Use Masonry A.B. Capacity to calculate the tension and shear capacity of headed bolts or L bolts installed in the side face of masonry. Find saved members under Masonry → Anchors in Project Explorer. The module provides ASD or LRFD capacities per bolt and detailed calculations labeled TMS 402-22.
Quick start
- Choose Add Calculation → Masonry A.B. Capacity and enter a description.
- Select Headed Bolt or L Bolt, then choose ASD or LRFD.
- Enter masonry strength, bolt steel strengths, bolt diameter, and embedment. For an L bolt, enter the leg length.
- Choose One bolt or More than 1 bolt. Enter the active edge-distance or spacing input as described below.
- Click Run Model. Review the separate tension and shear capacities and their detailed calculations.
- Run the current inputs before creating a printed report or PDF.
Material and geometry inputs
- f′m (psi): masonry compressive strength.
- fy and fu (psi): bolt steel yield and ultimate strength. The module requires fu to be at least fy and limits the ultimate strength used internally.
- Bolt Diameter (in): select 0.5, 0.625, 0.75, 0.875, or 1 inch. The threaded bolt area is filled in automatically.
- Embedment (in): enter the embedment shown in the section diagram. The module uses the entered embedment for a headed bolt and subtracts one bolt diameter for an L bolt to obtain effective embedment.
- Leg eb (in): required for an L bolt; disabled and set to zero for a headed bolt.
Active numeric inputs must be positive numbers with no more than three decimal places. The module also checks effective embedment, clear spacing, and single-bolt edge distance. Input formatting may display fewer decimal places than the retained entered value.
One bolt or more than one bolt
One bolt: spacing is disabled. Enter the distance from the bolt center to the masonry edge in the direction of shear. This mode considers one straight free edge, with other edges and openings outside the projected areas. The tension projected area is reduced where the entered edge clips it, and masonry shear breakout is included in the governing shear capacity.
> 2x Embedment checkbox: available only for one bolt. Selecting it disables the edge-distance input and uses twice the effective embedment as the calculation edge distance. You must verify the assumed minimum clearance to masonry edges and openings. Clearing the checkbox resets edge distance to zero; enter the actual distance before running again.
More than 1 bolt: spacing is enabled, and edge distance and the clearance checkbox are disabled. The current module models a horizontal pair and accounts for overlapping tension projected areas. It does not accept an arbitrary bolt-group count or layout. Results remain per bolt.
For the multiple-bolt mode, no free edge is assumed in the direction of shear. Masonry shear breakout is shown for reference and excluded from the governing shear capacity. Use this mode only where its stated geometry assumptions apply.
Capacities and detailed results
The output includes design criteria, effective embedment, projected areas, individual limit-state calculations, and the governing tension and shear capacities per bolt.
- Tension: masonry breakout, steel strength, and L-bolt pullout. Pullout is marked not applicable for headed bolts.
- Shear: masonry crushing, anchor pryout, and steel strength; single-bolt mode also includes masonry shear breakout.
This is a capacity-only module. It does not apply loads, check demand against capacity, or check combined tension and shear interaction. Selecting LRFD produces factored resistance; selecting ASD produces allowable capacity. A completed calculation does not establish adequacy for a particular applied load.
Section diagrams
The graphic changes with anchor type and single- or multiple-bolt selection. Use its dimensions to identify the required inputs. Click the graphic to open an enlarged view; press Escape while that window has focus to close it.
Saving and reports
Project files retain the module inputs. Changing an input clears the current results. Reopened members must be recalculated before printing; previously calculated capacities are not restored as current results.
The report includes the member description, design criteria, detailed calculations, capacity results, and the selected anchor section graphic.