In construction, as in virtually every industry,computers have become ubiquitous. Wheremasonry buildings were once designed usingempirical rules-of-thumb and drafting pens, theprocess is now highly automated. Design softwarefor masonry allows rapid design and detailing, sav-ing time and also providing more economical build-ings, since alternative designs can be evaluatedquickly. Masonry structural elements can now beoptimized, resulting in a more refined and, hence,less costly solution.Structural design software, in particular, hasseen significant advances. Traditionally, these pro-grams have focused on component designtheindependent analysis of a single structural ele-ment, such as a wall, beam, pilaster, or lintel.While these programs continue to play an impor-tant role, in that they allow components to bedesigned without performing a full building analy-sis, some newer software packages take a morecomprehensive approach.Although masonry still lacks a completely inte-grated structural design program, such as thoseavailable for steel and concrete, some programs gobeyond single components, allowing the analysisand design of an entire structure. An example of thissystems-design approach is the National ConcreteMasonry Associations program Design of Commer-cial Masonry Buildings, which is used to design con-crete masonry warehouse-type structures. Othercomprehensive structural packages integrate withCAD systems to further streamline the designprocess.Looking forward, design software is movingtoward data integration among packages developedby each design discipline. The ultimate goal of thiseffort is to allow communication and data sharingamong the diverse software used for project archi-tecture, engineering, estimating, scheduling, andeven interior design. Providing this compatibilityamong the various software packages will signifi-cantly reduce design and development time. In addi-tion, inconsistencies, conflicting component loca-tions, and errors in information transfer will bereduced or eliminated, as will the time spent cross-checking results from different programs. This compatibility is the goal of several groups,including the International Alliance for Interoperability(IAI) and Stanford Universitys Center for IntegratedFacility Engineering. In the meantime, some softwaredevelopers are forging direct links. For example,ArchiCAD now includes links to the WinEst estimat-ing program to provide a seamless transition fromdesign drawings to cost estimates.Building visualization software is also developingrapidly. Where once owners and designers reliedon a series of renderings and scale models to helpenvision a completed project, CAD and visualiza-tion programs are now used to display a three-dimensional image of the building, viewable fromany angle, at any hour of the daywith appropri-ate sunlight and shadows. Interior and exteriorTHE RIGHT CHOICE CANIMPROVE EFFICIENCY ANDMASONRYS AFFORDABILITYSELECTING SOFTWAREFOR MASONRY DESIGNBy Maribeth BradfieldNCMAs Pavior Plus helps with layout and visualization andcan be exported for incorporation into CAD drawings. National Concrete Masonry Associationmaterials, including different colors and textures,can be quickly applied and revised, providing anamazingly accurate likeness of the building, longbefore ground is broken.The following sections provide brief overviewsof the capabilities of various masonry design soft-ware packages. Where applicable, appropriatebuilding codes are referenced (see the box belowfor more information on these codes). Prices listedare retail, although some organizations offer dis-counted prices to members or qualifying designprofessionals.Structural design of buildingsComponent-design programs for masonry includeARCH, CMD97, Masonry, MASONRY, Masonry LSD95, and Masonry Wall Design. Comprehensive designsoftware includes Design of Commercial MasonryBuildings and ETABS.ARCH allows analysis of unre-inforced brick masonry segmen-tal, semicircular, and jack arch-es. The program runs on theMS-DOS platform (Brick Indus-try Association, $25).CMD97 is used to designreinforced masonry (eitherconcrete or clay) beams, piers,columns, shear walls, slenderwalls, and wall frames inaccordance with either the1994 or the 1997 UBC. Shearwalls can be nonsymmetrical,and slender walls can havefixed-free or fixed-pinned sup-port conditions (ConcreteMasonry Association of Cali-fornia & Nevada, $175).Masonry provides analysisand design of reinforced con-crete masonry walls, using anyof the U.S model building codes(UBC, National, Standard, orMSJC). The software uses wallThe design criteria formasonry varies with thegoverning building code.Before purchasing software,ensure that the program isapplicable to the projectyou intend to use it for.Currently, most build-ing codes in the UnitedStates are based on one ofthree model codes:National Building Code,Standard Building Code, orUniform Building Code. TheBuilding Code Requirementsfor Masonry Structures (theMSJC Code) is the mostwidely used basis formasonry design, and isincluded by reference inthe National and StandardBuilding Codes. The MSJChas chapters for allowablestress design and empiri-cal design but does notinclude strength designprovisions. The UBC doesnot adopt the MSJC Codeby reference but ratherincludes its own allowablestress design and strengthdesign provisions formasonry.With the publication ofthe International BuildingCode (IBC) this year, theMSJC Code is now refer-enced for all areas of theUnited States. The IBC ref-erences the MSJC Code for ASD and includes its ownstrength design provisionsbased on the UBC and theNational Earthquake Haz-ard Reduction Programsdocuments. The codes referenced inthis article are:1. MSJC: Building CodeRequirements for MasonryStructures, ACI 530/ASCE5/TMS 402. Developed bythe Masonry StandardsJoint Committee (call 303-939-9700).2. CSA S 304.1: MasonryDesign for Buildings (LimitStates Design), CSA S 304.1,published by the CanadianStandards Association.3. UBC: Uniform BuildingCode, published by theInternational Conferenceof Building Officials (call562-699-0541).4. National Building Code,published by Building Offi-cials and Code Administra-tors International Inc. (call708-799-2300).5. Standard BuildingCode, published by theSouthern Building CodeCongress, InternationalInc. (call 205-591-1853).6. ACI 318: BuildingCode Requirements forStructural Concrete, Ameri-can Concrete Institute(call 248-848-3700).MASONRY DESIGN CODESRetainWall is used to design traditional reinforced cantilevered retaining walls builtwith masonry units.Daystar Software Inc.geometry and load inputs to determine shear, axial,moment, and combined stresses, as well as requiredreinforcement. Input and output can be either graph-ical or numerical (Daystar Software, $295).MASONRY currently has modules for lintel andsingle-wythe wall design. Modules for beams andpilasters are under development. In addition, NCMAis updating their SHWALL and SLWALL programs forinclusion in MASONRY (SHWALL and SLWALL ana-lyze shear and slender walls, respectively, using astrength design approach). The lintel moduledesigns concrete masonry or precast concrete lin-tels using allowable stress design (ASD) or strengthdesign. Calculations are based on the 1995 MSJC forASD, the 1994 UBC for strength design, and the 1995ACI 318 for precast lintels. The single-wythe walldesign module determines a preliminary wall sec-tion for reinforced or unreinforced concrete mason-ry walls subject to out-of-plane bending and axialloads and can generate interaction diagrams to visu-ally compare wall capacity with design loads. Wallsare designed in accordance with the ASD method ofthe 1999 MSJC Code (National Concrete MasonryAssociation, $150).Masonry LSD 95 has modules for designing ele-ments with concrete or clay masonry, includingbeams, loadbearing walls, columns, shear walls,pilasters, and slender walls. Calculations are basedon CSA S 304.1 (Canadian Masonry ContractorsAssociation, $195).Masonry Wall Design is applicable to reinforcedand unreinforced concrete or clay masonry walls,using either ASD or strength design. Cantileveredwalls can be analyzed, as well as those supportedat top and bottom. The program produces interac-tion diagrams for combined axial load and bend-ing. Design is based on the 1995 MSJC Code forASD, and the UBC for strength design (Eagle PointSoftware, $395).Design of Commercial Masonry Buildings takes acomprehensive approach to the structural design ofwarehouse-type buildings, including considerationof openings, pilasters, and control joints in all fourwalls. The current version is DOS-based, and can beused to design in accordance with the 1992 MSJCCode. An updated Windows-based version, allowingdesign by either the 1995 or 1999 MSJC Code, is cur-rently under development (National ConcreteMasonry Association, $300).ETABS offers both static and dynamic analysis ofmultistory buildings. The software can interactivelyanalyze and determine wall forces and moments forany combination of three-dimensional frame (steelor concrete) and concrete masonry shear wall sys-tem. Output also includes a variety of graphicalresults in-cluding force diagrams and de-flectedshapes. Masonry analyses are based on strengthdesign provisions of the 1994 UBC (Computers &Structures, Inc., $3,000).Building visualizationVisualization software allows the owner anddesigner to see the completed building, down tothe masonry bond pattern. These programs areeither generic, in that various masonry productsare applied to pre-existing model buildings withinthe program (as for BoralVision and MasonryDesigner), or are integrated into a fully functioningCAD program (as for ArchiCAD, SoftPlan, and 3-DStudio Viz). BoralVision allows the user to apply Boral Bricksbrick colors and patterns to various residential andcommercial exteriors. By submitting a blueprint,photo, or artists rendering, Boral Bricks will createa custom interactive file for a nominal fee (BoralBricks, free).ArchiCAD 6.5 is a fully functioning CAD program,which also includes visualization modules for stone,brick, and concrete block. Graphisoft recentlyannounced an alliance partnership with the CulturedStone Corporation, which incorporates CulturedStones brick and stone textures, shapes, and col-ors into ArchiCAD (Graphisoft US, $4,295).Virtual Mason and Masonry Designer are pro-grams that allow designers to see very accuratecolor choices of brick, block, and glazed CMUsfrom a number of different manufacturers, whichcan append their colors, shapes, and textures tothe software. Masonry Designer will apply thedesigners choices to a CAD rendering of a buildingto give a clear picture of how the building will actu-ally look (Accurate Image Marketing, free).SoftPlan is a CAD design and architectural visu-alization software for residential and light-commer-cial buildings. Concrete masonry, brick, and stoneexteriors are included in the package (SoftPlan Sys-tems, Inc., $2,785).3-D Studio VIZ R3 offers 3-D CAD modeling andvisualization plus interoperability with AutoCAD-based applications. The program includes an assetbrowser, that allows the user to drag and dropimages from a manufacturers web site directlyonto the project drawings (Authorized AutoDeskdealers, $1,995).Retaining and foundation wallsMasonry retaining walls are either constructed oftraditional mortared masonry or are dry-stacked.Design software is available for mortared concretemasonry cantilevered retaining walls and for seg-mental retaining walls (SRWs).SRWs are constructed using modular dry-stackedConcrete Masonry Association,$150).SpectraPave assists in theanalysis of reinforced and unrein-forced flexible pavements anddesign of the subbase coursethickness and pavement system.Designs are applicable to road-ways, parking lots, spread foot-ings, ports, and container yards(Tensar Earth Technologies,free). Maribeth Bradfield, P.E., is a consultingengineer based in Arlington, Va.Publication #M00C035Copyright 2000, The Aberdeen Groupa division of Hanley-Wood, Inc.All rights reservedconcrete blocks, and ofteninclude soil reinforcement.Because a variety of SRW unitsare available, each with a dif-ferent size and shape, designcriteria were, until recently,proprietary to each product.Although several SRW licensorsdistribute design software spe-cific for their product (seebelow), a generic design soft-ware package is now available.SRWALL provides a standard-ized design approach for eitherconventional (relies only on grav-ity) or soil-reinforced SRWs.Using as input the properties andloads for soil, SRW units, andgeosynthetic soil reinforcement(if used), the program returnsexternal, internal, and facing-sta-bility safety factors; reinforce-ment type, length, and elevation;and intermediate calculations.For input on specific SRW unitdimensions, weight, and shearcapacity, many SRW licensorssupply data files for their prod-ucts, which can be read directlyinto SRWALL (National ConcreteMasonry Association, $190).Product-specific SRW designsoftware is available from AllanBlock (ABWalls), Anchor Wall(Anchorwall v2.5), Pacific Pre-cast Products (Omega), RisiStone (RISIWALL 4.0), and Ten-sar Earth Technologies(MesaPro), typically at nocharge.Software for designingmortared CMU cantileveredretaining walls includes QuikWall(Eagle Point Software, $295) andRetainWall (Daystar Software,$295). Both can be used for eitherreinforced concrete masonry orpoured concrete walls, In addi-tion, both MASONRY and Mason-ry Wall Design, described underStructural Design of Buildingscan be used to analyze can-tilevered CMU retaining walls.PaversInterlocking concrete pave-ment design software determinesthe required sub-base thicknessand design details for variouspavement applications.Pavior Plus can be used todesign structural pavementbases, produce layout drawings,and visualize finished patterns.Although applicable to roadwaydesign, it is intended for lighterpavements, such as local streets,parking lots, and pedestrianareas. (It cannot be used todesign port loading areas or air-port pavements.) The resultingdesign information is incorporat-ed into a CAD-importable detail.The software also includes stan-dard CAD details for interlockingconcrete pavements (NationalCONTACTING SOFTWARE VENDORSAccurate Image Marketing, Bloomington,Minn. (800-536-4583; fax612.884.0664).Allan Block Corp.,Edina, Minn. (800-899-5309;fax 612.835.0013), www.allanblock.com.Anchor Wall, Minnetonka,Minn. (800-473-4452; fax612.938.4114), www.anchor-wall.com.AutoDesk, San Rafael,Calif. (800-538-6401; fax415.507.4938), www.autodesk.com.Boral Brick, Roswell, Ga.(800-288-6831; fax 770.645.2888)www.boralbricks.com.Brick Industry Association,Reston, Va. (703-620-0010; fax703.620.3928), www.bia.org.Canadian Masonry Contractors Association,Mississauga, Ontario (905-564-6622; fax 905.564.5744).Computers & Structures,Inc., Berkeley, Calif. (510-845-2177; fax 510.845.4096),www.csi berkeley.com.Concrete Masonry Associa-tion of California & Nevada,Citrus Heights, Calif. (916-722-1700; fax 916.722.1819),www.cmacn.org.Daystar Software, Inc.,Kansas City, Mo. (816-741-4310; fax 816.741.4607),www.daystarsoftware.com.Eagle Point Software,Dubuque, IA, 800-678-6565,fax 319-556-5321, www.eagle-point.com.Graphisoft US, San Fran-cisco, Calif. (800-344-3468; fax415.703.9770), www.graphisoftcom.National Concrete MasonryAssociation, Herndon, Va. (703-713-1900, fax 703.713.1910),www.ncma.org.Pacific Precast ProductsLtd., Coquitlam, BritishColumbia (604-939-7999; fax604.939.4147).Risi Stone, Thornhill,Ontario (905-882-5898; fax905.882.4556).SoftPlan Systems, Inc.,Brentwood, Tenn. (800-248-0164), www.softplan.com.Tensar Earth Technolo-gies, Inc., Atlanta, Ga. (800-836-7271; fax 404.250.9185), www.tensacorp.com.