those TMS 402 Section 5.7 assigns to the tie type and to the composite or non-composite wall type.
NOTE A rigid wire tie holds the wythes at a fixed relationship and is the arrangement for a composite wall whose wythes are meant to move together; an adjustable tie lets the courses of the two wythes fall at different heights and lets the wythes move differentially, which is what a non-composite wall of two materials with different movement needs. Z-ties are used only with solid units, because a Z-tie in a hollow unit can end in the void. (13.1.3)
13.1.4 Where the tie type selected is a Z-tie, the units in both wythes shall be solid.
13.1.5 The collar joint of a composite wall shall be filled solidly with mortar or grout as the wythes are laid.
13.1.6 The cavity of a non-composite multi-wythe wall shall be kept clear of mortar droppings, and its drainage, where it drains, shall be as required by Through Wall FlashingThrough-Wall Flashing and Masonry Moisture ControlResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/through-wall-flashing.
13.1.7 Ties shall be embedded in the mortar bed joint of each wythe with not less than 1-1/2 in. of mortar cover from the face of the wythe, and shall not be bent after embedment.

13.2 Intersecting Walls

13.2.1 Intersecting masonry walls that the structural design relies on to support one another shall be connected by the method indicated in the datasheet, in accordance with TMS 402 Section 5.1.1.2.5.
Intersecting Wall Connection Methodselect
Masonry bond with interlocking units
Steel strap connectors with bent ends in grouted cells
Prefabricated joint reinforcement intersection pieces
Bond beam reinforcement continued through the intersection
Per drawings — the structural drawings (deferred by default)
NOTE Each method transfers shear across the intersection differently, and the structural drawings decide which the design counts on; the field records the method so the bidder prices the right hardware. (13.2.2)
13.2.3 Where the design does not rely on the intersection for support, the intersection shall be built as a control joint or with a vertical slip plane so that the walls can move independently, as indicated on the structural drawings.
13.2.4 Connectors shall be embedded in grouted cells or in bond beams at the vertical spacing the structural drawings require, and shall not be embedded in mortar joints alone.

13.3 Connection to the Structure Above

13.3.1 Non-load-bearing partitions shall be connected to the structure above by a connection that restrains the top of the wall laterally while leaving the gap indicated in the datasheet between the top of the masonry and the underside of the structure, so that the structure can deflect without bearing on the wall.
Deflection Gap at Top of Non-Load-Bearing Wallsrange
in.
0.50.7511.52
Per drawings — the structural drawings (deferred by default)
NOTE The gap is the calculated deflection of the floor or roof above plus the construction tolerance of the two, and it differs with the span and stiffness of every structure; the structural drawings carry it. (13.3.2)
13.3.3 The top-of-wall connection type and its spacing shall be as indicated on the structural drawings.
13.3.4 The deflection gap shall be kept free of mortar, grout, and rigid material, and shall be closed with a compressible filler and, where the wall is fire-rated, with the head-of-wall joint system required by Fire Rated Wall And Floor AssembliesFire-Resistance-Rated AssembliesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/fire-rated-wall-and-floor-assemblies.
13.3.5 Load-bearing walls shall bear the structure above on a full mortar bed, a grouted bond beam, or a bearing plate as indicated on the structural drawings, and the bearing course shall be fully bedded.

14 Bond Beams and Lintels

14.1 Bond Beams

14.1.1 Bond beams shall be constructed with bond beam units at the locations indicated on the structural drawings, and at the top of every wall unless the structural drawings indicate otherwise.
14.1.2 Bond beam reinforcement shall be continuous through the length of the bond beam, lapped at splices as the structural drawings require, and carried around corners and through intersections with bent bars or prefabricated corner bars.
14.1.3 A bond beam shall be grouted in the same pour as the cells beneath it where the wall is fully grouted, and in its own pour where the wall is partially grouted.
14.1.4 Where the cells below a bond beam are not to be grouted, the grout shall be confined to the bond beam by a mesh or a solid-bottom bond beam unit.
NOTE The bond beam distributes concentrated loads along the wall and ties the wall together at the floor and roof lines; a bond beam whose reinforcement stops short of a corner or is interrupted at a control joint the design did not intend to interrupt leaves the wall untied where the tie matters most. (14.1.5)
14.1.6 Where a bond beam crosses a control joint that the structural drawings require to carry shear, the reinforcement shall be continued through the joint with the bond breaker the drawings detail, and where the drawings do not require continuity the bond beam reinforcement shall be stopped at the joint.

14.2 Lintels

14.2.1 Lintels over openings shall be of the type and size indicated on the structural drawings.
14.2.2 Each lintel shall bear not less than 4 in. on the masonry at each end, and not less than the bearing length the structural drawings require.
14.2.3 Reinforced masonry lintels shall be constructed on temporary shoring, and the shoring shall remain until the grout has reached the strength the accepted grouting procedure states for removal and for not less than 7 days.
14.2.4 Loose steel lintels in exterior walls and in walls exposed to weather shall carry the corrosion protection indicated in the datasheet.
Loose Steel Lintel Corrosion Protection at Exterior and Exposed Wallsselect
Hot-dip galvanized after fabrication, ASTM A123
Shop-primed with a zinc-rich primer
Stainless steel, ASTM A240 Type 304
Stainless steel, ASTM A240 Type 316
NOTE A steel lintel in an exterior wall sits under the flashing that collects everything the wall face lets through, and it is the one steel element in the wall that cannot be repainted without removing the masonry above it; hot-dip galvanizing after fabrication is the norm for that reason, and stainless is chosen where chloride exposure would consume the zinc within the service life. (14.2.5)
14.2.6 Loose steel lintels in interior walls not exposed to weather shall be shop-primed.
14.2.7 Loose steel lintels that are part of the structural steel scope shall be furnished under Structural Steel FramingStructural Steel FramingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/structural-steel-framing and built into the masonry under this standard.
14.2.8 Through-wall flashing above every lintel in an exterior wall, with its end dams and weeps, shall be as required by Through Wall FlashingThrough-Wall Flashing and Masonry Moisture ControlResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/through-wall-flashing.
14.2.9 The masonry over a lintel shall not be laid until the lintel is in place and bearing on its full bearing length.

15 Bond Pattern, Bedding, and Joints

15.1 Bond Pattern

15.1.1 Masonry shall be laid in the bond pattern indicated in the datasheet.
Bond Patternselect
Running bond, half-unit lap
Running bond, one-third-unit lap
Stack bond
Common bond with header courses
Flemish bond
English bond
Basket weave
Per drawings — the exterior elevations
NOTE Running bond interlocks every course with the one below and is the pattern the unit strength tables and the empirical provisions assume; every other pattern is masonry in other than running bond under TMS 402 and carries the minimum horizontal reinforcement this standard requires for it. (15.1.2)
15.1.3 Where the pattern selected is other than running bond, the horizontal reinforcement required by the joint reinforcement article of this standard shall be provided.
15.1.4 A pattern other than running bond shall not be used in the lateral force-resisting system where TMS 402 Chapter 7 prohibits it for Seismic Design CategorySeismic Design CategoryParameterEach project supplies its own value.seismic-design-category, which it does in Seismic Design Categories E and F.
15.1.5 Where a feature panel, band, or soldier course departs from the field pattern, the local pattern shall be as indicated on the exterior elevations.
15.1.6 Units shall be laid so that the pattern is continuous around corners and returns, with corner units and closures cut and placed to maintain the lap.

15.2 Bedding of Hollow Units

15.2.1 Hollow units shall be bedded as indicated in the datasheet.
Bedding of Hollow Unitsradio
● Face-shell bedding, with full bedding where TMS 602 requires
○ Full mortar bedding of face shells and webs throughout
NOTE TMS 602 permits face-shell bedding of hollow units and requires the webs to be bedded in the starting course on a foundation, in piers, columns, and pilasters, and beside cells to be grouted so that the grout is confined; full bedding throughout is selected where the design counts the webs in the mortared area or where the wall is to be tested for sound or water transmission at the full section. (15.2.2)
15.2.3 Where face-shell bedding is selected, the webs of hollow units shall be fully bedded in the starting course on a foundation, in piers, columns, and pilasters, and in the webs adjacent to every cell to be grouted.
15.2.4 Solid units shall be laid with full bed joints and full head joints.
15.2.5 Head joints of hollow units shall be filled with mortar for a distance in from each face not less than the thickness of the face shell.
15.2.6 Mortar shall not be furrowed, and the bed joint shall be of full depth across the bedded area.

15.3 Joint Thickness and Profile

15.3.1 Bed and head joints shall be 3/8 in. thick unless the structural drawings or the selected unit coursing require otherwise.
15.3.2 The starting course bed joint on a foundation shall be not less than 1/4 in. and not more than 3/4 in. thick.
15.3.3 Exposed mortar joints shall be tooled to the profile indicated in the datasheet.
Exposed Joint Profileselect
Concave
V-joint
Grapevine
Weathered
Beaded
Flush
Struck
Raked
Extruded
NOTE A tooled concave or V-joint compresses the mortar against the unit and sheds water off its face; a flush, struck, raked, or extruded joint leaves the mortar surface untooled or leaves a ledge that holds water, so on a face exposed to weather those profiles admit more water than the tooled ones and are chosen where the appearance is worth that cost or where the wall is protected. (15.3.4)
15.3.5 Where a raked, struck, flush, or extruded profile is selected for a face exposed to weather, the mortar shall be compacted in the joint before the profile is formed.
15.3.6 Joints in concealed masonry and joints to receive plaster or a bonded coating shall be struck flush.
15.3.7 Joints shall be tooled when the mortar is thumbprint hard, and a joint tooled after the mortar has hardened further shall be raked out and repointed.

16 Movement Joints in the Assembly

16.1 Control Joints in Concrete Masonry

NOTE Concrete masonry shrinks as it dries and cools, and the shrinkage that is not released at a control joint appears as a vertical crack at the weakest section, which is usually beside an opening. The control joint is a deliberate weak plane that releases the shrinkage where it does no harm. (16.1.1)
16.1.2 Control joints shall be located as indicated on the wall elevations.
16.1.3 Where the drawings do not locate a control joint in a run of concrete masonry, control joints shall be placed at a spacing not exceeding the value indicated in the datasheet, and within 4 ft of each change in wall height, each change in wall thickness, and each side of an opening more than 6 ft wide.
Control Joint Maximum Spacing in Concrete Masonryrange
ft
121620253040
NOTE The 25 ft value is the empirical spacing the National Concrete Masonry Association pairs with joint reinforcement at 16 in. and with units meeting the shrinkage limit of the unit standard; the spacing is stretched where the joint reinforcement is closer or the design applies the engineered crack control method, and tightened where the wall has openings, a change in height, or a low-shrinkage unit is not specified. (16.1.4)
16.1.5 The control joint type shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Control Joint Type in Concrete Masonryselect
Preformed gasket in sash units
Raked mortar joint with sealant
Building paper bond break with grout key
Preformed gasket in sash units with grout key
NOTE A preformed gasket keys the two sides of the joint so that they can slide vertically but not move out of plane, which carries wind and seismic shear across the joint without restraining shrinkage; a raked joint carries nothing across the joint and relies on the wall on each side to stand alone; a grout key transfers out-of-plane shear through a grouted cell wrapped in a bond breaker. The type is chosen against whether the design needs shear transfer across the joint. (16.1.6)
16.1.7 Preformed control joint gaskets shall be of rubber complying with ASTM D2000 or of polyvinyl chloride complying with ASTM D2287, sized for the sash unit groove and continuous for the full height of the joint.
16.1.8 A control joint shall be carried through the full thickness of the wythe in which it occurs, through bond beams except where the structural drawings require the bond beam reinforcement to continue, and through the joint reinforcement.
16.1.9 The mortar shall be raked from the control joint on the exposed face to the depth required for the backer and sealant, and the sealant and backer shall be as required by Joint SealantsJoint SealantsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/joint-sealants.

16.2 Expansion Joints in Clay Masonry

NOTE Clay units expand irreversibly after firing as they take up moisture from the air, and they expand and contract with temperature; the expansion joint is the gap that lets the clay wythe grow without pushing against the structure or bowing the wall. (16.2.1)
16.2.2 Expansion joints in clay masonry wythes within this scope shall be located as indicated on the exterior elevations.
16.2.3 Where the drawings do not locate an expansion joint in a run of clay masonry, expansion joints shall be placed at a spacing not exceeding the value indicated in the datasheet, at offsets and returns, and at each side of a corner within the distance the Brick Industry Association guidance recommends for the wall geometry.
Expansion Joint Maximum Spacing in Clay Masonryrange
ft
1216202530
Per drawings — the exterior elevations (deferred by default)
NOTE The spacing is a calculation on the expected movement of the units, the color and orientation of the wall, and the movement capability of the sealant, and it is set on the elevations for each building; an expansion joint in a veneer wythe is governed by Brick MasonryBrick MasonryResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/brick-masonry and Masonry Anchorage And VeneerMasonry Anchorage and VeneerResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/masonry-anchorage-and-veneer. (16.2.4)
16.2.5 An expansion joint shall be kept free of mortar, grout, and every rigid material for the full height and thickness of the joint, and shall be closed only with a compressible filler and the sealant required by Joint SealantsJoint SealantsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/joint-sealants.
NOTE An expansion joint releases movement in the direction opposite to a control joint, so the two are not interchangeable: a control joint filled with a compressible gasket still opens as the concrete masonry shrinks, while an expansion joint with a hard object in it closes on that object and fails. (16.2.6)

16.3 Movement Joint Width

16.3.1 The width of control joints and expansion joints shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Movement Joint Widthrange
in.
0.3750.50.6250.751
NOTE A control joint in concrete masonry is commonly built at the mortar joint width, because it opens rather than closes; an expansion joint in clay masonry is sized from the expected expansion between joints divided by the sealant's movement capability, and grows with the spacing selected above. No single width is the norm across the two joint kinds. (16.3.2)
16.3.3 A movement joint shall be built plumb for its full height, at a width that varies not more than 1/8 in. from the datasheet value.

17 Seismic Detailing

17.1 The prescriptive seismic reinforcement and detailing of the masonry shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Prescriptive Seismic Reinforcementselect
No prescriptive seismic reinforcement required
Prescriptive reinforcement for Seismic Design Category C
Prescriptive reinforcement for Seismic Design Category D
Prescriptive reinforcement for Seismic Design Categories E and F
Derived — Seismic Design CategorySeismic Design CategoryParameterEach project supplies its own value.seismic-design-category applied through TMS 402 Chapter 7 to the walls that are, and the walls that are not, part of the lateral force-resisting system (by default)
NOTE TMS 402 Chapter 7 assigns minimum reinforcement, maximum reinforcement spacing, the permitted shear wall types, and the mortar restrictions of this standard from the seismic design category alone, so the requirement follows from the category and is not a project choice; the structural drawings carry the bar sizes that satisfy it. (17.2)
17.3 The masonry shear wall type for each wall in the lateral force-resisting system shall be as indicated on the structural general notes, and shall be a type TMS 402 Chapter 7 permits for Seismic Design CategorySeismic Design CategoryParameterEach project supplies its own value.seismic-design-category.
17.4 The minimum reinforcement TMS 402 Chapter 7 requires for Seismic Design CategorySeismic Design CategoryParameterEach project supplies its own value.seismic-design-category at wall ends, corners, openings, and along the wall shall be provided whether or not the structural drawings show additional reinforcement at those locations.
17.5 Non-load-bearing partitions that are not part of the lateral force-resisting system shall be isolated in their own plane from the structure where TMS 402 Chapter 7 requires that isolation for Seismic Design CategorySeismic Design CategoryParameterEach project supplies its own value.seismic-design-category, which it does in Seismic Design Categories C and higher, with the isolation joints and connections shown on the structural drawings.
NOTE An unisolated partition attracts the lateral force its stiffness invites, and a partition that was never designed for that force cracks or fails at the connection the design assumed was a slip; isolation is what keeps the non-participating wall out of the load path. (17.6)
17.7 The reinforcement the seismic provisions require is a floor under the design, and the drawings may show more; the Contractor shall provide the greater of the two at every location.
17.8 A conflict between the reinforcement the seismic provisions require and the reinforcement the drawings show shall be reported to the Engineer of Record before the affected lift is grouted.

18 Fire Resistance of Masonry Assemblies

18.1 Where a wall in this scope is required to have a fire-resistance rating, the rating shall be established by the method indicated in the datasheet.
Fire-Resistance Rating Basis for Masonry Wallsselect
ACI/TMS 216.1 equivalent thickness calculation
Listed assembly
Adopted building code prescriptive table
NOTE The equivalent thickness method rates the wall from the unit's aggregate type, its solid volume, and the grout and filled cells it contains, so a partially grouted wall of a given unit has one rating and the same wall fully grouted has a higher one; the grouting extent and the fire rating are decided together. (18.2)
18.3 The equivalent thickness of each rated wall, the aggregate type of its units, and the grouting or cell fill the rating relies on shall be as required by Fire Rated Wall And Floor AssembliesFire-Resistance-Rated AssembliesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/fire-rated-wall-and-floor-assemblies and shall be confirmed against the unit product data submitted under Concrete Masonry UnitsConcrete Masonry UnitsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/concrete-masonry-units before the units are ordered.
18.4 Penetrations, head-of-wall joints, and control joints in a rated wall shall be protected with the systems required by Fire Rated Wall And Floor AssembliesFire-Resistance-Rated AssembliesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/fire-rated-wall-and-floor-assemblies.

19 Installation

19.1 Layout

19.1.1 Before masonry is laid, the Contractor shall verify the location and projection of dowels, anchor bolts, embedded plates, and bearing surfaces against the structural drawings and this standard's tolerances.
19.1.2 An embedded item found out of tolerance shall be reported to the Engineer of Record before it is built into the wall.
19.1.3 Coursing shall be laid out on a story pole for each wall so that heads of openings, lintel bearings, bond beams, and the top of the wall fall at full courses.
19.1.4 Masonry shall be built to a line between leads, with leads built plumb and level and checked before the wall between them is laid.
19.1.5 Corners, intersections, and pilasters shall be built up ahead of the wall and racked back rather than toothed, except where a toothed lead is accepted in writing by the Engineer of Record.
19.1.6 Units shall be set into the mortar bed in one motion and shall not be moved or tapped after the mortar has begun to set.
19.1.7 A unit disturbed after the mortar has begun to set shall be removed, the joint cleaned, and the unit relaid in fresh mortar.
19.1.8 Units shall be cut with a masonry saw.
19.1.9 A cut face shall be concealed in the completed work unless the Architect accepts the cut face in writing.

19.2 Embedded Items and Penetrations

19.2.1 Anchor bolts, straps, plates, sleeves, and other embedded items shall be built into the masonry as the wall is laid, at the locations and projections indicated on the structural drawings, and shall be grouted in place before the lift above is laid.
19.2.2 Embedded items shall not be cut into completed masonry except where the Engineer of Record accepts the cutting in writing.
19.2.3 Conduits, pipes, and sleeves shall be embedded only in cells that contain no reinforcement and only in walls where TMS 402 permits embedment.
19.2.4 Conduits, pipes, and sleeves shall not be embedded in a pilaster, pier, or column.
NOTE A conduit in a reinforced cell displaces the grout that bonds the bar and can hold the bar off its position; a conduit in a pilaster removes section from the element the wall depends on. (19.2.5)
19.2.6 Openings for ducts, pipes, and equipment shall be formed as the wall is laid, with the lintel or bond beam over each opening as the structural drawings require.
19.2.7 An opening shall not be cut through a bond beam or a grouted reinforced cell after grouting.

19.3 Protection of Work in Progress

19.3.1 The top of every unfinished wall shall be covered at the end of each day and whenever work is suspended, with a waterproof covering extending down each face not less than 24 in. and secured against wind.
NOTE An open cell fills with rain overnight, and the water that enters a partially grouted wall through its top has no way out except through the face; the daily cover costs minutes and the uncovered wall costs a season of efflorescence and saturated units. (19.3.2)
19.3.3 Cells to be grouted shall be protected from water and debris between the completion of the lift and the placement of the grout.
19.3.4 Masonry shall not be loaded by construction operations, shoring, or the structure above until the grout and mortar have reached the strength the Engineer of Record requires for the load, and in no case within 7 days of grouting.
19.3.5 Cold weather and hot weather construction shall comply with TMS 602 Article 1.8 and with Masonry Common ResultsCommon Work Results for MasonryResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/masonry-common-results.
19.3.6 Cleaning of the completed masonry shall be as required by Masonry Common ResultsCommon Work Results for MasonryResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/masonry-common-results.

19.4 Bracing of Walls Under Construction

19.4.1 Masonry walls under construction shall be braced against wind in accordance with the MCAA Standard Practice for Bracing Masonry Walls Under Construction.
19.4.2 A limited access zone shall be established and maintained around each wall under construction in accordance with OSHA 29 CFR 1926.706.
19.4.3 Bracing shall remain in place until the wall is connected to the structure above and the connection has been inspected, or until the Engineer of Record confirms in writing that the wall is stable without it.
NOTE A masonry wall is a free-standing cantilever until its top is tied to the structure, and its resistance to wind at that stage comes from the tensile bond of fresh mortar; the bracing standard sets the wind speed at which work stops and the wall is evacuated, and the bracing that lets the wall stand at higher speeds. (19.4.4)
19.4.5 The wall bracing plan shall identify the restricted zone, the evacuation wind speed, the bracing type and spacing, and the point in construction at which each brace is removed.
19.4.6 Bracing shall not be attached to the masonry in a way that loads a mortar joint in tension before the mortar has cured, and shall not be attached to an ungrouted cell.

20 Tolerances

20.1 Completed masonry shall be within the construction tolerances of TMS 602 Article 3.3 G, as enforced under Masonry Common ResultsCommon Work Results for MasonryResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/masonry-common-results, except that the variation from plumb of exposed masonry shall not exceed the value indicated in the datasheet in any 10 ft.
Plumb Tolerance of Exposed Masonry per 10 ftrange
in.
0.1250.25
NOTE The 1/4 in. per 10 ft value is the TMS 602 tolerance and is the norm; the tighter value is selected for exposed masonry that receives a thin finish, a stone veneer, or raking light where the code tolerance would read as a bow. (20.2)
20.3 The location of reinforcement, bond beams, and grouted cells shall be within the tolerances TMS 602 Article 3.4 assigns to reinforcement placement.
20.4 The location of embedded items shall be within 1/2 in. of the position shown on the structural drawings unless the drawings state a closer tolerance for the item.
20.5 Masonry outside the tolerances of this standard shall be corrected before it is concealed, and the correction, including removal and reconstruction where the Engineer of Record requires it, shall be at the Contractor's expense.

21 Testing

21.1 Masonry Compressive Strength Verification

21.1.1 Compliance with the specified masonry compressive strength shall be verified during construction at the frequency indicated in the datasheet, by the compliance method selected in this standard.
Wall Area per Strength Verificationrange
sq ft
2500500010000
Derived — the masonry quality assurance level selected in this standard, under which TMS 402 Table 3.1.2 requires verification before construction and Table 3.1.3 requires verification before construction and for each 5,000 sq ft during construction (by default)
NOTE Under the unit strength method a verification is a check of the delivered unit strength records and the mortar type against the table; under the prism test method it is a set of prisms built from the production materials and tested at 28 days. (21.1.2)
21.1.3 Where the prism test method is selected, each verification set shall consist of not less than three prisms constructed in the presence of the special inspector from the units, mortar, and grout being placed, and tested in accordance with ASTM C1314.
21.1.4 Where a verification result is below the specified masonry compressive strength, the Contractor shall notify the Engineer of Record on the day the result is received, and masonry of the affected type shall not be laid until the Engineer of Record has directed the corrective action.
21.1.5 Corrective action may include additional prism testing, coring and testing of the in-place masonry, or an evaluation by the Engineer of Record of whether the masonry is acceptable at the measured strength, and the cost of the additional testing and evaluation shall be borne by the Contractor.
21.1.6 Where the Engineer of Record accepts masonry at a strength below the specified value, the acceptance and any design modification that accompanies it shall be recorded and submitted at closeout.

21.2 Mortar and Grout Testing

21.2.1 Mortar sampling under ASTM C780 and grout sampling under ASTM C1019 shall be at the frequency and by the procedure required by Masonry Mortar And GroutMasonry Mortar and GroutResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/masonry-mortar-and-grout, and the results shall be transmitted to the special inspector as they are issued.
NOTE Mortar test results are a check on consistency of the delivered mortar against the mix design, not a measure of the strength of the mortar in the joint; the assembly strength is verified by the unit strength or prism method above and is not established from mortar cubes. (21.2.2)

21.3 Inspection of Grouted Cells

21.3.1 Where the Engineer of Record or the special inspector requires it, grouted cells shall be verified by opening a unit face at a location the special inspector selects.
21.3.2 An opening cut to verify a grouted cell shall be closed with a unit face set in mortar.
21.3.3 A cell found ungrouted or partially grouted where grout was required shall be grouted through an opening cut for the purpose, or the wall shall be reconstructed, as the Engineer of Record directs, at the Contractor's expense.

22 Delivery, Storage, and Handling

22.1 Units shall be delivered on pallets, stored off the ground on level supports, and covered so that they are protected from rain, snow, and ground moisture while air can circulate beneath the cover.
22.2 Loadbearing and nonloadbearing units, and units of different strengths, shall be stored separately and identified so that a unit of one class is not laid where another was specified.
22.3 Reinforcing bars, joint reinforcement, ties, and connectors shall be stored off the ground, protected from weather, and kept free of mud, oil, and loose rust that would reduce bond or coating adhesion.
22.4 Galvanized and coated accessories shall be handled so that the coating is not damaged.
22.5 An accessory whose coating is damaged shall be repaired with a repair material of the coating type or replaced.
22.6 Control joint gaskets and expansion joint fillers shall be stored out of sunlight and within the temperature range their manufacturer publishes.
22.7 Delivery sampling and acceptance testing of units shall be as required by Concrete Masonry UnitsConcrete Masonry UnitsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/concrete-masonry-units and Brick MasonryBrick MasonryResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/brick-masonry.

23 Warranty

23.1 The Contractor shall warrant the unit masonry assemblies in this scope against defects in materials and workmanship for the period indicated in the datasheet, measured from the date of substantial completion.
Unit Masonry Assembly Warranty Periodrange
years
1235
23.2 Where the contract documents state a longer warranty period than the datasheet, the longer period shall govern.
23.3 Defects covered by the warranty include cracking not released at a movement joint the Contractor omitted or filled, displacement or omission of reinforcement, ungrouted cells where grout was required, masonry outside the tolerances of this standard, and failure of the assembly to reach the specified masonry compressive strength as established by the verification method of this standard.
23.4 The Contractor's cost of a warranty correction shall include removal and reconstruction of the affected masonry, replacement of the flashing, insulation, and finishes disturbed, and repair of adjacent work damaged in gaining access.
23.5 Work performed under this warranty shall itself be warranted for a full new term equal to the original period measured from the date the correction is completed, or for the remainder of the original period, whichever ends later.
NOTE Where the Engineer of Record accepted masonry at a strength below the specified value under the testing article of this standard, the warranty for that masonry covers materials and workmanship at the accepted strength and does not independently warrant the structural performance the Engineer of Record evaluated. (23.6)

24 Spare Parts

24.1 The Contractor shall deliver to the Owner, before the masonry is accepted, attic stock of each exposed unit type in the quantity indicated in the datasheet, expressed as a percentage of the quantity of that unit type installed, and shall obtain a signed receipt.
Attic Stock of Exposed Unitsrange
%
1235
NOTE Attic stock exists because a unit from a later production run does not match the color of the wall it repairs; the quantity is set against the exposed area, the number of unit types, and the Owner's storage, and no single percentage is the norm. (24.2)
24.3 Attic stock shall be from the same production runs as the installed units, palletized, protected as installed units are protected, and labeled with the unit type, color, and the walls it matches.
NOTE Attic stock of veneer units is furnished under Masonry Anchorage And VeneerMasonry Anchorage and VeneerResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/masonry-anchorage-and-veneer or Brick MasonryBrick MasonryResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/brick-masonry and is not counted against the quantity above. (24.4)