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Chapter 21 — MASONRY

Section 2106A

California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2) · 2019 edition · updated 2026-09-12 · California

Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.

SEISMIC DESIGN

2106 A .1 Seismic design requirements for masonry. Masonry structures and components shall comply with the requirements in Chapter 7 of TMS 402 depending on the structure’s seismic design category.

2106A.1.1 Modifications to TMS 402.

Modify TMS 402 Section 7.4.4 as follows:

1. Minimum reinforcement requirements for masonry walls. The total area of reinforcement in reinforced masonry walls shall not be less than 0.003 times the sectional area of the wall. Neither the horizontal nor the vertical rein- forcement shall be less than one third of the total. Horizontal and vertical reinforcement shall be spaced at not more than 24 inches (610 mm) center to center.

Exception: Reinforced hollow-unit masonry used for freestanding site walls or interior nonbearing nonshear wall partitions shall have horizontal reinforcing spaced not more than 4’-0” on center, except as required by TMS 402 Section 7.4.5 when applicable.

The minimum reinforcing shall be No. 4, except that No. 3 bars may be used for ties and stirrups. Vertical wall reinforcement shall have dowels of equal size and equal matched spacing in all footings. Reinforcement shall be continuous around wall corners and through intersections. Only reinforcement which is continuous in the wall shall be considered in computing the mini- mum area of reinforcement. Reinforcement with splices conforming to TMS 402 shall be consid- ered as continuous reinforcement.

Horizontal reinforcing bars in bond beams shall be provided in the top of footings, at the top of wall openings, at roof and floor levels, and at the top of parapet walls. For walls 12 inches (nominal) (305 mm) or more in thickness, horizontal and vertical reinforcement shall be equally divided into two layers, except where designed as retaining walls. Where reinforce- ment is added above the minimum requirements, such additional reinforcement need not be so divided.

In bearing walls of every type of reinforced masonry, there shall be trim reinforcement of not less than one No. 5 bar or two No. 4 bars on all sides of, and adjacent to, every opening which exceeds 16 inches (406 mm) in either direction, and such bars shall extend not less than 48 diameters, but in no case less than 24 inches (610 mm) beyond the corners of the opening. The bars required by this paragraph shall be in addition to the minimum reinforce- ment elsewhere required.

When the reinforcement in bearing walls is designed, placed and anchored in position as for columns, the allowable stresses shall be as for columns.

Joint reinforcement shall not be used as princi- pal reinforcement in masonry.

270 2019 CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE

Copyright © 2019 ICC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Accessed by Kevin Day (kevin.day@dgs.ca.gov), (California Building Standards Commission) Order Number #100735044 on Jul 24, 2019 03:54 PM (PDT) pursuant to License Agreement with ICC. No further reproduction or distribution authorized. Single user only, copying and networking prohibited. ANY UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION OR DISTRIBUTION IS A VIOLATION OF THE FEDERAL COPYRIGHT ACT AND THE LICENSE AGREEMENT, AND SUBJECT TO CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES THEREUNDER.

100735044

MASONRY

coated bars are used, lap length shall be increased by 50 percent.

2107 A .3 TMS 402, Section 8.1.6, splices of reinforcement. Modify Section 8.1.6 as follows:

2.1.7.7 - Splices of reinforcement. Lap splices, welded splices or mechanical splices are permitted in accordance with the provisions of this section. Welding shall conform to AWS D1.4. Welded splices shall be of ASTM A706 steel reinforcement. Reinforcement larger than No. 9 (M #29) shall be spliced using mechanical connections in accordance with Section 2.1.7.7.3 .

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▸Contents — California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
  1. Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
  2. Appendix G — FLOOD-RESISTANT
  3. Appendix L — EARTHQUAKE RECORDING
  4. Appendix M — TSUNAMI-GENERATED
  5. Chapter 1 — SCOPE AND ADMINISTRATION
  6. Chapter 3 — OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION AND USE
  7. Chapter 4 — SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED
  8. Chapter 5 — GENERAL BUILDING HEIGHTS AND AREAS
  9. Chapter 6 — TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
  10. Chapter 7 — FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES
  11. Chapter 7A — MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION
  12. Chapter 8 — INTERIOR FINISHES
  13. Chapter 9 — FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS
  14. Chapter 10 — MEANS OF EGRESS
  15. Chapter 11A — HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY
  16. Chapter 11B — ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC BUILDINGS, PUBLIC ACCOMM…
  17. Chapter 12 — INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT
  18. Chapter 14 — EXTERIOR WALLS
  19. Chapter 15 — ROOF ASSEMBLIES AND ROOFTOP STRUCTURES
  20. Chapter 16 — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  21. Chapter 16A — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  22. Chapter 17 — SPECIAL INSPECTIONS AND TESTS
  23. Chapter 18 — SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
  24. Chapter 19 — CONCRETE
  25. Chapter 20 — ALUMINUM
  26. ▸Chapter 21 — MASONRY
    Overview
    1. Section 2102
    2. Section 2101
    3. Section 2103
    4. Section 2104
    5. Section 2105
    6. Section 2106
    7. Section 2107
    8. Section 2108
    9. Section 2109
    10. Section 2110
    11. Section 2111
    12. Section 2112
    13. Section 2113
    14. Section 2114
    15. Section 2115
    16. Section 2102A
    17. Section 2103A
    18. Section 2101A
    19. Section 2104A
    20. Section 2105A
    21. Section 2106A
    22. Section 2107A
    23. Section 2111A
    24. Section 2108A
    25. Section 2109A
    26. Section 2110A
    27. Section 2112A
    28. Section 2113A
    29. Section 2114A
  27. Chapter 22 — STEEL
  28. Chapter 23 — WOOD
  29. Chapter 24 — GLASS AND GLAZING
  30. Chapter 25 — GYPSUM BOARD, GYPSUM PANEL PRODUCTS AND PLASTER
  31. Chapter 26 — PLASTIC
  32. Chapter 27 — ELECTRICAL
  33. Chapter 28 — MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
  34. Chapter 30 — ELEVATORS AND CONVEYING SYSTEMS
  35. Chapter 31 — SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION
  36. Chapter 31B — PUBLIC POOLS
  37. Chapter 31C — RADIATION
  38. Chapter 31D — FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS
  39. Chapter 31F — MARINE OIL TERMINALS
  40. Chapter 32 — ENCROACHMENTS INTO THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
  41. Chapter 33 — SAFEGUARDS DURING CONSTRUCTION
  42. Chapter 35 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
  43. Appendix A — EMPLOYEE QUALIFICATIONS
  44. Appendix B — BOARD OF APPEALS
  45. Appendix C — GROUP U – AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS
  46. Appendix D — FIRE DISTRICTS
  47. Appendix F — RODENTPROOFING
  48. Appendix H — SIGNS
  49. Appendix I — PATIO COVERS
  50. Appendix J — GRADING
  51. Appendix K — GROUP R-3 AND GROUP R-3.1 OCCUPANCIES
  52. Appendix N — REPLICABLE BUILDINGS
  53. Appendix O — EMERGENCY HOUSING

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