Samblanet/Thomas Participate in ACI Press Conference at WOC re. TMS 402/602-16 & Masonry Testing Certification

The Masonry Society’s Exeuctive Director, Phillip Samblanet, and TMS Member Robert Thomas of the National Concrete Masonry Association, were invited to participate in a press conference initiated by the American Concrete Institute (ACI) to introduce the 2016 edition of TMS 402/602 (Building Code Requirements and Specification for Masonry Structures) and how it relates to masonry testing certification offered by ACI. Joining them on the panel was John Nehasil, Managing Director of Certification, American Concrete Institute. The following shows information on the press conference from ACI: ACI Takes the Lead on Masonry Certification 01/26/2017 World of Concrete Press Conference Announcement

To improve masonry standards, ACI introduced two Masonry Testing Certification programs in 2015. These programs are now cited in the new TMS 402/602-16: Building Code Requirements and Specifications for Masonry Structures, and were developed with the support of the National Concrete Masonry Association, the Portland Cement Association, and The Masonry Society. Published in December 2016, the newly updated Masonry documents now include language referencing certification in accordance with the Masonry Field Testing Technician and Masonry Laboratory Testing Technician programs. It is expected that the programs will be referenced in the 2018 International Building Code and International Residential Code. This important news was shared at a press conference at the recent World of Concrete in Las Vegas, NV, USA. John Nehasil, ACI Managing Director of Certification; Bob Thomas, President, National Concrete Masonry Association; and Phil Samblanet, Executive Director of the Masonry Society; spoke about the new requirement, and the need for certification to improve masonry testing quality. Mike Morrison, ACI Manager, New Program Development, was interviewed at the show by ForConstructionPros.com correspondent Roger Mann. “Due to a variety of factors, including an increased need for quality assurance, masonry testing is becoming more common. Unfortunately, in some areas, testing technicians are not always familiar with masonry, nor its nuances that make it different than concrete,” said Phil Samblanet, Executive Director, The Masonry Society. “The result can be improper testing, poor results, and headaches in the field. ACI’s Masonry Testing Technician Certification programs will further efforts to improve testing quality by letting contractors, designers, and owners know who is qualified to perform masonry testing.” ACI’s masonry testing programs provide certifications to those technicians working in the laboratory or in the field who can demonstrate the technical knowledge and skills required for sampling and testing of masonry units, mortars, grout, and prisms.  They are based on content from ASTM specifications. “The masonry testing certification programs support advancing education with respect to proper techniques associated with masonry materials, and were created to help improve the quality of masonry construction,” said John Nehasil, Managing Director of Certification, American Concrete Institute.  “The industry will benefit from requiring ACI-certified masonry technicians.”

The TMS 402/602-16 was produced by The Masonry Society’s committee 402/602 on Building Code Requirements and Specification for Masonry Structures Committee.  The committee was formerly designated as the Masonry Standards Joint Committee and was sponsored by The Masonry Society, American Concrete Institute, and the Structural Engineering Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers. The Masonry Code was formerly ACI 530. Program details for both masonry programs can be found on ACI’s website at www.concrete.org/certification.