Structural Engineering Standards

Review Design Standards General Statements before utilizing this web page.

On this page:
Building Codes & Industry Standards
Denver Service Center (DSC) Requirements
Resources
Laws
Executive Orders (EOs)

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Building Codes & Industry Standards

• IBC 2024 (International Building Code)
• IEBC 2024 (International Existing Building Code)
• ASCE 7-22 (American Society of Civil Engineers)
• NISTIR 8458e2022 Standards of Seismic Safety for Existing Federally Owned and Leased Buildings ICSSC Recommended Practice 10 (RP 10-22).
  • Note: Rehabilitation projects must satisfy both 2024 IEBC and RP 10-22.
  (NISTIR: National Institute of Standards and Technology Internal Report, ICSSC: Interagency Committee on Seismic Safety in Construction)
• ACI (American Concrete Institute)
  • ACI 318-19
  • ACI 301-20
• TMS (The Masonry Society)
  • TMS 402-16
  • TMS 402-22
  • TMS 602-22
• AISC (American Institute of Steel Construction)
  • AISC 360-22
  • AISC 341-22
• AITC Manual, 6th edition (American Institute of Timber Construction)
• ANSI/AWC (American National Standards Institute/American Wood Council)
  • NDS-24 National Design Specification with 2018 NDS Supplement
  • SDPWS-21 Special Design Procedures for Wind and Seismic

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Denver Service Center (DSC) Requirements

Load Requirements

• Live Load: IBC Section 1607
• Snow Load: IBC Section 1608 as required for building location, with consideration of:
  • Unbalanced snow load
  • Snow drifting at lower roofs and projections
  • Roof valley snow drifting
  • Sliding snow
• Wind Load: ASCE 7-22 as required for building location
• Seismic: ASCE 7-22 as required for building location
• Vehicle Bridges: AASHTO LRFD Bridge Specifications 9th Edition (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Load and Resistance Factor Design)
• Pedestrian Bridges and Boardwalks: Live Load: 85 psf (pounds per square foot)

Foundations

• Frost Depth: As required for building location
• Foundation Type: As required by the Geotechnical Investigation
• Pile or Pier Type Foundations:
  • Measurement and payment requirements for these types of foundation systems (driven pile, drilled pier, caisson, helical pile, etc.) shall be included as a unit price item in Division 01 Specifications Section 01 27 00. Language similar to the following shall be used:
    • This item consists of mobilization, equipment, materials, testing, quality assurance, and labor required to install [INSERT FOUNDATION TYPE] as indicated on the Structural Drawings and in accordance with the Specifications.
    • Measurement for payment will be linear feet of [INSERT FOUNDATION TYPE], installed and completed.
    • Payment will be made at the contract unit price, per linear foot.

Concrete

• Concrete shall be assigned an Exposure Category and Class per ACI 318, Table 19.3.1.1.
• Concrete mix designs shall not exceed paste volume of 25%.
• Minimum slab-on-grade thickness 4 inches at thinnest point (typically at floor drains)
• Minimum compressive strength at 28 days: as required by design, but not less than 3000 psi (pounds per square inch)
• Maximum 25% flyash content
• Reinforcing steel: ASTM A615 Grade 60
• Provide control joints and/or adequate reinforcing steel at re-entrant corners in slabs-on-grade.
• Use of staggered or offset control joints in slabs-on-grade is not permitted.
• Use ACI 360R-10 for slab-on-grade design.

Masonry

• Concrete masonry minimum f'm: 1500 psi
• Reinforcing Steel: ASTM A615 Grade 60
• Below grade walls and retaining walls grouted solid.
• Provide control joints near building corners and as recommended by NCMA (National Concrete Masonry Association) TEK 10-2B.

Steel

• W Shapes: ASTM A992, Fy = 50 ksi (kilopound per square inch)
• S, M, C and MC Shapes: ASTM A36, Fy =36 ksi, or A572 Grade 50
• HP Shapes: ASTM A572 Grade 50
• Angles, Plates and Bars: ASTM A36, Fy = 36 ksi, or A572 Grade 50
• HSS (Hollow Structural Sections)
  • HSS (Rectangular): ASTM A500 Grade C, Fy = 50 ksi
  • HSS (Round): ASTM A500 Grade C, Fy =46 ksi
• Steel Pipe: ASTM A53 Grade B, Fy = 35 ksi
• Bolts: ASTM F3125 Grade A325 or Grade A490
• Nuts: ASTM A563
• Washers: ASTM F436
• Anchor Rods: ASTM F1554 Grade 55
• "L" and "J" shaped anchor rods shall not be used to resist tension.
• Weld Electrodes: F_EXX = 70 ksi

Wood

• Minimum roof sheathing thickness: 19/32 inch
• Minimum wall sheathing thickness: 15/32 inch
• Framing Lumber (depending on location, availability, and structural requirements)
  • Southern Pine Number 2 or better
  • Hem Fir Number 2 or better
  • Douglas Fir Larch Number 2 or better
• Provide blocking between roof framing members at bearing locations and at diaphragm boundaries.
• Provide plywood or OSB (Oriented Strand Board) sheathing over heavy timber decking to create a diaphragm.
• Whenever possible, engineered lumber (I-Joists, LVL (Laminated Veneer Lumber, Glulams)) shall be used in lieu of solid sawn members 8 inches by 8 inches and larger.
• Use of pentachlorophenol pressure treatment for glulams is not acceptable.

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Resources

Coastal/Marine Construction

• Coastal Construction Manual
• Coastal Engineering Manual EM 1110-2-1100

Seismic-Existing Buildings

• ASCE 41-23 Seismic Evaluation and Retrofit of Existing Buildings

Seismic-Nonstructural Components

• FEMA E-74 Reducing the Risks of Nonstructural Earthquake Damage (Federal Emergency Management Agency)

Tornado Shelters

• FEMA P-361 Safe Rooms for Tornadoes and Hurricanes

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Laws

• 40 USC (United States Code) §3312 - Compliance with Nationally Recognized Codes

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Executive Orders (EOs)

• EO 12699 - Seismic Safety of Federal and Federally Assisted or Regulated New Building Construction (Revoked)
• EO 12941 - Seismic Safety of Existing Federally Owned or Leased Buildings (Revoked)
• EO 13717 - Establishing a Federal Earthquake Risk Management Standard

 

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