A method for constructing a structure from a mechanical secured block building system with concrete masonry units, comprising;
- a) placing first and second anchor bars on a foundation surface;
- b) placing a first concrete masonry unit over the first and second anchor bars;
- c) placing a third anchor bar into an anchor bar channel in the first concrete masonry unit;
- d) placing first and second tendon through bolts into first and second through apertures in the third anchor bar;
- e) threadably engaging the first and second tendon through bolts with first and second threaded apertures in the first and second anchor bars;
- f) placing a fourth anchor bar on the foundation surface adjacent the first anchor bar;
- g) placing a second concrete masonry unit over the first and fourth anchor bars;
- h) placing a fifth anchor bar into anchor bar channel in the second concrete masonry unit;
- i) placing third and fourth tendon through bolts into third and fourth through apertures in the fifth anchor bar;
- j) threadably engaging the third and fourth tendon through bolts with third and fourth threaded apertures in the first and fourth anchor bars;
- k) positioning a third concrete masonry unit over the first and second concrete masonry units wherein the third concrete masonry unit straddles the first and second concrete masonry units;
- l) placing a sixth anchor bar into an anchor bar channel of the third concrete masonry unit;
- m) placing fifth and sixth tendon through bolts into fifth and sixth through apertures in the sixth anchor bar;
- and
- n) threadably engaging the fifth and sixth tendon through bolts with fifth and sixth threaded apertures in the third and fifth anchor bars;
- wherein each of the concrete masonry units further comprises:
- a masonry longitudinal length, a masonry width measured perpendicularly to the masonry longitudinal length, wherein the masonry width which is one half the longitudinal length and is substantially uniform along the masonry longitudinal length, a masonry top surface, the masonry top surface being substantially planar, a masonry bottom surface, the masonry bottom surface being substantially planar, a masonry height which is one half the longitudinal length and which is measured between the masonry top and masonry bottom surfaces, the masonry height being substantially uniform along the masonry longitudinal length, a first through-cavity formed through the masonry unit from the top surface of the bottom surface, a second through-cavity formed through the masonry unit from the top surface to the bottom surface, a third through-cavity formed through the masonry unit from the top surface to the bottom surface, and an anchor bar channel formed in the masonry top surface and oriented substantially along the masonry longitudinal length;
- wherein each of the anchor bars further comprises:
- (i) a first set of apertures, the first set of apertures comprising a first non-threaded aperture and a first threaded aperture, wherein the first non-threaded aperture and the first threaded aperture are located in first and second diagonally opposing quadrants of a coordinate system defined by a longitudinal centerline of the anchor bar and a line that is perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline;
- and (ii) a second set of apertures neighboring the first set of apertures, the second set of apertures comprising a second non-threaded aperture that is substantially the same as the first non-threaded aperture, and a second threaded aperture that is substantially the same as the first threaded aperture, wherein the second non-threaded aperture and the second threaded aperture are located in third and fourth diagonally opposing quadrants of the coordinate system but spaced longitudinally from the first set of apertures, wherein the first set of apertures is aligned with the first through-cavity and the second set of apertures is aligned with the third through-cavity when the anchor bar is placed into the anchor bar channel of the masonry unit;
- and wherein a width of the anchor bar is smaller than a width of the anchor bar recess channel of the masonry unit;
- and
- wherein each tendon through bolt further comprises:
- (i) a first fastener end and a second fastener end, (ii) a head portion at the first fastener end, (iii) a stem portion rigidly affixed to the head portion, the stem portion comprising a threaded portion at the second fastener end;
- wherein the head portion does not fit through the first non-threaded aperture;
- wherein the stem portion slides freely through the first non-threaded aperture;
- and wherein the threaded portion is configured to threadably engage the first threaded aperture.