The following sections provide a brief outline of each design module available.
Beams are composed of one or more courses of
There are other variations of single-wythe, but they are not modelled within the program. For example, beams composed of a single-wythe of solid bricks, with one or more of the courses of the bricks hollowed out to allow passage of horizontal steel, but not vertical steel. These beams are little used and thus are not included in the program.
MASS™ designs beams in accordance with CSA S304-14: 11, which allows the following beam configurations:
These beam configurations can be constructed using a considerable variety of
The support conditions available in the beam module include: pinned, roller, fixed, and free. Beams are heavily loaded in the vertical direction, but can experience lateral and axial loading. MASS™ considers vertical loading, and axial loading due to expansion. An applied load typically places a portion of the cross-section of the beam in tension, and another portion in compression. Because masonry is typically strong in compression but weak in tension, beams must be reinforced. MASS™ can place up to three layers of steel, with up to three steel bars in each layer at either beam extreme (bottom or top of the beam). In addition, intermediate steel is automatically placed where needed. The default steel bar sizes available include 10, 15, 20, and 25 mm diameter bars.
The beam module performs engineering calculations to design for the moment and
Out-of-plane walls are composed of one or more courses of masonry units. The program deals with only single-
MASS™ designs out-of-plane walls in accordance with CSA S304-14: 7 and CSA S304-14: 10, and allows the following wall configurations:
These wall configurations can be constructed using a considerable variety of masonry units. For walls, MASS™ supports the following block types: hollow, semi-solid, solid, half-high, half-block, and bond block. The default concrete block sizes available include 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 cm units. The default block strengths include 15, 20, 25, and 30 MPa. MASS™ does not support using brick units for out-of-plane wall design.
The support conditions available in the wall module include: hinged, stiff, or free. Loadbearing out-of-plane walls are typically loaded laterally, normal to the face of the wall, but may also experience axial loading. Depending on the loading and the support conditions, out-of-plane walls may experience both vertical flexure and horizontal flexure. For this version however, design is limited to vertical flexure.
Depending on the applied load, the support conditions, and the resistance of the masonry, an out-of-plane wall may or may not need to be reinforced. For walls that require
The program deals only with per metre length for the design of out-of-plane bending of loadbearing walls. The wall module performs engineering calculations to design for the axial load, moment and
Shear walls are composed of one or more courses of masonry units. The program deals with only single-
MASS™ designs shear walls in accordance with CSA S304-14 Clause 7 and Clause 10, and allows the following wall configurations:
These shear wall configurations can be constructed using a considerable variety of masonry units. For shear walls, MASS™ supports the following block types: hollow, semi-solid, solid, half-high, half-block, and bond block. The default concrete block sizes available include 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 cm units. The default block strengths include 15, 20, 25, and 30 MPa. MASS™ does not support using brick units for shear wall design.
The support conditions available in the shear wall module include: fixed, fixed(R) and free, where fixed(R) specifies that the support condition is fixed in rotation, but not translation. Loadbearing shear walls are typically loaded laterally, parallel to the face of the wall, and are designed to resist in-plane shear. Shear walls also experience axial loading.
This version of the program allows the designer to specify boundary elements on both ends of the shear wall. These boundary elements are traditionally called flanges if they are intersection masonry walls or boundary elements if they intersect masonry columns or pilaster units. Boundary elements can also be composed of other materials such as concrete or steel; however, the software does not allow other materials. Flanges or boundary elements must be fully specified in this version of the program.
Depending on the applied load, the support conditions, and the resistance of the masonry, a shear wall may or may not need to be reinforced. For shear walls that require reinforcement, up to two steel bars per cell can be placed. The program fixes the spacing of the reinforcing bars to the largest allowed by users and reduces this spacing if necessary to achieve a successful design, keeping with CSA S304-14: 10.15. The default steel bar sizes available include 10, 15, 20, and 25 mm diameter bars.
The shear wall module performs engineering calculations to design for the axial load and the moment, using the full length of the wall (not a per metre design). This design includes a detailed P-M diagram. In addition, the wall module provides shear design (which may include the addition of bond beams and/or joint reinforcement). Detailing is left to the designer.
Shearlines in MASS™ are a module introduced in Version 2.0 as an extension of the shear wall module where openings and movement joints can be added for simple and straightforward single-storey elevations.
Once the user has entered their elevation into MASS™, the software automatically breaks it down into individual shear wall elements which are designed using the shear wall module with a summary of results returned at the completion of a design.
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