Those of you who have had an opportunity to work in jurisdictions that have adopted the 2015 International Building Code (IBC) should have noticed a significant change related to mandatory tornado shelters in a significant portion of the Central U.S. For areas that use the 2015 IBC, this new requirement will impact the majority of new school and emergency facility construction spanning as far north as central Minnesota, as far south as southern Mississippi, and stretching to western Pennsylvania in the east and western Texas to the west. This area is shown in Figure 1 and is where tornadoes with wind speeds of at least 250 mph have a history of occurrence. …
Anchored masonry veneer wall systems are commonly used throughout North America in residential, commercial and institutional construction. These exterior masonry veneers are non load-bearing and are usually assumed to be little more than an exterior finish of the building envelope. Using prescriptive design methods, masonry veneer can be supported vertically by foundations for heights less than 30 feet, or supported by the building frame for taller structures. …