TECH CORNER:
New CT State Building Code in 2018
The current 2016 CT State Building Code is scheduled to be changed to the 2018 CT State Building Code (CSBC). The new Code will be comprised of the 2015 International Code Council (ICC) model codes and the 2018 CT Amendments.
A draft version of the 2018 CSBC can be downloaded from:
The structural provisions of the new 2018 Code will not affect the design requirements for buildings but there are new provisions for the Special Inspection requirements for aspects of light-framed buildings constructed with wood or cold-formed steel.
The new 2018 Code is expected to be adopted in mid-summer or early fall. It is unknown at this time whether or not there will be a grace period for projects that are currently in the design phase and not yet permitted.
What Happened to Wind Pressures?
Ultimate wind speeds change the numbers - not the actual loads
For those of you watching closely, you may have noticed that the design wind speed for buildings has increased by a factor of approximately one-third. Don't worry, this doesn't mean that the depth of window mullions will need to be increased for curtainwalls and storefronts. The change is strictly nomenclature – wind is simply catching up with seismic and other loads which are factored into ultimate loads when used in the LRFD (ultimate strength) design method. Until the construction industry becomes accustomed to the new system, TDEG will continue to show the Nominal Wind Speed, Vasd, along with the corresponding Ultimate Wind Speed, Vult, on our drawings.
