Lateral check of an existing building

[WWTEng]

I am working in a 4 story existing building, with multiwythe brick walls, and concrete on metal deck floors. The building is from late 1940s. Major structural items include installation of a new elevator within the building, a new exterior door and changing a couple of rooms to mechanical areas. There are some interior masonry walls that are also being removed and moved around because of reconfiguration of the floor space but these walls are only with the first story and almost all of them are non-load bearing and are not connected to the floor diaphragm above (so they do not appear to be shear walls).

Just by looking at the changes that we are making, I don’t feel like that we would have to do a lateral check of the structure. But is there a section in IBC 06 that would address lateral analysis of an existing structure?

 

[OHIOMatt]

Chapter 34. Have fun and be careful!

 

[SteelPE]

OHIOMatt is correct. Chapter 34 of the IBC. If you would like something more in depth then you can look at the IEBC as well (your jurisdiction may even require it over chapter 34).

 

[msquared48]

I did one a few years ago in Everett, WA, and the major reference for design used was outside of the IBC entirely - a technical article used by the City of Tacoma, WA.

Bottom line is check with the responsible jurisdiction first.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

 

[MiketheEngineer]

If your name is going on it - CHECK it!!

And you will probably not be happy with the answers you get!!