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2104A.1.3.1 General Conditions

California Building Code 2016 (Vol 1 & 2) > 21A Masonry > 2104A Construction > 2104A.1 Masonry Construction > 2104A.1.3 Grouted Masonry > 2104A.1.3.1 General Conditions

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Grouted masonry shall be constructed in such a manner that all elements of the masonry act together as a structural element. At the time of laying, all masonry units shall be free of dust and dirt. Prior to grouting, the grout space shall be clean so that all spaces to be filled with grout do not contain mortar projections greater than ¹/₄ inch (6.4 mm), mortar droppings and other foreign material. Grout shall be placed so that all spaces to be grouted do not contain voids.

Grout materials and water content shall be controlled to provide adequate fluidity for placement without segregation of the constituents, and shall be mixed thoroughly. Segregation of the grout materials and damage to the masonry shall be avoided during the grouting process.

Reinforcement and embedded items shall be clean, properly positioned and securely anchored against movement prior to grouting. Bolts shall be accurately set with templates or by approved equivalent means and held in place to prevent dislocation during grouting. Reinforcement, embedded items and bolts shall be solidly embedded in grout. Anchor bolts in the face shells of hollow masonry units shall be positioned to maintain a minimum of ¹/₂ inch of grout between the bolt and the face shell.

The grouting of any section of wall shall be completed in one day with no interruptions greater than one hour.

Grout pours greater than 12 inches (300 mm) in height shall be consolidated by mechanical vibration during placement to fill the grout space before loss of plasticity, and reconsolidated by mechanical vibration to minimize voids due to water loss. Grout pours less than 12 inches in height may be puddled.

Between grout pours, or where grouting has been stopped more than an hour, a horizontal construction joint shall be formed by stopping all wythes at the same elevation and with the grout stopping a minimum of 1¹/₂ inches (38 mm) below a mortar joint, except at the top of the wall. Where bond beams occur, the grout pour shall be stopped a minimum of ¹/₂ inch (12.7 mm) below the top of the masonry.

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.

2104A.1.3.1.1 Reinforced Grouted Masonry

2104A.1.3.1.1.1 General

Reinforced grouted masonry is that form of construction made with clay or shale brick or made with solid concrete building brick in which interior joints of masonry are filled by pouring grout around reinforcement therein as the work progresses.

2104A.1.3.1.1.1.1 Low-Lift Grouted Construction

Requirements for construction shall be as follows:

All units in the two outer wythes shall be laid with full-shoved head joint and bed mortar joints. Masonry headers shall not project into the grout space.
The minimum grout space for low-lift grout masonry shall be 2¹/₂ inches (64 mm). All reinforcement and wire ties shall be embedded in the grout. The thickness of the grout between masonry units and reinforcment shall be a minimum of one bar diameter.
One tier of a grouted reinforced masonry wall may be carried up 12 inches (305 mm) before grouting, but the other tier shall be laid up and grouted in lifts not to exceed one masonry unit in height. All grout shall be puddled with a mechanical vibrator or wood stick immediately after placing so as to completely fill all voids and to consolidate the grout. All vertical and horizontal steel shall be held firmly in place by a frame or suitable devices.
Toothing of masonry walls is prohibited. Racking is to be held to a minimum.

2104A.1.3.1.1.1.2 High-Lift Grouted Construction

Where high-lift grouting is used, the method shall be subject to the approval of the enforcement agency. Requirements for construction shall be as follows:

All units in the two wythes shall be laid with full head and bed mortar joints.
The two wythes shall be bonded together with wall ties. Ties shall not be less than No. 9 wire in the form of rectangles 4 inches (102 mm) wide and 2 inches (51 mm) in length less than the overall wall thickness. Kinks, water drips, or deformations shall not be permitted in the ties. One tier of the wall shall be built up not more than 16 inches (406 mm) ahead of the other tier. Ties shall be laid not to exceed 24 inches (610 mm) on center horizontally and 16 inches (406 mm) on center vertically for running bond, and not more than 24 inches (610 mm) on center horizontally and 12 inches (305 mm) on center vertically for stack bond.
Cleanouts shall be provided for each pour by leaving out every other unit in the bottom tier of the section being poured or by cleanout openings in the foundation. The foundation or other horizontal construction joints shall be cleaned of all loose material and mortar droppings before each pour. The cleanouts shall be sealed after inspection and before grouting.
The grout space in high-lift grouted masonry shall be a minimum of 3¹/₂ inches (89 mm). All reinforcent and wire ties shall be embedded in the grout. The thickness of the grout between masonry units and reinforcent shall be a minimum of one bar diameter.
Vertical grout barriers or dams of solid masonry shall be built across the grout space the entire height of the wall to control the flow of the grout horizontally. Grout barriers shall be spaced not more than 30 feet (9144 mm) apart.
An approved admixture of a type that reduces early water loss and produces an expansive action shall be used in high-lift grout.
Grouting shall be done in a continuous pour in lifts not exceeding 4 feet (1219 mm). Grout shall be consolidated by mechanical vibration only, and shall be reconsolidated after excess moisture has been absorbed, but before plasticity is lost. The grouting of any section of a wall between control barriers shall be completed in one day, with no interruptions greater than one hour.

2104A.1.3.1.2 Reinforced Hollow-Unit Masonry

2104A.1.3.1.2.1 General

Reinforced hollow-unit masonry is that type of construction made with hollow-masonry units in which cells are continuously filled with grout, and in which reinforcement is embedded. All cells shall be solidly filled with grout in reinforced 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 horizontal reinforcement.

Construction shall be one of the two following methods: The low-lift method where the maximum height of construction laid before grouting is 4 feet (1220 mm), or the high-lift method where the full height of construction between horizontal cold joints is grouted in one operation. General requirements for construction shall be as follows:

Bond shall be provided by lapping units in successive vertical courses. Where stack bond is used in reinforced hollow-unit masonry, the open-end type of unit shall be used with vertical reinforcement spaced a maximum of 16 inches (406 mm) on center.
Vertical cells to be filled shall have vertical alignment sufficient to maintain a clear grout space dimension of not less than 2 inches by 3 inches (51 mm by 76 mm), except the minimum cell dimension for high-lift grout shall be 3 inches (76 mm), as determined in accordance with TMS 602 Table 7, footnote 3.
Grout shall be a workable mix suitable for placing without segregation and shall be thoroughly mixed. Grout shall be placed by pumping or an approved alternate method and shall be placed before initial set or hardening occurs. Grout shall be consolidated by mechanical vibration during placing and reconsolidated after excess moisture has been absorbed, but before workability is lost.
All reinforcement and wire ties shall be embedded in the grout. The space between masonry unit surfaces and reinforcement shall be a minimum of one bar diameter.
Horizontal reinforcement shall be placed in bond beam units with a minimum grout cover of 1 inch (25 mm) above steel for each grout pour. The depth of the bond beam channel below the top of the unit shall be a minimum of 1¹/₂ inches (38 mm) and the width shall be 3 inches (76 mm) minimum.

2104A.1.3.1.2.2 Low-Lift Grouted Construction

Units shall be laid a maximum of 4 feet (1220 mm) before grouting. Grouting shall follow each 4 feet (1220 mm) of construction laid and shall be consolidated so as to completely fill all voids and embed all reinforcing steel. Horizontal reinforcement shall be fully embedded in grout in an uninterrupted pour.

2104A.1.3.1.2.3 High-Lift Grouted Construction

Where high-lift grouting is used, the method shall be approved by the enforcement agency. Cleanout openings shall be provided in every cell at the bottom of each pour of grout. Alternatively, if the course at the bottom of the pour is constructed entirely of inverted double open-end bond beam units, cleanout openings need only be provided for access to every reinforced cell at the bottom of each pour of grout. The cleanouts shall be sealed before grouting. An approved admixture that reduces early water loss and produces an expansive action shall be used in the grout.