The 2018 Edition of the Wood Frame Construction Manual (WFCM) for One- and Two-Family Dwellings, designated ANSI/AWC WFCM-2018, is approved as an ANSI American National Standard (Figure 1). The 2018 WFCM was developed by the American Wood Council’s (AWC) Wood Design Standards Committee (WDSC) and is referenced in the 2018 International Residential Code (IRC) and 2018 International Building Code (IBC). …
The 2018 Edition of the National Design Specification® (NDS®) for Wood Construction was recently published. The updated standard, designated ANSI/AWC NDS-2018, was approved as an ANSI American National Standard on November 30, 2017 (Figure 1). …
Changes to the 2018 International Building Code (IBC) and 2018 International Existing Buildings Code (IEBC) were approved by the International Code Council (ICC) during their 2015/2016 code development cycle. This article outlines changes to the code requirements for wood construction, the majority of which are changes to the IBC. Only a few changes for exterior balconies involve the IEBC. …
Updated for 2018 IBC
From 2001 to 2012, the AISI Committee on Framing Standards developed nine different framing standards to cover specific aspects of cold-formed steel framing. Six of these standards addressed the design of structural elements, such as general provisions, wall studs, floor joists, trusses, headers, and shear walls. …
NCSEA’s Position on Some Confusing Code Provisions
As states adopt the 2015 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), more engineers are learning the differences between two of its compliance methods – the Prescriptive method and the Work Area method. (See “What Happened to Chapter 34?” in the June 2016 issue of STRUCTURE.) …
Are Upgrades Required?
When done rationally, maintaining and repairing existing buildings represents an efficient use of resources that should be promoted. Also, reusing and repairing existing construction becomes increasingly important as sustainability becomes a higher priority (SEI 2013). …
When major building codes are not in agreement on specific structural members, confusion and uncertainty are propagated among design engineers. In this case, the industry may need to start a conversation with code authorities for clarification.
Three issues specific to the design of post-tensioned members are currently treated differently by the American Concrete Institute’s Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and Commentary, ACI-318 (2014), and Europe’s Design of Concrete Structures – Part 1-1 General rules and rules for buildings, European Code EC2 (2004). For any designer working globally, these two code documents define the design of post-tensioned members. …
In 2013, the American Concrete Institute (ACI) published the first U.S. code requirements specifically for the repair of reinforced concrete, Code Requirements for Evaluation, Repair and Rehabilitation of Concrete Buildings (ACI 562-13), having recognized the need for consistent practices and longer-lasting concrete structures. …
Past, Present and Future
Over the past twenty years, the seismic design value maps referenced by the building codes have undergone revolutionary changes, affecting the information they portray, the way they are developed and the design procedures that reference them. Many structural engineers, noting these constant changes and the effects on their designs, question why this happens and if it is necessary. This article presents a historic review of major developments in seismic design value mapping and a look forward to potential future changes. …
This article is the conclusion of a two-part series which discusses special inspection provisions for wood construction found in Chapter 17 of the International Building Code (IBC). Although the IBC is in use or adopted in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Northern Marianas Islands, New York City, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, each state and jurisdiction may not adopt the same edition of the code and/or make amendments to the code. …