Ching Francis D. K. - Building codes illustrated : a guide to understanding the 2018 International Building Code

Cover Design: Wiley

Cover Illustration: Francis D. K. Ching

Copyright 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

Published simultaneously in Canada

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600, or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom.

For general information about our other products and services, please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at (800) 762-2974, outside the United States at (317) 572-3993 or fax (317) 572-4002.

Wiley publishes in a variety of print and electronic formats and by print-on-demand. Some material included with standard print versions of this book may not be included in e-books or in print-on-demand. If this book refers to media such as a CD or DVD that is not included in the version you purchased, you may download this material at http://booksupport.wiley.com. For more information about Wiley products, visit www.wiley.com.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

Names: Ching, Francis D. K., 1943- author. | Winkel, Steven R, author. | International Code Council.

Title: Building codes illustrated : a guide to understanding the 2018 International Building Code / by Francis D.K. Ching, Steven R Winkel, FAIA.

Description: Sixth edition. | Hoboken, New Jersey : Wiley, 2018. | Series: Building codes illustrated | Includes bibliographical references and index. |

Identifiers: LCCN 2018012519 (print) | LCCN 2018012724 (ebook) | ISBN 9781119485049 (epdf) | ISBN 9781119485032 (epub) | ISBN 9781119480358 (paperback)

Subjects: LCSH: Standards, Engineering. | BuildingsSpecifications. | BISAC: ARCHITECTURE / Design, Drafting, Drawing & Presentation.

Classification: LCC TH420 (ebook) | LCC TH420 .C49 2018 (print) | DDC 690.02/18dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018012519

The book contains the authors' analyses and illustrations of the intent and potential interpretations of the 2018 International Building Code (IBC). The illustrations and examples are general in nature and not intended to apply to any specific project without a detailed analysis of the unique nature of the project. As with any code document, the IBC is subject to interpretation by the Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) for their application to a specific project. Designers should consult the local Building Official early in project design if there are questions or concerns about the meaning or application of code sections in relation to specific design projects.

The interpretations and illustrations in the book are those of the authors. The authors do not represent that the illustrations, analyses, or interpretations in this book are definitive. They are not intended to take the place of detailed code analyses of a project, the exercise of professional judgment by the reader, or interpretive application of the code to any project by permitting authorities. While this publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information regarding the subject matter covered, it is sold with the understanding that neither the publisher nor the authors are engaged in rendering professional services. If professional advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.

The authors and John Wiley & Sons would like to thank Doug Thornburg and Jay Woodward of the International Code Council for their thorough review of the manuscript of the previous edition and George Mann, an ICC Consultant and Seminar Instructor, for the review of this sixth edition. Their review does not reflect in any way the official position of the International Code Council. Any errors in the interpretations or illustrations in the book are solely those of the authors and are in no way the responsibility of the International Code Council.

We would also like to thank David Collins, FAIA, of The Preview Group, Inc., for his insightful review. The book was made clearer and our interpretations were improved by his comments and suggestions.

The International Code Council (ICC) is a member-focused association. It is dedicated to developing model codes and standards used in the design, build, and compliance process to construct safe, sustainable, affordable, and resilient structures. Most U.S. communities and many global markets choose the International Codes. ICC Evaluation Service provides product evaluation and listing for all building products including innovative, sustainable, and resilient building products.

Governmental Affairs Office: 500 New Jersey Avenue, NW, 6th Floor, Washington, DC 20001-2070

Regional Offices: Birmingham, AL; Chicago, IL; Los Angeles, CA

1-888-422-7233

www.iccsafe.org

The primary purpose of this book is to familiarize code users with the 2018 International Building Code (IBC). It is intended as an instructional text on how the Code was developed and how it is organized, as well as a primer on how to use the Code. It is intended to be a companion to the IBC, not a substitute for it. This book must be read in concert with the IBC.

Many designers feel intimidated by building codes. They can seem daunting and complex at first glance. It is important to know that they are a product of years of accretion and evolution. Sections start simply and are modified, and new material is added to address additional concerns or to address interpretation issues from previous code editions. The complexity of a building code often comes from this layering of new information upon old without regard to overall continuity. It is important to keep in mind that there is no single author of the building code. Each section has a different author. Building codes are living documents, constantly under review and modification. It is vital to an understanding of codes to keep in mind that they are a human institution, written by ordinary people with specific issues in mind or specific agendas they wish to advance.

Over the past several editions of the IBC there has been an increase in the number of code revisions made to clarify the code. This trend has often resulted in the reorganization of code sections, often without any substantive changes. For those code users who are familiar with the previous code editions these changes can be upsetting and confusing. It may seem that familiar and well-understood code provisions have disappeared when in actuality they have just been relocated and renumbered. We strongly recommend that code users obtain electronic copies of the codes. These lend themselves to keyword searches that make it possible to find moved provisions based on the unchanged text content. For identifying and understanding the major changes from one edition of the code to the next we suggest obtaining the