SECTION 2:  DESIGN
2.1.    DESIGN STANDARDS, SPECIFICATIONS AND CODES
The following standards, specifications and codes are used in designing metal buildings at the Company.
2.1.1    STANDARDS: 
ASCE Standard:  American Society of Civil Engineers, Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures 
MBMA:  Metal Building Manufacturer's Association, Metal Building Systems Manual 2002.

            2.1.2    SPECIFICATIONS: 
Structural Steel:  AISC Manual of Steel Construction, Allowable Stress Design - Ninth Edition, w/supplement #1
Structural Joints:  AISC specification for structural joints using ASTM A325 or ASTM A490 Bolts
Cold-Formed Steel:  AISI Cold-Formed Steel Design Manual 2001 Edition
Welding:  AWS (American Welding Society) D1.1 for Structural Steel, AWS D1.3 for Sheet Steel.  CSA (Canadian Standard Association) W59 & W47.1
2.1.3    CODES:  All model codes, namely UBC, SBC, BOCA, NBC, IBC and other applicable state building Codes.  (As outlined in Section 2.2.1 code interpretation.)
2.1.4    BOLTS:  As a standard, ASTM A325 (type N) bolts are used as bearing type connections.  Occasionally, it may be necessary to use (Type X) bolts. It is ensured that proper checking is done for this condition.  ASTM 307 bolts are used for secondary member connections.
2.1.5    HIGH STRENGTH BOLTS:  ASTM A325 (USED WHERE SPECIFIED ON DRAWINGS).  ASTM A325 Bolts used on rigid frame moments connections are designed as bearing type connections, and threads are included in the shear plane.  Turn of the nut method is to be used in tightening the high strength moment connection bolts.  Special inspection of the tightening of these bolts is required as specified in building codes.
2.1.6    WELDING:  Welds joining flanges to splice plates, flange to flange, and web butt joints are full penetration welds with effective weld throat equal to or exceeding the required strength of the joint.
2.1.7    BUILDING WITH OPENINGS:  Door and window frames (jambs and headers) are structurally designed to replace the wall panels.  As per Building Codes "all windows or doors or other openings shall be considered as openings unless such openings and their frames are specially detailed and designed to resist the loads on elements and components in accordance with the provisions of this section."  The same assumption is also true for buildings with bi-fold doors and sliding doors provided the manufacturers of these door frames specially design and detail to resist the loads on elements and components for the design wind load.
     Due to the above assumptions, buildings with truly partial open conditions are designed as partially enclosed, and all other buildings are designed as enclosed or open depending on the "open condition" as defined in the code.
2.2   CODE INTERPRETATION
2.2.1    CODE INTERPRETATION:  Model Code Interpretation and the development of the code compliance document will be the responsibility of the Engineering Department.  All the buildings are designed per ASCE and MBMA standards.  The Company uses the following model codes (latest edition or the year applicable for any particular jurisdiction) in designing the buildings, by using their applicable load combinations:
1)    Uniform Building Code (UBC)
2)    Building Official and Code Administrator (BOCA)
3)    Southern Building Code (SBC)
4)    North Carolina Building Code (NCBC)
5)    Ohio Basic Building Code (OBBC)
6)    Massachusetts Building Code (MASS)
7)    Wisconsin Administrative Code (WISCONSIN)
8)    New York Building Code (NYBC)
9)    Chicago Building Code (CHICAGO)
10)    National Building Code of Canada (NBC)
11)    International Building Code (IBC)
12)    Michigan Building Code
13)    Florida Building Code (FBC)
(High velocity hurricane zone (HVHZ) - this zone consists of Broward and Dade counties)



Any other codes specified for custom designed buildings.