Canada/US (CANUS) Comparison of Masonry Beam Design and Detailing Provisions

This work is one of the four companion papers associated with the Canada/US (CANUS) collaborative project: Harmonization of Canadian and American Masonry Structures Design Standards. This particular paper specifically delves into a comparison of the design and detailing provisions for masonry beams in the U.S. and Canada. The scope of the investigation covers the similarities and divergences between the two design standards (CSA S304-14 and TMS 402-16), through first a comparative discussion of the provisions followed by parametric studies that illustrate the differences quantitatively. Several areas of further investigation are identified as a result of this work, which if addressed, may improve and harmonize the two standards and practices. For instance, the 𝜒 factor utilized in C SA S 304-14 amplifies the divergence such that most masonry beam designs that have been safely constructed in the U.S. are not possible in Canada. In contrast, TMS 402-16 does not have clear guidance on deflection limits or intermediate reinforcement for regular beams; and a reconsideration for modulus of rupture values may be warranted, as the code-provided values are based on historic wallette tests instead of beams.