International Building Code 2003 - Structural Design - a PDH Online Course for Engineers and Architects

2003 International Building Code - Structural Design

Course Outline

The International Building Code has been adopted by 47 states and the District of Columbia as of May 2006. This course highlights the structural provisions contained in Chapter 16 of the 2003 International Building Code, and is designed to help structural engineers get familiar with the latest building code requirements. The course materials are based on the 2003 IBC : Chapter 16 - Structural Design (you must have a copy of the IBC 2003 and ASCE 7-02 for this course). Detailed sample gravity and lateral load calculations for a two-story building are presented, which include both simplified seismic load analysis procedure and the equivalent lateral force procedure for comparison purpose. Useful tips and valuable observations are also provided within the sample calculations along with the computed results from a downloadable Excel spreadsheet. In addition, detailed answers are provided to some of the frequently asked questions, including the major changes from the IBC 2000 to the IBC 2003. This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of course materials.

Learning Objective

At the conclusion of this course, the student will:

Be familiar with the terminology used in structural design;
Be familiar with the required minimum live loads for different types of buildings;
Be familiar with the basic load combinations for the load and resistance factor design;
Be familiar with the basic load combinations for the allowable stress design;
Be familiar with the rain loads and flood loads;
Be familiar with the classification of seismic user groups and design categories;
Be familiar with the required design loads for handrails, grab bars and vehicle barriers;
Be familiar with the required load increase to include allowance for impact conditions;
Be familiar with the required minimum roof live loads for special roof structures;
Be familiar with the allowable story drift under the seismic loads;
Understand the permitted live load reduction;
Understand the exceptions to live load reduction;
Understand the alternate floor live load reduction;
Understand the live load posting requirement;
Understand the deflection limits under different types of loads;
Understand the anchorage requirements for concrete and masonry walls;
Understand the permitted load reduction under different load combinations;
Understand the special seismic load combinations;
Understand the various types of loads caused by moving cranes;
Be able to determine the importance factors for buildings and other structures;
Be able to calculate roof design live loads;
Be able to determine design loads for heliports;
Be able to determine ground and roof snow loads;
Be able to calculate snow drift and the amount of sliding snow;
Be able to determine wind and snow exposure category;
Be able to calculate wind loads for main windforce-resisting systems;
Be able to calculate wind loads for components and cladding;
Be able to determine the required lateral soil loads for earth retaining structures;
Be able to calculate seismic loads using the simplified method;
Be able to calculate seismic loads using the equivalent lateral force method; and
Have a better understanding of the structural design requirements contained in the IBC 2003.

Background Information

The International Code Council (ICC) was founded in 1994 as a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing a single set of comprehensive and coordinated national model construction codes. The founders of the ICC are Building Officials and Code Administrators International, Inc. (BOCA), International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO), and Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc. (SBCCI).

The first draft of the International Building Code was prepared in 1997. The first edition of the International Building Code (IBC 2000) was officially published in March 2000, following several public hearings in 1998 and 1999 and a public comment forum in 1997. As of May 2006, forty-seven states and the District of Columbia have adopted the IBC.

Course Content

The purpose of this course is to help engineers and architects get familiar with the structural design provisions in the IBC 2003. In this course, you are required to study Sections 1601 through 1621 of the 2003 International Building Code. Because the IBC 2003 makes numerous references to ASCE-7, it is also necessary for you to have a copy of the 2002 ASCE 7. If you or your office do not have these two publications, you may order a copy from the Online Store of ICBO.

The live loads, wind loads and snow loads in the IBC 2003 are primarily based on the 2002 ASCE 7. To assist practicing engineers in wind load calculations, the IBC 2003 contains a simplified wind design provision and tabulated wind pressures for low-rise buildings (Section 1609.6). For seismic load analysis, the IBC 2003 also provides a simplified structural analysis technique for light-framed buildings not exceeding three stories in height (Section 1617.5).

Once you purchase this course, you can download two PDF files within the quiz section of the course. The first one contains twenty frequently asked questions, and the second contains twenty-one pages of detailed sample calculations of dead loads, live loads, wind loads and seismic loads for a two-story office building per structual privisions in the IBC 2003. Both simplified seismic load analysis procedure and the equivalent lateral force procedure are performed for this building for comparison purpose. Useful tips and valuable observations are also provided within the sample calculations along with the computed results from a downloadable Excel spreadsheet. You are required to study the sample calculations and the Excel spreadsheet for better understanding of the building code provisions.

The following contains the outline of Chapter 16 of the IBC 2003:

Chapter 16 - Structural Design

Table of Contents

Section 1601 - General
Section 1602 - Definitions
Section 1603 - Construction Documents
Section 1604 - General Design Requirements
Section 1605 - Load Combinations
Section 1606 - Dead Loads
Section 1607 - Live Loads
Section 1608 - Snow Loads
Section 1609 - Wind Loads
Section 1610 - Soil Lateral Load

Section 1611 - Rain Loads
Section 1612 - Flood Loads
Section 1613 - Earthquake Loads Definitions
Section 1614 - Earthquake Loads - General
Section 1615 - Earthquake Loads - Site Ground Motion
Section 1616 - Earthquake Loads - Criteria Selection
Section 1617 - Earthquake Loads - Minimum Design Lateral Force and Related Effects
Section 1618 - Dynamic Analysis Procedure for the Seismic Design of Buildings
Section 1619 - Earthquake Loads - Soil-Structure Interaction Effects
Section 1620 - Earthquake Loads - Design, Detailing Requirements and Structural Component Load Effects
Section 1621 - Architectural, Mechanical, Electrical Components Seismic Design Requirements

Section 1622 - Nonbuilding Structures Seismic Design (not included in this course)
Section 1623 - Seismically Isolated Structures (not included in this course)

Course Summary

To protect the safety and welfare of the public, all structural engineers must get familiar with the latest building code requirements. This course and its quiz questions highlight the important structural provisions in the IBC 2003.

Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.

DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDHonline.org or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered professional engineer. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.