Reinforced concrete flat-plate construction is popular among mid- and high-rise residential construction projects. It provides a great deal of flexibility in the placement of the structure’s vertical load-carrying elements as could potentially be the case with steel or masonry.
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Documents are usually critical items when parties—including architects, engineers, contractors, and owners—become involved in a dispute. This is true whether the dispute will be litigated, arbitrated, or mediated.
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Even though some codes include air barrier assembly as a compliance option, the default compliance path for air leakage control tends to be through air barrier materials. For many years, practitioners relied on air barrier materials properties, while the performance of installed air barriers was largely untested.
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This article describes the air barrier performance requirements for the desired wind load design specifications. The performance level is not determined by the type of air barrier material, but by the installation details.
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When choosing a marquee entry door system, specifiers need to consider several criteria including traffic, the building’s wind and stack action pressure, accessibility, and obstructing pedestrian traffic.
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The 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design has several requirements that continue to surprise architects and specifiers. This article examines changes to door hardware operable force, use of low-energy automatic operators, protrusions into egress, and the need for proper maneuvering clearance.
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The article offers an in-depth look at design considerations for fire resistance when building with wood products. It also looks at wood engineering mechanics and design procedures that comply with the International Building Code (IBC), recognizing fire resistance demonstrated by structural wood beams and columns in actual fires.
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There are two main field testing methods used for water repellency of concrete masonry units (CMUs), for quality assurance before being placed in a wall: droplet and RILEM tube testing. Completed assemblies can also be tested with RILEM tubes or other standard water spray tests.
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A single-wythe concrete masonry wall may be a cost-effective structural element, but it can present challenges for waterproofing. The National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA) recommends redundancy to keep concrete masonry walls dry through techniques at the surface of the wall, within the wall, and through adequate drainage systems.
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The sound transmission class (STC) and impact insulation class (IIC) are ASTM-derived single number ratings that try to quantify how much sound a stopped by partition being tested. Laboratory testing involves an ideal setting for the floor/ceiling assembly.
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