CSA Group CSA A371:14 National Standard of Canada (reaffirmed 2024) Masonry construction for buildings

Preface

This is the fifth edition of CSA A371, Masonry construction for buildings. It supersedes the previous editions, published in 2004, 1994, 1984, and 1980. It is based on the requirements of the National Building Code of Canada.

The goal of this Standard is to help ensure construction of safe and serviceable masonry structures consistent with the intent and engineering principles of CSA S304, Design of masonry structures. To enable this Standard to be used with CSA S304 and CSA A370, Connectors for masonry, the Technical Committee has worked closely with the Technical Committees responsible for preparing CSA S304 and CSA A370.

Significant changes in this edition include the following:

a) prescriptive installation requirements for parapets have been withdrawn;

b) requirements for cold weather construction have been updated;

c) installation requirements for self -consolidating grout have been added;

d) prescriptive installation and design requirements for veneer secured by mortar adhesion (Annex A) have been withdrawn;

e) guidance provisions for air, water, thermal, and vapour protection have been withdrawn (Annex B). Some insulation installation provisions have been retained and moved;

f) new requirements for the installation of anchor bolts have been added;

g) new requirements for the construction of arches have been added.

This Standard is prescriptive and is directed largely toward masonry contractors. Users of this Standard should note that it is not intended to assign responsibility to either the designer or the contractor. However, some effort has been made to separate design requirements from construction requirements, to present only construction requirements in the main body of this Standard, and to present related design requirements in the annexes. It is intended that this Standard should contain only requirements that a contractor could reasonably be expected to understand and comply with. To prevent user confusion concerning mandatory versus non-mandatory requirements, information of an advisory or educational nature has been minimized. Non-mandatory material necessary for understanding this Standard, or for the sake of completeness, is located either in notes to the appropriate clause or in an annex.

This Standard was prepared by the Technical Committee on Masonry Construction, under the jurisdiction of the Strategic Steering Committee on Construction and Civil Infrastructure and has been formally approved by the Technical Committee.

This Standard has been developed in compliance with Standards Council of Canada requirements for National Standards of Canada. It has been published as a National Standard of Canada by CSA Group.

Notes:

1) Use of the singular does not exclude the plural (and vice versa) when the sense allows.

2) Although the intended primary application of this Standard is stated in its Scope, it is important to note that it remains the responsibility of the users of the Standard to judge its suitability for their particular purpose.

3) This Standard was developed by consensus, which is defined by CSA Policy governing standardization — Code of good practice for standardization as “substantial agreement. Consensus implies much more than a simple majority, but not necessarily unanimity”. It is consistent with this definition that a member may be included in the Technical Committee list and yet not be in full agreement with all clauses of this Standard.

4) To submit a request for interpretation of this Standard, please send the following information to [email protected] and include “Request for interpretation” in the subject line:

a) define the problem, making reference to the specific clause, and, where appropriate, include a graphical image;

b) provide an explanation of circumstances surrounding the actual field condition; and

c) where possible, phrase the request in such a way that a specific “yes” or “no” answer will address the issue.

Committee interpretations are processed in accordance with CSA Directives and guidelines governing standardization and are available on the Current Standards Activities page at standardsactivities.csagroup.org.

5) This Standard is subject to review within five years from the date of publication, and suggestions for its improvement will be referred to the appropriate committee. To submit a proposal for change, please send the following information to [email protected] and include “Proposal for change” in the subject line:

a) Standard designation (number);

b) relevant clause, table, and/or figure number;

c) wording of the proposed change; and

d) rationale for the change.

1 Scope

1.1

This Standard specifies minimum requirements for masonry materials and masonry construction.

Notes:

1) Requirements for structural design of masonry are specified in CSA S304.

2) If a requirement specified in Part 9 of the National Building Code of Canada differs from a requirement specified in this Standard, the requirement specified in this Standard should be followed.

3) General requirements for environmental separation are specified in Part 5 of the National Building Code of Canada.

1.2

This Standard does not apply to prefabricated panelized unit masonry construction.

1.3

In this Standard, “shall” is used to express a requirement, i.e., a provision that the user is obliged to satisfy in order to comply with the standard; “should” is used to express a recommendation or that which is advised but not required; and “may” is used to express an option or that which is permissible within the limits of the standard.

Notes accompanying clauses do not include requirements or alternative requirements; the purpose of a note accompanying a clause is to separate from the text explanatory or informative material.

Notes to tables and figures are considered part of the table or figure and may be written as requirements.

Annexes are designated normative (mandatory) or informative (nonmandatory) to define their application.