Structural Masonry Design Software Version 7.1

Words: Dan Kamys
http://ncma-br.org/sw-nbs.asp
Structural Masonry Design Software Version 7.1

Generate fully compliant structural designs of masonry elements in minutes using the latest software available from NCMA. Key features and new additions include:

  • Select code basis options ranging from the 2006 to the 2012 International Building Code; including appropriate references to the masonry design provisions of TMS 402 and corresponding loading criteria from ASCE 7.
  • Choose from either allowable stress design or strength design methodologies; each with options for reinforced (fully or partially grouted) or unreinforced masonry assemblies.
  • Design walls for in-plane (shear walls) and out-of-plane loads, columns, pilasters, and lintels including code-prescribed detailing requirements for seismic loading, lap splicing, shear reinforcement, stirrups, and more.
  • Multiple output options including code-referenced design calculations and axial load/moment capacity interaction diagrams.
  • Serviceability checks including deflections and second order P-delta effects.
  • Analyzes and checks for all code-prescribed load combinations based on user input or provides the option for the user to directly input design loads.
Five Truths About Final Brick Cleandown
May 2026

Not all truths are self-evident. Sometimes they’re easy to forget or clouded with misunderstanding. The good news is these truths of final cleandown are not hard to implement on your next project to ensure successfully cleaned and beautiful new brick.

Shelf Angles and Their Impact on Wall Performance
May 2026

Shelf angles have long been a standard component in masonry construction. Installed at the slab edge, they provide support for brick veneer and are often treated as a routine detail. However, as building performance requirements evolve, particularly aroun

The Mason’s Mark: Defining the Craft Through the Trowel
May 2026

Walk onto any job site, from a custom residential chimney to a sprawling commercial block wall, and you will hear it before you see it: the distinctive ring of high-carbon steel striking masonry. The trowel is more than just a mortar scoop; it is the cond

Registration Now Open for the 2026 MCAA Midyear Meeting in San Antonio, Texas
May 2026

The Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA) is thrilled to announce that registration is now open for the highly anticipated 2026 MCAA Midyear Meeting, set to take place in San Antonio, Texas. This exciting event is scheduled from September 13th-1