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National Reference Standards Development
Codes & Standards Home > National Reference Standards Development

Many technical aspects of the model buildings codes are addressed in reference publications developed by national consensus standards development organizations (SDO). These standards are not typically transcribed into the body of the building code, but are referenced in the appropriate sections of the building code. Product specification and testing standards are not within the purview of the Codes and Standards Department and are addressed by the Product Technology and Standards Department.

In addition to the specific standards development activities, PCA manages the Concrete Technology Advisory Council (CTAC) to gain guidance from practicing industry experts. PCA’s primary standards development work is with:

The primary standard development activities are:

Fire Resistance of Building Elements

Standard Method for Determining Fire Resistance of Concrete and Masonry Structures (ACI 216.1) is jointly published and managed with The Masonry Society (TMS). The standard provides acceptable methods for determining the fire resistance of concrete and masonry assemblies and structural elements. Contact: Steve Szoke

Standard Calculation Methods for Structural Fire Protection (ASCE/SEI/SFPE 29) provides methods to calculate the fire resistance of structural members and barrier assemblies using steel, concrete, wood and masonry. These methods, published jointly by ASCE/SEI and the Society for Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE), are intended to provide equivalent fire resistances that would have been achieved in the ASTM E 119 standard fire test.

Standard Test Method for Fire Testing of Building Construction and Materials (ASTM) E 119 is a fire-test-response standard applicable to assemblies of structural and non-structural materials for buildings, including bearing and other walls and partitions, columns, girders, beams, slabs, and composite slab and beam assemblies for floors and roofs. Contact: Mark Kluver

Structural – Minimum Design Loads

Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures (ASCE/SEI 7) sets minimum load requirements and load combinations for buildings and other structures for strength design and allowable stress design. Addressed are dead, earthquake, fluids, flood, lateral earth, live, roof, rain, snow, wind, and wind on ice loads; weight of ice; and self-straining forces.

Design Loads on Structures During Construction (ASCE/SEI 37) provides minimum design load requirements for partially completed and temporary structures used during construction.

Structural – Load Resistance Design

Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete (ACI 318) provides minimum requirements for design and construction of structural concrete. PCA work in this area is performed by the Engineered Structures Department. Contact: Basil Rabbat

Building Code Requirements for Masonry Structures (ASCE 5/ACI 530/TMS 402) provides minimum requirements for the design and construction of elements consisting of masonry units bedded in mortar. Allowable stress, strength, and empirical design requirements are provided. PCA work in this area is performed by the Products Standards and Technology Department. Contact John Melander.

Specifications for Masonry Structures (ASCE 6/ACI 530.1/TMS 402) is written as the master specification and is required by the Building Code Requirements for Masonry Structures. Minimum quality assurance requirements for materials; placing, bonding and anchorage of masonry units; and placement of grout and reinforcement are included. PCA work in this area is performed by the Products Standards and Technology Department. Contact John Melander.

Flood Resistant Design and Construction (ASCE/SEI 24) provides minimum requirements for flood-resistant design and construction of structures located in flood hazard areas, including new structures and substantial repair or improvement to existing structures.

Design and Construction of Frost-Protected Shallow Foundations (ASCE/SEI 32) provides design and construction requirements to frost-protect shallow foundations that do not extend below the design frost depth. The standard addresses heated, unheated, and semi-heated structures. Contact: Steve Skalko

Standard on Design, Construction and Performance of Storm Shelters (IS-STM) provides technical design and performance criteria that will facilitate and promote design, construction, and installation of safe reliable and economical storm shelters to protect the public. This standard is developed and managed jointly by the International Codes Council Consensus Committee on Storm Shelters (IS-STM-CC) and National Storm Shelter Association.

Standard for Hurricane Resistant Construction (IS-HRC) specifies prescriptive methodologies of wind resistant design and construction details for buildings and other structures of wood framed, steel framed, concrete or masonry construction sited in hurricane prone areas. The standard being developed is a modification of the Hurricane Resistant Residential Construction (SSTD-10), formerly published by the Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc., currently referenced in the International Residential Code. Contact: Steve Skalko

• Prescriptive Method for Design and Construction of Residential Concrete Walls is a guide being developed to facilitate the use of concrete wall systems in the design and construction of one- and two-family dwellings. Prescriptive requirements are provided for both removal form and stay-in-place form systems, the most common of the latter being insulated concrete forms (ICF).

Thermal Performance of Buildings

Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings (ASHRAE 90.1) provides minimum energy-efficient requirements for the design and construction of new buildings and their systems and criteria for determining compliance with these requirements. The buildings addressed in this standard tend to have larger space conditioning loads generated internally than through the building envelope or skin. Contact: Steve Skalko

Energy Efficient Design of Low-Rise Residential Buildings (ASHRAE 90.2) provides minimum energy efficiency requirements for the design and construction of new residential dwelling units and their systems. The buildings addressed are limited to residential structures three-stories or less in height. These structures tend to have space conditioning loads influenced more by the thermal performance of the building envelope than by internal loads. Contact: Steve Skalko


 
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