Structure, Codes and Safety

73 terms

#

• 1-hour fire resistance1-hour fire resistance refers to a fire safety standard that measures the ability of a building component or structure, such as a wall, floor,...

A

• Air OutletAn air outlet is the device at the end of a ventilation duct, such as a diffuser, grille or register, that delivers air into...
• American Concrete Institute (ACI)The American Concrete Institute (ACI) is a professional organization dedicated to advancing the knowledge and practice of concrete technology.
• American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning (ASHRAE)The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning (ASHRAE) is a global professional society that focuses on advancing the fields of heating, ventilation,...
• Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ)The authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) is the organization, office or individual responsible for enforcing a code or standard and approving equipment, materials, installations or...

B

• Bituminous MaterialsBituminous materials are binders made from bitumen, the heavy residue of petroleum refining, or from coal tar, and they are the basis of asphalt...
• Building CodeBuilding codes are comprehensive sets of regulations that govern the design, construction, and operation of buildings, including parking facilities.

C

• CantileverA cantilever in the context of parking garage design and construction refers to a structural element that extends horizontally and is supported at only...
• Carbon Monoxide (CO)Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas composed of one carbon atom and one oxygen atom chemically bonded together.
• Cast-In-Place Post-Tensioned Concrete (see also Precast Pretensioned Concrete)Cast-in-place post-tensioned concrete is a construction technique where concrete is poured on-site into formwork and then reinforced with high-strength steel tendons.
• CementCement is a finely ground, inorganic material that, when mixed with water, forms a paste that subsequently hardens.
• Chloride-Ion ContaminationChloride-Ion Contamination refers to an electrochemical process that leads to the deterioration of concrete and metal components within a parking garage.
• Clear-Span Construction (Long-Span)Clear-span construction, also called long-span construction, is a parking structure framing approach in which the floor spans the full width of a parking module,...
• Column CapitalA column capital is the enlarged, often flared, top of a column where it meets a concrete slab, used to spread the slab's load...
• Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is a branch of fluid mechanics that utilizes numerical methods and computer simulations to analyze and solve problems related to...
• Concentrated LoadA concentrated load is a force applied over a small area, such as a wheel, a jack, or a post, rather than spread evenly...
• ConcreteConcrete is a fundamental material in the design and construction of parking facilities due to its strength, durability, and versatility.
• Conventionally Reinforced ConcreteConventionally Reinforced Concrete is a traditional method of reinforcing concrete structures using steel reinforcement bars (rebar) or mesh.
• Cubic Feet per Minute (CFM)Cubic Feet per Minute (CFM) is a unit of measurement used to express the flow rate or volume of air or gas that passes...

D

• DeflectionDeflection refers to the extent to which a floor or structural element sags or bends under its own weight and the weight of parked...
• Demand-Controlled VentilationDemand-controlled ventilation (DCV) adjusts how much air a ventilation system moves based on measured conditions, rather than running at a fixed rate whenever the...

E

• Enclosed Parking GarageAn enclosed parking garage is a parking structure that does not have enough exterior wall openings to qualify as an open parking garage, so...
• Expansion JointExpansion Joint refers to a construction joint between sections of large concrete slabs designed to accommodate weather-induced expansion and contraction.
• Exterior Insulated Finishing System (EIFS)Exterior Insulation and Finish System (EIFS) is used as a cladding method for parking structures.

F

• Factored LoadA factored load is a load multiplied by a load factor, so a structure designed to resist it carries a margin of safety against...
• Fire Wall (Firewall)A fire wall is a fire-resistance-rated wall, continuous from the foundation to or through the roof, with enough structural stability that construction on either...
• Floor DiaphragmA floor diaphragm is a floor or roof slab that acts as a horizontal beam, collecting lateral forces from wind or earthquakes and delivering...
• Foundation SystemsA foundation system is the part of a structure that transfers its loads into the ground, through elements sized and selected for the soil...
• Free-Standing Parking GarageFree-Standing Parking Garage refers to a multi-level structure specifically designed to provide parking spaces for vehicles.

G

• Group S-2 Single-Story Parking GarageGroup S-2 Single-Story Parking Garage refers to a specific classification of parking structures under building codes, designated for the storage or parking of private...

H

• HVACHVAC stands for heating, ventilation and air conditioning: the systems that control temperature, humidity and air quality in buildings.
• Hybrid Concrete Structural SystemA hybrid concrete structural system in parking garage construction refers to a method that combines different types of concrete construction techniques, typically blending the...
• Hybrid Steel SystemA hybrid steel system is a parking structure framing system that combines steel columns and beams with precast concrete double tees as the floor...

I

• I-CodesThe "I-Codes," or International Codes, are a comprehensive set of building safety codes developed by the International Code Council (ICC).
• International Building Code (IBC)The International Building Code (IBC) is developed and maintained by the International Code Council (ICC).
• International Code Council (ICC)The International Code Council (ICC) is the nonprofit organization that develops the International Codes, or I-Codes, the model building and safety codes adopted by...
• International Fire Code (IFC)The International Fire Code (IFC) is the model fire code published by the International Code Council and adopted, often with local amendments, by most...
• International Mechanical Code (IMC)The International Mechanical Code (IMC) is the model code for mechanical systems, including heating, ventilation, air conditioning and exhaust, published by the International Code...
• International Plumbing Code (IPC)The International Plumbing Code (IPC) is the model code for plumbing systems, including water supply, sanitary drainage, venting and fixtures, published by the International...

L

• Lateral LoadsLateral loads are horizontal forces that push a structure sideways, as opposed to gravity loads that push down. The main sources are wind, earthquakes,...
• Live Loads aka Live Design LoadsLive loads are the temporary, movable loads a structure must carry, such as vehicles, people, furniture and equipment, as distinct from dead loads, the...

M

• Mechanical Ventilation SystemDesigned to provide adequate air circulation, control air quality, and remove potentially harmful gases and pollutants from an enclosed parking garage.
• Moment Frames, Precast Moment FramesA moment frame is a structural system of beams and columns joined by rigid connections, so the frame resists sideways forces from wind and...

N

• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a U.S.-based nonprofit, founded in 1896, that develops and publishes consensus codes and standards for fire prevention,...
• Natural VentilationNatural ventilation is the removal of vehicle exhaust and heat from a parking structure through openings in its exterior walls, using wind and air...
• Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a reddish-brown, toxic gas formed when fuel burns at high temperature. In parking facilities, its main source is vehicle exhaust,...

O

• Open Parking Garage (Open-Air Facility)An open parking garage, sometimes called an open-air parking facility, is a parking structure with enough uniformly distributed openings in its exterior walls on...
• Openness CalculationThe openness calculation is the IBC test determining whether a parking structure qualifies as open: openings on each tier must total at least 20%...
• OSHAThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is the U.S. federal agency, created under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, that sets...
• Out-of-Phase MovementOut-of-phase movement occurs when adjacent parts of a building, or adjacent buildings, move or vibrate in different directions or at different times during an...

P

• Pan-joist SystemA pan-joist system is a one-way concrete floor made of closely spaced ribs, or joists, cast together with a thin top slab, formed by...
• Post-Tensioned ConcretePost-tensioned (PT) concrete is concrete reinforced with high-strength steel tendons that are stressed after the concrete has hardened, putting the concrete into compression so...
• Precast Pretensioned Concrete (see also Cast-In-Place Post-Tensioned Concrete)Precast pretensioned concrete refers to a construction method where concrete elements are manufactured off-site in a controlled environment and then transported to the construction...
• Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI)The Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) is the technical institute and trade association for the precast and prestressed concrete industry in North America. It publishes...

S

• Seismic LoadsSeismic loads are the forces and deformations an earthquake imposes on a structure as the ground shakes beneath it. They depend on the expected...
• Service LoadService load is the load a structure is expected to carry in normal use, combining its own weight (dead load) with the people, vehicles...
• Shear WallA shear wall is a vertical structural element that resists lateral forces such as wind loads and seismic forces acting on a building.
• Short SpanIn parking structure design, short span describes a framing layout with interior columns placed within the parking bays, typically between groups of stalls, rather...
• Smoke BarrierA smoke barrier is a continuous membrane, vertical or horizontal, such as a wall, floor or ceiling assembly, designed and constructed to restrict the...
• Spalled (Spalling)Spalled describes concrete whose surface has cracked and broken away in fragments. In parking structures, spalling is most often caused by corrosion of reinforcing...
• Sprinkler Design DensitySprinkler design density is the rate at which a sprinkler system must deliver water over a defined design area, expressed in gallons per minute...
• Steel Bar Joist SystemsA steel bar joist system is a floor or roof system made of light, open-web steel joists spaced closely together, spanning between steel beams...
• Structural Steel SystemA structural steel system is a parking structure framed with steel columns, beams and girders, with a concrete floor slab, cast-in-place or precast, spanning...
• Structural Systems of ParkingIn the context of parking garage construction, structural systems refer to the frameworks and methodologies used to create the load-bearing components of the parking...
• Subgrade MaterialSubgrade is the natural or improved soil on which a pavement is built, beneath the base course and the surface layer of asphalt or...

T

• Type I ConstructionType I construction is the most fire-resistant classification in the International Building Code (IBC): structural elements, walls and floors are noncombustible, usually concrete or...
• Type II ConstructionType II construction is a classification in the International Building Code (IBC) for buildings whose structural elements, walls and floors are made of noncombustible...

U

• Ultimate LoadUltimate load is the load a structural member or system must be able to resist at the point of failure, calculated in strength design...
• Uniform Building Code (UBC)The Uniform Building Code (UBC) was a model building code published by the International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO) and widely adopted in the...

V

• Variable Frequency Drive (VFD)A variable frequency drive (VFD) controls motor speed by varying power frequency. In parking garages, VFDs paired with CO sensors can cut ventilation fan...
• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are a group of chemicals that contain carbon and easily vaporize at room temperature.

W

• Waffle Slab Floor SystemA waffle slab is a two-way reinforced concrete floor system made with a grid of ribs, formed by placing square dome forms on the...
• Wind LoadsWind loads are the pressures and forces that wind exerts on a structure and its components. In the United States they are calculated under...