Section 2105 — QUALITY ASSURANCE

A quality assurance program shall be used to ensure that the constructed masonry is in compliance with the approved construction documents.

The quality assurance program shall comply with the inspection and testing requirements of Chapter 17 and TMS 602.

[OSHPD 1R, 2 & 5] Testing of masonry shall be provided in accordance with TMS 602, Article 1.4 B.

Exception: Where values of f ′ m greater than 2,000 psi (13.79 MPa) are used in the design of reinforced grouted multi-wythe masonry and reinforced hollow unit masonry, they shall be based on prism test results in accordance with TMS 602, Article 1.4 B.3 submitted by the architect or engineer to the enforcement agency which demonstrate the ability of the proposed construction to meet prescribed performance criteria for strength exceed 3,000 psi (20.7 MPa).

The architect or structural engineer shall establish a method of quality control of the masonry construction acceptable to the enforcement agency which shall be described in the contract documents. Verification of compliance with the requirements for the specified strength of masonry during construction shall be provided using the prism test method in accordance with TMS 602, Article 1.4 B.3. Verification of compliance with the specified compressive strength prior to the start of construction shall be obtained by using the prism test method in accordance with TMS 602, Article 1.4 B.3.

2105.3 Mortar and grout tests. [OSHPD 1R, 2 & 5] TMS 602, Article 1.4 B Compressive strength determination. Modify TMS 602, Arti- cle 1.4 B as follows by adding:

5. Additional testing requirements: a. At the beginning of all masonry work, at least one test sample of the mortar shall be taken on 3 successive working days and at 1-week intervals thereafter. Where mortar is based on a proportion specification, mortar shall be sampled and tested during construction in accordance with ASTM C780, including Annex 4, to verify the proportions specified in ASTM C270, Table 2. Where mortar is based on a property specification, mortar shall be laboratory prepared and tested prior to construction in accordance with ASTM C780 to verify the properties specified in ASTM C270, Table 1 and field sampled and tested during construction in accordance with ASTM C780 to verify the proportions with the laboratory tests. Mortar sampling and testing is not required for preblended mortars in conformance with ASTM C1714 with a material certificate. b. Samples of grout shall be taken for each mix design, each day grout is placed, and not less than every 5,000 square feet (464.5 m [2] ) of masonry wall area. They shall meet the minimum strength requirement given in ASTM C476/TMS 602 Section 2.2 or greater as specified. c. Additional samples shall be taken whenever any change in materials or job conditions occur, as determined by the building official.

d. Test specimens for mortar and grout shall be made as set forth in ASTM C780/C1586 and ASTM C1019. When the prism test method is used in accordance with TMS 602, Article 1.4 B.3 during construction, the tests in this section are not required.

Exception: For nonbearing nonshear masonry walls not exceeding total wall height of 12 feet (3658 mm) above top of foundation, mortar test shall be permitted to be limited to those at the beginning of masonry work for each mix design.

[OSHPD 1R, 2 & 5] Two cores shall be taken from each building for each 5,000 square feet (465 m [2] ) of the masonry wall area or fraction thereof. The approved agency shall perform or observe the coring of the masonry walls and sample loca- tions shall be subject to approval of the registered design professional.

Core samples shall comply with the following: 1. Cored no sooner than 7 days after grouting of the selected area; 2. Be a minimum of 3 [3] / 4 inch (95.25 mm) nominal diameter; and 3. Sampled in such a manner as to exclude any masonry unit webs, mortar joint or reinforcing steel. If all cells contain reinforce- ment, alternate core locations or means to detect voids or delamination shall be selected by the registered design professional and approved by the building official.

Visual examination of all cores shall be made by an approved agency and the condition of the cores reported as required by the Cali- fornia Administrative Code. Shear tests of both joints between the grout core and the outside wythes or face shell of the masonry shall be made 28 days after grouting of the sample area using a shear test apparatus acceptable to the enforcement agency. Core samples shall not be soaked before testing. Core samples to be tested shall be stored in sealed plastic bags or nonabsorbent containers immediately after coring and for at least 5 days prior to testing. The average unit shear value for each pair of cores (4 shear tests) from each 5,000 square feet of wall area (or less) on the cross section of core shall not be less than 2.5 √ f ′ m psi.

All cores shall be submitted to an approved agency for examination, including core specimens where a face shell separates from the grout core during the coring operation. The approved agency shall report the location where each core was taken, report the find- ings of their visual examination of each core, identify which cores were selected for shear testing, and report the results of the shear

21-6 2025 CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE

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tests. Additional cores shall be permitted to be taken at the direction of the registered design professional and with approval of the enforcement agency.

Exceptions: 1. Core sampling and testing is not required for non-bearing nonshear masonry walls, not exceeding total wall height of 12 feet above the top of the foundation, built with single-wythe hollow unit concrete masonry that attaches opposite face shells using webs cast as single unit, when designed using an f ′ m not exceeding 2,000 psi (13.79MPa). 2. An infrared thermographic survey or other nondestructive test procedures shall be permitted to be approved as an alterna- tive system to detect voids or delamination in grouted masonry in conjunction with reduced core sampling and testing. A minimum of two cores shall be taken from each building for each 10,000 square feet (930 m [2] ) of the wall.