MCAA Masonry study plan
MCAA Masonry · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Codes and Standards
Map the scope of the major model codes referenced in masonry practice (IBC, MSJC/TMS 402/602, ASTM material standards, and local amendments) and list which code governs which construction type.
Outline the load-path and structural-design provisions of TMS 402 for unreinforced and reinforced masonry, including prescriptive versus engineered approaches.
Compile a one-page cross-reference of ASTM test and specification standards (units, mortar, grout, anchors, reinforcement) to the code sections that invoke them.
Identify five common code-compliance questions a masonry contractor must resolve before bid (fire rating, seismic detailing, veneer attachment, lintel sizing, and grout spacing).
Your checkpoint
A 2-page code map: code/standard, governing body, what it covers, and the specific sections most likely to appear in MCAA exam scenarios, checked against your own notes for accuracy.
Codes and Standards & Quality Assurance Best Practices
Explain the QA/QC requirements embedded in TMS 602 and how they differ from TMS 402 design requirements.
Draft a pre-construction QA checklist covering submittals, mock panels, material certification, and sampling/testing frequency.
Compare field-testing methods (mortar and grout compressive strength, prism testing, anchor pull tests) and state when each is required versus optional.
Write five short scenarios where a QA failure would trigger rejection or rework, and cite the standard that supports each decision.
Your checkpoint
A QA/QC checklist and a 5-scenario decision log that correctly cites the governing code or ASTM standard for each acceptance criterion.
Ethics and Business Practice
Summarize the ethical obligations in bidding: bid accuracy, no bid-shopping, confidentiality of competitor information, and disclosure of errors.
Analyze three ethical dilemmas (post-bid error discovery, substitution requests, and change-order pricing) and write a defensible course of action for each.
Outline contract types (lump sum, unit price, cost-plus) and explain how each affects risk allocation and bid strategy.
List the business-practice records a masonry contractor must retain and why (bonding, lien rights, insurance certificates, certified payroll).
Your checkpoint
A one-page ethics and business-practice reference sheet with three dilemma responses, each citing a principle (fairness, honesty, contract fidelity) and a business consequence.
Bidding Practices
Break down the bid process from invitation to submission: takeoff, pricing labor and material, overhead and profit, and bid review.
Perform a quantity takeoff for a simple masonry wall assembly (units, mortar, grout, reinforcement, ties, flashing) and price it using local unit costs.
Identify the documents that must be reviewed before bidding (drawings, specifications, addenda, geotechnical report, schedule) and flag common scope gaps.
Explain bid alternates, unit prices, and allowances and how each is presented on a bid form.
Your checkpoint
A complete practice bid package for a small wall section: takeoff quantities, unit-cost buildup, overhead/profit, and a one-page bid summary with assumptions and exclusions.
Masonry Products
Classify masonry units by material (clay brick, concrete masonry, stone) and list the ASTM specification and grade/type designations for each.
Describe mortar types (M, S, N, O) and their appropriate applications, including the effect of cementitious materials on bond and durability.
Explain grout, reinforcement, anchors, ties, flashing, and sealant materials, including compatibility and corrosion-protection requirements.
Match five project conditions (high seismic, freeze-thaw, high wind, fire-rated, veneer) to the correct product selection and justify each choice.
Your checkpoint
A product-selection matrix: material category, ASTM standard, key properties, typical applications, and one project condition per row with justification.
Quality Assurance Best Practices
Develop a field inspection plan for masonry construction covering layout, foundation interface, reinforcement placement, grouting, and flashing.
Describe the correct procedures for grout placement, consolidation, and reconsolidation, and identify defects that require removal and replacement.
Outline a mock-up and preconstruction testing program, including what the mock-up must demonstrate and who signs off.
Write a corrective-action protocol for three common defects (cold joints, missing reinforcement, inadequate mortar joint thickness) with acceptance criteria.
Your checkpoint
A field QA inspection plan and defect-response protocol that references specific code or ASTM acceptance criteria for each inspection point.
Safety
Identify the major OSHA hazards in masonry work (falls, silica dust, struck-by, caught-in, electrical) and the corresponding 29 CFR 1926 subparts.
Explain silica exposure controls for cutting and grinding masonry, including Table 1 requirements, wet methods, and respiratory protection.
Describe scaffold and access requirements for masonry, including capacity, inspection, and fall-protection triggers.
Draft a daily safety briefing (toolbox talk) outline for a masonry crew covering hazard recognition and stop-work authority.
Your checkpoint
A hazard-control matrix mapping five masonry tasks to hazards, OSHA citations, and control measures, plus a one-page toolbox talk outline.
Codes and Standards & Ethics and Business Practice & Quality Assurance Best Practices
Synthesize code, ethics, and QA content into a single integrated review, resolving any conflicting requirements between design, inspection, and business practice.
Complete a timed 60-question practice set weighted by domain percentages and score it by domain.
Review every missed question, write the correct rule and its source, and re-test those items after 48 hours.
Build a final one-page exam-day reference of the highest-risk facts (code section numbers, ASTM designations, OSHA thresholds, ethical principles).
Your checkpoint
A scored practice exam with a domain-by-domain error analysis and a corrected one-page final reference sheet; target at least 80% overall and no domain below 70%.
Milestones
Week 2: Explain, without notes, the difference between TMS 402 and TMS 602 requirements and name at least four ASTM standards invoked by masonry code provisions.
Week 4: Complete a practice bid takeoff and pricing exercise with no arithmetic errors and correctly identify all listed assumptions and exclusions.
Week 6: Present a field QA inspection plan that cites specific acceptance criteria for at least five inspection points and correctly describes grout consolidation.
Week 8: Score at least 80% on a timed 60-question weighted practice exam, with no domain below 70%, and document corrective review for every missed item.