in the 2022 CBC Sec 1905.1.8 ACI 318 Section 17.2.3, section 17.10.5.3 (d) requires the seismic overstrength factor for wood framed shear walls, 3.0, to be applied to the net uplift load at wood framed shear wall ends. When combined with all the ACI limitations on concrete breakout and...
It's been a few years since I've had the occasion to design an OMF in a custom home in CA, but just got one recently. In the past, I've used a prequalified, WUF-B beam-to-column connection. I used to call that a "prequalified" connection, but maybe that isn't the correct terminology anymore...
This feels like a stupid question but does anyone know where to find the Commentary for the CA Existing Building Code? I've been searching around on the web but nothing is coming up. Only thing I can find is the Commentary for the 2021 IEBC. Is that all there is?
I am having a dispute with a...
A builder drilled holes for 5/8" Simpson Titen-HD's to be retrofit into an existing concrete footing about 20 degrees off vertical because of some as-built constraints in the building. Off vertical to the outside, not length-wise to the sill. The building inspector caught this and said he had...
Most of my 30+ yr practice a has been residential and low rise commercial and light industrial. The only elevated garage slabs over conditioned space I've done over the years have been single car garages. I now have a big luxury home with a 24ft x 24 ft elevated garage over conditioned space...
I normally do about 95% of my work in ASD. I booked the engineering for a 5000 sq ft 3 story custom home in a very high seismic and snow load region (Sierra Nevada). The local Fox Blocks ICF folks have sold this client on doing all his exterior walls in ICF's, so now the home will have all...
I am looking for other professional opinions as to whether or not this building should be classified as a Type 5 Nonparallel System Horizontal Structural irregularity or not per ASCE 7-16 Table 12.3-1. See attached plans
Owner wants to build with light wood frame construction and thus wants...
I' d like some advice as to what you folks think I should charge HOA's for copies (digital scans) of stored original blueprint build sets of plans for condominiums complexes that no one else has. I used to charge the per page cost of the scans plus my time plus a $250 archive fee. It occurred...
In the jurisdiction where I do most of my practice (Sierra Nevada in CA), the soil is really very good for footings for light frame construction. All the preliminary geotechnical investigations I have seen in the past 30+ years have either 2000 or 3000 psf soil bearing allowable for locations...
I can't find any information as to why the shear values for diaphragms in the NDS SDPWS Ch 4.2 for High Load Diaphragms can't be used for shear walls. As long as the underlying framing and nailing patterns are what is required for use of the values in that table, what is the difference whether...
Anyone know why NDS does not allow (give specs for) shear walls sheathed with 5/8" Struct 1 ply? I've combed the commentary and can't find anything on the subject. I have a retrofit application where I'd love to sheath one side of an interior wall with 5/8" struct 1 ply to get the shear...
I am working with a condo project located in CA in the Sierra that has seen huge roof snow overload conditions this winter. Roof was designed for 135 psf of snow (about 5.4 ft of snow) and had 12 ft of snow on it when the beam failure was noticed. The 8x14 roof beam has a longitudinal crack at...
I work in a very rural area where I am the only licensed structural engineer. I got a request from the local county public works department to engineer a new decorative arch over Main St. They would like the columns on either side of the road supporting the arch to be concrete. I have never...
Does anyone know of any kind of adjustment factor to use with NDS Table 11N for nails connecting two wood members with the nail inserted through the side grain of the first member (deck rim) into the end grain of the second member (end of cantilevered deck joist). I need to evaluate this...
I just found changes in 2012 IBC/2013 CBC Sec 1704 Special Inspections that I had missed until right now. Seems like the table that had previously specified the required special inspection levels of structural steel welding (Table 1704.3) is no longer there. The only reference for req'd...
I've been asked to evaluate a commercial building built in 1980 for some retrofit work. Floors and roof are framed with 16", 26" and 30" TJL's per plan. (I know I will need to confirm that building was built per plan of course) Since Trus Joist sold off the TJL business to RedBuilt, they no...
I have a client who would like to cut a couple of holes for new plumbing through an exiting post-tension deck of a condo building. He can't find an engineer who specializes in post-tension deck design (which I recommended he try to find) to advise him on this. I've never designed a concrete...
I've been asked to evaluate the usability of some highly mildewed plywood structural sheathing on the inside of some cripple walls in the lowest level understory area of a condominium complex that was built without understructure vents. I've looked on the APA website, called their technical...
We are working on checking the feasibility of retrofiting some heavy items onto the roof of a fairly large building in Southern CA. Building was built in 1979 and we have the structural plans. The roof framing plan calls out structural members none of us have heard of before. Plans are hand...
I have a 87 inch square x 12 inch deep pad footing, at only 12" embedment, being retrofit under the framed floor in the middle of an existing house (to support a couple of new post loads at 29K and 15K...its a high snow load area) that fills up with water before the concrete can be poured. Soil...
