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You can be the masonry expert in your team. This course equips you with everything you need to become a proficient designer from the team behind the engineering textbook and MASS design software.

Engineered Masonry Design Course

The Engineered Masonry Design Course (EMDC) is a professional course offered to practicing engineers in the local design community. It equips you with the tools and knowledge to design masonry confidently, effectively and efficiently, using current codes and standards.

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Presented by:

Upcoming Courses:

CourseEngineersFall 2024Upcoming CoursesEdmonton – 2024
August 28, 2024

Edmonton – 2024

Meeting in the Edmonton Construction Association building October through November, this course gives you an advanced understanding of masonry design principles using modern codes and…
CourseEngineersFall 2024Upcoming CoursesSaskatoon – 2024
September 3, 2024

Saskatoon – 2024

Running through October through December, hosted in the Holiday Inn Express Conference space near the U of S, this is the first time in over…

All Upcoming Courses

What is the EMDC?

A professional course offered to practicing engineers

The Engineered Masonry Design Course (EMDC) is tailored to equip you with the tools and knowledge to design masonry confidently, effectively, and efficiently. This course has been offered to more than 500 practicing engineers in Canada and is roughly equivalent to a 4th year engineering undergraduate university course in both scope and workload (there is a significant amount of homework required so please consider this before registering). The materials covered reflect Canadian design practice and are taught to the 2014 editions of masonry CSA Standards as well as the 2015 edition of the National Building Code of Canada.

More than just getting your Professional Development hours

The intention of the course is beyond simple professional development hours; you gain the skills necessary to properly analyze and design with masonry in new construction in Canada. This is the equivalent to the level of knowledge gained from a 4th year design course in a university undergraduate program and involves approximately 40 hours of in person and virtual guided learning time as well as graded assignments, a take home design project, and a take home final exam. Participants will be provided detailed feedback as well as a final grade.

Condensed In-Person & Online Format

Breakfast and Lunch included for all in-person sessions

Each in-person session will provide participants with a light breakfast, lunch, snacks, and coffee/refreshment breaks. Registrants must indicate any dietary restrictions during registration.

In-Person Teaching

Four In-Person Sessions

The course is being run using a hybrid of both in-person and virtual platforms. There will be four full in-person days of lecture content with virtual lectures and tutorials in weeks between. As part of the course, one half-day will be dedicated to a hands-on demonstration of bricklaying during which time you will have a chance to learn how to build with masonry and lay bricks and blocks on mortar. The course will be spread over approximately 2 months.

Upcoming Courses

Find a course offered near you to see specific scheduling

September 3, 2024 in Course, Engineers, Fall 2024, Upcoming Courses

Saskatoon – 2024

Running through October through December, hosted in the Holiday Inn Express Conference space near the U of S, this is the first time in over…
Read More
August 28, 2024 in Course, Engineers, Fall 2024, Upcoming Courses

Edmonton – 2024

Meeting in the Edmonton Construction Association building October through November, this course gives you an advanced understanding of masonry design principles using modern codes and…
Read More

All Upcoming Courses

As courses are planned and announced, they will be posted here. Courses planned further out (ie. more than a few months) can be lacking details such as venue or exact dates. If you are interested in a potential future course, signing up for the waiting list is the best way to ensure that you do not miss an EMDC near you.

Full days are scheduled to cover material through in-person lectures. This will give you an opportunity to receive your copy of the textbook as well as other course materials and meaningful engagement with our staff and other students face-to-face.

It is critical that registrants can attend these in-person sessions

For convenience, we will be recording these in-person virtual lectures for students to access and review after. Attendance at the in-person lectures is worth a portion of the final grade.

See what others have to say

Verified reviews from recent EMDC participants, written with you in mind (sign up for the closest one today)

Incredible course taught by industry leading instructors. This will provide you with thorough fundamentals for masonry design.

Rashed M.Ontario Power Generation

I'm a fresh graduate engineer with nearly just 10 months of experience when I took this course. It was really good attending this course, since I got the opportunity to learn and understand the different techniques used to analyze a structure. Moreover, I found this course being similar to concrete design, which did make me realize how different construction materials react. A deep thank you to my mentors in this course.

Mohamed A.SPH Engineering Ltd.

Extremely helpful, especially for working engineers.

Igli B.LEA Consulting

This is one of the best courses I have taken (university and post graduate included). The instructors really went above and beyond to guarantee an optimal learning experience. The expectations for the time investment were set clear at the onset of the course and I got the return on investment on my time and then some. I would recommend, without any reservations, this course to anyone wanting to upgrade their knowledge in masonry design.

Antonio F.Moses Structural Engineers

I strongly recommend the masonry design course for anyone looking to increase their understanding of masonry design. The course offers an exceptional breakdown of the code and design procedures along with valuable hands-on experience, making even the most complex design approachable. It's a worthwhile investment to further your knowledge in masonry design.

Alex V.Vanboxmeer and Stranges Engineering

This is a great course for practicing engineers to gain background knowledge on masonry structures. The lectures are incredibly informative and assignments are practical for designing masonry, especially for those with little exposure to this topic.

Paul W.Hallex Engineering

It's a challenging and very beneficial course. I work in the building restoration field but did not learn anything about masonry during my undergrad, so this course was very much needed. I've completed many continuing education courses since graduating and this was definitely the most challenging, but also the most rewarding.

Stephen B.BOLD Engineering

Great course taught by passionate people. It covers a wide range of topics and contains a good balance between theory and practical application for design.

Hadrien A.WSP

A cover to cover review of the standard and second edition of the handbook taught by knowledgeable instructors with a focus on practical applications. Highly recommend this course for engineers designing structural masonry within Canada.

Brad G.J.L. Richards and Associates

This engineering design course does a great job and providing information on the background of masonry, and provide direct application of design solutions to problems that can be used in practice.

Philip L.Gamaley and Associates Engineiering Ltd.

Great course to learn how to design using masonry. The content is very well delivered and thorough, and the CMDC staff are very helpful with any questions that you may have.

John B.Lampkin Structural Services Ltd.

The EMDC is a great balance of technicality and practicality as an introduction to all things masonry, and a course that is truly missing from the University curriculum.

DJ V.Hallex Engineering

Topics covered by the Engineered Masonry Design Course:

The course content will follow the textbook Masonry Structures Behaviour and Design – 2nd Canadian edition (each registrant will receive a copy of the textbook with registration). The following topics are covered reflecting the Chapters within the textbook:

  • Masonry Materials and Assemblages (Chapters 3 and 4)
  • Design of Masonry Beams (Chapter 5)
  • Design of Masonry Out-of-Plane Walls (Chapter 6)
  • Design of Masonry Shear Walls (Chapter 7)
  • Seismic Design of Masonry (Chapter 8)
  • Design of Masonry Columns and Pilasters (Chapter 9)
  • Design of Veneers and Partition Walls (Chapters 10 & 11)
  • Construction, Workmanship, and Specifications (Chapter 12)
  • Design Project: Single Storey Loadbearing Post-Disaster Structure (Chapter 13)

Week 1

EMDC Introduction and Outline

Syllabus Overview

Online Learning Tutorial

Overview of Masonry Construction, Design and Standards

Introduction to Masonry Materials and Assemblages

Masonry Beams:

Ultimate Limit States Shear and Flexure

Serviceability Limit States

Detailing of Reinforcement

Design Examples

Continuing Online

Beam Design Tutorial Exercise

Out-of-Plane Masonry Walls:

Ultimate Limit States Shear and Flexure

Interaction Diagram

Deflection, Second Order Effects, and Slenderness

Serviceability Limit States

Detailing

Design Examples

Week 2

Unreinforced Out-of-Plane walls

Walls subject to concentrated loads

Masonry Shear Walls:

Ultimate Limit States Shear and Flexure

Serviceability Limit States

Detailing

Design Examples

Single Storey Buildings:

Load Calculation

Load Distribution around Openings and Movement Joints

Design Examples:

Individual Structural Elements

Continuing Online

Design Methods of NBCC

Seismic Modelling and Analysis Methods

Week 3

(subject to change for courses in lower seismic regions)

Seismic Design of Masonry Shear Walls:

Conventional Construction

Moderately Ductile Design & Post-Disaster

Boundary Elements

Design Example:

Multi-Storey Structure Example

Design of Reinforced Masonry Columns

Design of Masonry Pilasters

Design of Partition Walls

Continuing Online

Other Specialized Analysis Approaches

Includes Horizontal bending, flexural wall panels, internal arching action, and more

Week 4

Design of Masonry Veneers:

Analysis and Design of Ties

Shelf Angles and Support of Masonry

Specifications and Documents

Detailing

Workmanship

Hands On Wall Building Session

Design Project and Exam Overview

Continuing Online

Design of a single storey Post-Disaster Strucutre

Supplemental eLearning

In addition to the in-class component a number of lessons will be made available through our online learning platform. These additional topics are included and can be taken at anytime during the course. These added lessons will provide designers with a deeper and more nuanced understanding of masonry design through the use of the MASS design software, toughing on other topics.

MASS Design Software:

Design of Masonry Beams

Design of Out-of-Plane Walls

Design of Masonry Shear Walls

Shear Wall Load Distribution with Openings and Movement Joints

In-Person Learning

Most of the teaching is done live and in-person, allowing for Q&A and discussion among participants. All Lectures are recorded and available for viewing by registrants afterward.

Virtual Lecture Topics

Some topics are reserved as supplemental and posted as virtual lectures to best use our time together in-person. These are generally to be viewed ahead of the next in-person session but can be done at any time, at your convenience.

Live Tutorial Discussion

These are live sessions run remotely where we discuss common design situations as well as the merit of different approaches to address them. These are practical, and rooted in experience.

What else is involved?

This is not just a Seminar Series!

Course Workload and Expectations:

This is the equivalent of a condensed, final year undergraduate university course with the workload and technical difficulty to match.

In order to pass the course and earn a certificate, participants must meet the minimum requirements which include submitting two assignments, a design project, and a final exam. CMDC is available to offer guidance and extra support to ensure that everyone who puts in the time and effort will have the tools to be successful.

Try your hand - Gain a new appreciation!

Understand the skill aspect of the skilled trade

Get a unique opportunity in a relaxed, low pressure environment to manipulating mortar on the trowel and laying brick or block yourself!

Participation is 100% optional. It is worth none of your final grade, but is consistently enjoyed by all who attend.

Course Instructors

Bennett Banting, Ph.D., P.Eng

Director of Technical Services, Canada Masonry Design Centre

Bennett R. Banting is the current Director of Technical Services for the Canada Masonry Design Centre in the Ottawa, ON office.

He began as a graduate student with a NSERC industrial postgraduate scholarship visiting the CMDC office back in 2007 and started to work full-time for CMDC in 2012 as a NSERC industrial research and development post-doctoral fellow. His Ph.D. dissertation from McMaster University was instrumental in the introduction of masonry boundary elements and the ductile shear walls SFRS category to the 2014 edition of the CSA S304 design standard. For his work he was the recipient of the TMS Ph.D. Thesis award in 2015.

Over the years he has overseen 40+ grant-leveraged masonry research programs at 15 Universities across Canada, taught numerous full masonry design courses for professional engineers, undergraduate and graduate students at various venues, presented and spoken at numerous conferences and seminars, and has published dozens of peer-reviewed journal papers, conference papers, and other industry literature and research reports on behalf of the masonry industry. He is the current Vice Chair of CSA S304 and serves as a voting or non-voting member of several other CSA, ACI and ULC committees as well as various committees and working groups at the National Buildings Code of Canada. He has served as the technical committee chair for the 13th and 14th Canadian Masonry Symposium and is a regular reviewer of masonry publications for 7 different journals, receiving the ASCE award for outstanding reviewer twice. He is the current lead author of the Masonry Structures: Behaviour and Design, 2nd Canadian Edition masonry design textbook.

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With Teaching Assistance and Support provided by:

Brad Crumb, P.Eng

Masonry Design Engineer

Brad has been part of the CMDC team since 2011 and was initally overseeing the engineering portion of development and providing technical support for the MASS software (Masonry Analysis Structural Systems). Brad now spends much of his time providing general technical support to designers and masonry contractor members concerning all things masonry design and construction, as well as helping run design courses, seminars, and lunch-and-learns for engineering and architecture firms.

Brad has taught several courses and tutorials and been part of many editions of the course, going back to when the primary lecturing was provided by none other than Dr. Bob Drysdale himself.

Monica Guzman, M.Sc., P.Eng

Masonry Design Engineer

Monica studied civil engineering in her home country of Venezuela before coming to Canada and completing her Master of Science Degree in Structures and Solid Mechanics at the University of Calgary. She works at the CMDC Calgary office and her duties involve providing technical assistance to contractors, architects and engineers, supporting CMDC with courses and seminars, participating in the development of the CSA masonry standards, and supporting in the development of the MASS™ design software.

Jawdat Alfarra, M.ASc., EIT

Masonry Design Coordinator

Jawdat Alfarra holds a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering from Jubail University College in Saudi Arabia. He furthered his academic pursuits by earning a M.Sc. in Structural Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada. His research focused on the mechanical behavior of masonry assemblages, particularly examining the impact of anti-freeze admixtures under sub-freezing curing temperatures. Currently contributing to the CMDC team, Jawdat provides technical assistance to contractors, architects, and engineers, supporting courses, seminars, and actively participating in the development of CSA masonry standards. His commitment to advancing the field aligns with CMDC’s vision for innovation and sustainability in masonry construction, making him a valuable asset in the pursuit of excellence.

How to Register

This course is now available for purchase online!

In order to reserve your spot for the upcoming edition of the EMDC, you can sign up by purchasing your seat online. Please select a course location to the right to visit the course page and confirm that the dates align with your schedule.

Be sure that you sign up for the course in your area (Edmonton vs Saskatoon) as spaces are limited.

All Upcoming Courses

Upcoming Courses:

CourseEngineersFall 2024Upcoming CoursesEdmonton – 2024
August 28, 2024

Edmonton – 2024

Meeting in the Edmonton Construction Association building October through November, this course gives you an advanced understanding of masonry design principles using modern codes and…
CourseEngineersFall 2024Upcoming CoursesSaskatoon – 2024
September 3, 2024

Saskatoon – 2024

Running through October through December, hosted in the Holiday Inn Express Conference space near the U of S, this is the first time in over…

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Important: Please note that registration cannot be confirmed until payment is received.

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