Building code
A building code is a set of rules set to govern a a building's design, construction, testing, inspections, and maintenance to protect public health, safety and welfare. Building codes are adopted and enforced by the government, who may inspect buildings to make sure they follow the rules.
A building code may provide rules for many different things and is influenced by materials manufacturers, firefighters, and building officials. The building may need to follow rules about providing parking or affecting traffic. There will be rules about making the building safe during disasters, such as fires, earthquakes, and tornadoes.
The rules used on a specific building may be very different depending on where the building is and what it is used for. For example, a house will have extra rules about making sure people can live there, while a hotel will have extra rules about fire exits. Many public buildings have a "maximum occupancy" for some rooms, which is how many people may be allowed into that room at once.
Building codes can also be accompanied by zoning ordinances that dictate style, building use, etc.
Earthquakes
Any building code has either some minimum requirements for seismic loads (prescriptive code) or some seismic performance rules (performance-based code).[1]
Seismic design is based on procedures meant to protect structures that may experience earthquake impact.[2] However, a design which blindly follows seismic code rules does not guarantee safety against collapse or serious damage.[3]
Building Code Media
Code Violation: This fire-rated concrete block wall is penetrated by cable trays and electrical cables. The hole should be firestopped to restore the fire-resistance rating of the wall. Instead, it is filled with flammable polyurethane foam.
Related pages
- Building Code Reference Library Archived 2010-12-06 at the Wayback Machine
References
- ↑ International Building Code. Intl. Code Council - 2009. ISBN 9781580017251.
- ↑ Lindeburg, Michael R.; Baradar, Majid (2001). Seismic Design of Building Structures. Professional Publications. ISBN 0943198232.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ↑ "Earthquake-Resistant Construction". Archived from the original on 2012-09-15. Retrieved 2010-03-24.
