Basic Definitions in your Specification

February 1st, 2012

Asce 2

Construction jobs that have seismic considerations should list basic site criteria for that specific job.  These basic site criteria can be found here.  Also included in each specification should be a few simple definitions that clarify what the site criteria refers to.  These four basic definitions that should be included are:

 

  • Essential Facilities: Buildings and other structures that are intended to remain operation in the event of extreme environmental loading from flood, wind, snow, or earthquakes.
    • See Table 1604.5 - IBC 2006/ASCE 7.05 - Occupancy Category of Buildings and Other Structures for examples.
  • Life Safety and High Hazard:
    • All systems involved with fire protection, including sprinkler piping, jockey pumps, fire pumps, control panels, service water supply piping, water tanks, fire dampers, smoke exhaust systems and fire alarm panels.
    • All mechanical, electrical, plumbing or fire protection systems that support the operation of, or are connected to, emergency power equipment, including all lighting, generators, transfer switches and transformers.
    • All Medical and life support systems
    • Essential facilities' heating systems and air conditioning systems for maintaining normal ambient temperature.
    • Automated supply, exhaust, fresh air and relief air systems on emergency control sequence, including air handlers, duct, dampers, etc., or manually-operated systems used for smoke evacuation, purge or fresh air relief by the fire department.
    • All gases or fluids that must be contained in a closed system which are flammable or combustible.  Any gas that poses a health hazard if released into the environment and vented Fuel Cells.
    • Heating systems in any facility in Siesmic Use Group III, IBC 2000, or Occupancy Category IV, IBC 2003-2006 where the ambient temperature can fall below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Component Importance Factor: Factor applied to a component that defines the criticality of that component.  This factor can be 1.0 or 1.5.
  • Consequential Damage: The functional and physical interrelationship of components, their supports and their effect on each other shall be considered so that the failure of an essential or non-essential architectural, mechanical, or electrical component shall not cause the failure of an essential architectural, mechanical, or electrical component.

 

For more information or to have us review your specification, call us at 901.685.8800, or email us at sales [at] bedsonreps [dot] com !

 

 Bedson Reps provides reliable solutions for Industrial Ventilation, Heating, Dust/Oil Mist/Smoke Collection, Vibration and Seismic Restraints for Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Alabama.

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