Skip to content

Chapter 21 — MASONRY

Section 2115

California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2) · 2022 edition · updated 2026-09-12 · California

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

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGES [DSA-SS/CC]

2115.1 General.

In addition to the provisions of this chap- ter, the following requirements shall apply to community college buildings regulated by the Division of the State Architect-Structural Safety/Community Colleges (DSA- SS/CC).

2115.1.1 Prohibitions. The following design, systems and materials in TMS 402/602 are not permitted by DSA:

1. Unreinforced masonry. 2. Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) masonry.

3. Empirical design of masonry and prescriptive design of masonry partition walls.

4. Ordinary reinforced masonry shear walls.

5. Intermediate reinforced masonry shear walls.

6. Prestressed masonry shear walls.

7. Direct design of masonry.

2115.2 Metal reinforcement and accessories.

The frequency of sampling for unidentifiable reinforcing bars may alterna- tively be in accordance with Section 1909.2.4.

MASONRY

2115.3 Air entrainment.

Air-entraining substances shall not be used in grout.

2115.4 Masonry construction.

Architectural cast stone con- struction shall be considered as an alternative system.

2115.5 Reinforced

grouted masonry.

2115.5.1 TMS 602, Article 3.3 B Placing mortar and units. Modify TMS 602, Article 3.3 B.2.c as follows:

c. Remove masonry protrusions extending greater

than 1 /4 inch ( 6.4 mm) into cells or cavities to be grouted.

2115.5.2 TMS 602, Article 3.4 B Reinforcement. Modify TMS 602, Article 3.4 B.1 and Article 3.4 B.3 as follows:

  1. Support reinforcement to prevent displacement caused by construction loads or by placement of grout or mortar, beyond the allowable tolerances. Reinforcement and embedded items shall be clean, properly positioned and securely anchored against moving prior to grouting.

  2. Maintain a clear distance between reinforcing bars and the interior of masonry unit or formed surface of at least 1 /4 inch (6.4 mm) for fine grout and 1 /2 inch (12.7 mm) for coarse grout, except where cross webs of hollow units are used as supports for horizontal reinforcement. Reinforcement and embedded items shall be solidly embedded in grout.

2115.5.3 TMS 602, Article 3.4 D Anchor bolts. Replace TMS 602, Article 3.4 D.3 and add Articles 3.4 D.5 and 3.4 D.6 as follows:

  1. Anchor bolts in the wythe or face shells of hollow masonry units shall be positioned to maintain a minimum of 1 /2 inch (12.7 mm) of grout between the bolt circumference, the wythe or the face shell. For the portion of the bolt that is within the grouted cell, maintain a clear distance between the bolt and the face of masonry unit and between the head of the bolt and the formed surface of grout of at least 1 /4 inch (6.4 mm) when using fine grout and at least 1 /2 inch (12.7 mm) when using coarse grout. Bolts shall be solidly embedded in grout.

5. Bent bar anchor bolts shall not be allowed. The maximum size anchor shall be 1 /2-inch (13 mm) diameter for 6-inch (152 mm) nominal masonry, 3/4-inch (19 mm) diameter for 8-inch (203 mm) nominal masonry, 7 /8-inch (22 mm) diameter for 10-inch (254 mm) nominal masonry, and 1-inch (25 mm) diameter for 12-inch (304.8 mm) nominal masonry.

6. Bolts shall be accurately set with templates or by approved equivalent means and held in place to pre- vent dislocation during grouting.

Copyright © 2022 by, or licensed to, International Code Council, Inc. (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED); licensed to California Building Standards Commission pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions is authorized. 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.

2115.8.1 Mortar and grout tests. TMS 602, Article 1.4 B Compressive Strength Determination. Modify TMS 602, Article 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 three successive working days and at least at one-week intervals thereafter. Where mortar is based on a proportion specification, mortar shall be sam- pled and tested during construction in accor- dance 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 pre- pared and tested prior to construction in accor- dance with ASTM C780 to verify the properties specified in ASTM C270, Table 1 and field sam- pled and tested during construction in accor- dance 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 C270 with a valid eval- uation report.

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 of masonry wall area. The grout shall meet the minimum strength requirement given in ASTM C476/TMS 602 Sec- tion 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 above the top of the foundation, mortar test shall be permitted to be limited to those at the begin- ning of masonry work for each mix design.

2115.8.2 Masonry core testing. Not less than 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 locations shall be subject to approval of the registered design pro- fessional.

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 inches (96 mm) in nominal diameter; and

MASONRY

2115.5.4 TMS 602, Article 3.5 A Placing time. Modify TMS 602, Article 3.5 A by adding Article 3.5 A.3 as follows:

3. The grouting of any section of a wall between con- trol barriers shall be completed in one day with no interruptions greater than one hour.

2115.5.5 TMS 602, Article 3.5 B Confinement. Add the following to TMS 602, Article 3.5 B:

2. All cells shall be solidly filled with grout in rein- forced hollow unit masonry.

Exception: Reinforced hollow-unit masonry laid in running bond used for freestanding site walls or interior nonbearing non-shear wall partitions may be grouted only in cells containing vertical and hor- izontal reinforcement.

2115.5.6 TMS 602, Article 3.5 E Consolidation. Modify TMS 602, Article 3.5 E.1.b as follows:

b. Consolidate pours exceeding 12 in. (305 mm) in

height by mechanical vibration, and reconsolidate by mechanical vibration after initial water loss and settlement has occurred, but before plasticity is lost.

2115.5.7 TMS 602, Article 3.5 F.1 Grout key. Replace TMS 602, Article 3.5 F.1 as follows:

1. Between grout pours or where grouting has been stopped more than an hour, a horizontal construc- tion joint shall be formed by terminating grout a minimum of 1 1 /2 inches (38 mm) below a mortar joint, except at the top of the wall. Where bond beams occur, the grout pour shall be terminated a minimum of 1 /2 inch (12.7 mm) below the mortar joint.

2115.6 TMS 602, Article 3.5 Grout placement.

Add the fol- lowing to TMS 602, Article 3.5:

3.5 I. Additional grouting requirements:

1. Grout shall be placed by pumping or an approved alternate method before initial set of hardening occurs.

2. Grout shall be placed so that all spaces to be grouted do not contain voids.

3. Grout shall not be handled nor pumped utilizing aluminum equipment unless it can be demonstrated with the materials and equipment to be used that there will be no deleterious effect on the strength of the grout.

2115.7 Compressive strength, f

m. The minimum specified compressive strength, f 'm, in the design shall be not less than 1,500 psi (10.34 MPa) for all structural masonry construc- tion using materials and details of construction required herein. The value of f 'm used to determine nominal strength value in this chapter shall not exceed 3,000 psi (20.7 MPa) for concrete masonry and shall not exceed 4,500 psi (31.03 MPa) for clay masonry.

2115.8 Additional testing requirements.

21-20 2022 CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE

Copyright © 2022 by, or licensed to, International Code Council, Inc. (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED); licensed to California Building Standards Commission pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions is authorized. 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.

3. Sampled in such a manner as to exclude any masonry unit webs, mortar joint, or reinforcing steel. If all cells contain reinforcement, alternate core locations or means to detect void or delami- nation shall be selected by the registered design professional and approved by the building offi- cial.

Visual examination of all cores shall be made by an approved agency and the condition of the cores reported as required by the California Administrative Code. Shear test shall test both joints between the grout core and the outside wythes or face shell of the masonry 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 non-absorbent 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 the cores shall not be less than 2.5fm psi.

All cores shall be submitted to an approved agency for examination, even where the core specimens failed during the cutting operation. The approved agency shall report the location where each core was taken, the findings of their visual examination of each core, identify which cores were selected for shear testing, and the results of the shear tests.

Exceptions:

1. Core sampling and testing is not required for nonbearing nonshear masonry walls, not exceed- ing a total wall height of 12 feet above top of foundation, built with single-wythe hollow unit concrete masonry that attaches opposite face shells using webs cast as single unit, when designed using an fm not exceeding 2,000 psi (13.79 MPa).

2. An infrared thermographic survey or other non- destructive test procedures, shall be permitted to be approved as an alternative system to detect voids or delamination in grouted masonry in-lieu of core sampling and testing.

2115.9 Modifications to TMS 402.

2115.9.1 TMS 402, Sections 5.3.1.4(a) and 5.3.1.4(b). Replace TMS 402, Sections 5.3.1.4(a) and 5.3.1.4(b) as follows:

a. Ties shall be at least 3 /8 inch (10 mm) in diameter

and shall be embedded in grout. Top tie shall be within 2 inches (51 mm) of the top of the column or of the bottom of the horizontal bar in the supported beam.

b. The spacing of column ties shall be as follows: not

greater than 8 bar diameters, 24 tie diameters, or one half the least dimension of the column, or 8 inches (203 mm) for the full column height.

MASONRY

2115.9.2 2106A.1.3 TMS 402, Sections 7.4.4.1 and 7.4.5.1. Replace TMS 402, Section 7.4.4.1 as follows and delete Section 7.4.5.1:

7.4.4.1 Minimum reinforcement requirements for masonry walls. The total area of reinforcement in rein- forced masonry walls shall not be less than 0.003 times the sectional area of the wall. Neither the horizontal nor the vertical reinforcement 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 rein- forcing spaced not more than 4’-0” on center, except for locations in Seismic Design Category F, and may be grouted only in cells containing vertical and hori- zontal reinforcement..

7.4.4.1.1 The minimum reinforcing shall be No. 4, except that No. 3 bars may be used for ties and stir- rups. Vertical wall reinforcement shall have dowels of equal size and equally matched spacing in all foot- ings. Reinforcement shall be continuous around wall corners and through intersections. Only reinforce- ment which is continuous in the wall shall be considered in computing the minimum area of rein- forcement. Reinforcement with splices conforming to TMS 402 shall be considered as continuous reinforcement.

7.4.4.1.2 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 reinforcement is added above the minimum requirements, such additional reinforcement need not be so divided.

7.4.4.1.3 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 rein- forcement required elsewhere.

ss_ 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 rein- forcement required elsewhere.

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

7.4.4.1.5 Joint reinforcement shall not be used as principal reinforcement in masonry.

Copyright © 2022 by, or licensed to, International Code Council, Inc. (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED); licensed to California Building Standards Commission pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions is authorized. 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.

MASONRY

2115.10 Additional requirements for allowable stress design.

2115.10.1 TMS 402. Section 8.3.4.4 Walls. Modify TMS 402, Section 8.3.4.4 as follows by adding:

8.3.8 – Walls and piers.

Thickness of walls. Stresses shall be determined on the basis of the net thickness of the masonry, with consider- ation for reduction, such as raked joints.

The thickness of masonry walls shall be designed so that allowable maximum stresses specified in this chap- ter are not exceeded. Masonry walls shall not exceed the height or length-to-thickness ratio nor be less than the minimum thickness as specified in this chapter and as set forth in Table 8.3.4.4.

Piers. Every pier or wall section which width is less than three times its thickness shall be designed and constructed as required for columns if such pier is a structural member. Every pier or wall section which width is between three and five times its thickness or less than one half the height of adjacent openings shall have all horizontal steel in the form of ties except that in walls 12 inches (305 mm) or less in thickness such steel may be in the form of hair-pins.

2115.11 Glass unit masonry construction.

Masonry glass block walls or panels shall be designated for seismic forces. Stresses in glass block shall not be utilized.

TABLE 8.3.4.4 MINIMUM THICKNESS OF MASONRY WALLS 1, 2

TYPE OF MASONRY MAXIMUM RATIO
UNSUPPORTED
HEIGHT OR LENGTH
TO THICKNESS2,3
NOMINAL
MINIMUM
THICKNESS
(inches)
BEARING OR SHEAR WALLS:
1. Stone masonry
2. Reinforced grouted masonry
3. Reinforced hollow-unit masonry
14
25
25
16
6
6
NONBEARING WALLS:
4. Exterior reinforced walls
5. Interior partitions reinforced
30
36
6
4

1. For walls of varying thickness, use the least thickness when determining the height or length to thickness ratio. 2. In determining the height or length-to-thickness ratio of a cantilevered wall, the dimension to be used shall be twice the dimension of the end of the wall from the lateral support. 3. Cantilevered walls not part of a building and not carrying applied vertical loads need not meet these minimum requirements but their design must comply with stress and overturning requirements.

21-22 2022 CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE

Copyright © 2022 by, or licensed to, International Code Council, Inc. (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED); licensed to California Building Standards Commission pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions is authorized. 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.

CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE – MATRIX ADOPTION TABLE

CHAPTER 21 A – MASONRY

(Matrix Adoption Tables are nonregulatory, intended only as an aid to the code user.

See Chapter 1 for state agency authority and building applications.)

Adopting agency BSC BSC-
CG
SFM HCD DSA OSHPD BSCC DPH AGR DWR CEC CA SL SLC
Adopting agency BSC BSC-
CG
SFM 1 2 1/AC AC SS SS/CC 1 1R 2 3 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
Adopt entire chapter X X X
Adopt entire chapter as
amended (amended
sections listed below)
Adopt only those sections
that are listed below
Chapter / Section
2113_A_.9.2

The state agency does not adopt sections identified with the following symbol: The Office of the State Fire Marshal’s adoption of this chapter or individual sections is applicable to structures regulated by other state agencies pursuant to Section 1.11.

Copyright © 2022 by, or licensed to, International Code Council, Inc. (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED); licensed to California Building Standards Commission pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions is authorized. 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.

21A-2 2022 CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE

Copyright © 2022 by, or licensed to, International Code Council, Inc. (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED); licensed to California Building Standards Commission pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions is authorized. 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.

CHAPTER 21 A

MASONRY

Get a plain-English answer with a citation back to this text.

Ask AI about this code
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. Appendix N — REPLICABLE
  6. Appendix O — PERFORMANCE-BASED
  7. Chapter 1 — SCOPE AND ADMINISTRATION
  8. Chapter 3 — OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION AND USE
  9. Chapter 4 — SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED ON OCCUPANCY A…
  10. Chapter 5 — GENERAL BUILDING HEIGHTS AND AREAS
  11. Chapter 6 — TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
  12. Chapter 7 — FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES
  13. Chapter 7A — MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION
  14. Chapter 8 — INTERIOR FINISHES
  15. Chapter 9 — FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS
  16. Chapter 10 — MEANS OF EGRESS
  17. Chapter 11A — HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY
  18. Chapter 11B — ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC BUILDINGS, PUBLIC ACCOMM…
  19. Chapter 12 — INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT
  20. Chapter 14 — EXTERIOR WALLS
  21. Chapter 15 — ROOF ASSEMBLIES AND ROOFTOP STRUCTURES
  22. Chapter 16 — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  23. Chapter 16A — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  24. Chapter 17 — SPECIAL INSPECTIONS AND TESTS
  25. Chapter 18 — SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
  26. Chapter 19 — CONCRETE
  27. Chapter 20 — ALUMINUM
  28. Chapter 21 — MASONRY
  29. Chapter 22 — STEEL
  30. Chapter 23 — WOOD
  31. Chapter 24 — GLASS AND GLAZING
  32. Chapter 25 — GYPSUM BOARD, GYPSUM PANEL PRODUCTS AND PLASTER
  33. Chapter 26 — PLASTIC
  34. Chapter 27 — ELECTRICAL
  35. Chapter 28 — MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
  36. Chapter 30 — ELEVATORS AND CONVEYING SYSTEMS
  37. Chapter 31 — SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION
  38. Chapter 31B — PUBLIC POOLS
  39. Chapter 31C — RADIATION
  40. Chapter 31D — FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS
  41. Chapter 31F — MARINE OIL TERMINALS
  42. Chapter 32 — ENCROACHMENTS INTO THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
  43. Chapter 33 — SAFEGUARDS DURING CONSTRUCTION
  44. Chapter 35 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
  45. Appendix A — EMPLOYEE QUALIFICATIONS
  46. Appendix B — BOARD OF APPEALS
  47. Appendix C — GROUP U – AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS
  48. Appendix D — FIRE DISTRICTS
  49. Appendix F — RODENTPROOFING
  50. Appendix H — SIGNS
  51. Appendix I — PATIO COVERS
  52. Appendix J — GRADING
  53. Appendix K — GROUP R-3 AND GROUP R-3.1 OCCUPANCIES
  54. Appendix P — EMERGENCY HOUSING

GoCodebook provides public access, search, citation, multilingual explanation, and practical interpretation of legally adopted building regulations. It is not a substitute for the official ICC or California code publications.