Overlapping Codes and Material Standards

[connect2]

In Ontario Canada we currently have;
1. A National Building Code, NBC, current date 2015.
2. An Ontario Provincial Building Code, OBC, current date 2012 and having jurisdiction.
3. A national materials standard for the Design of Plain and Reinforced Masonry CSA S304.1-2004 (R2009 and 2014).
The OBC 2012 lists spectral response acceleration data for various locations throughout the province all of it coming from NBC 2010.
The OBC 2012 requires all masonry be designed in accordance with CSA S304.1-2004 (R2009).

The NBC Sa(0.2) values, as an example, for this specific site are;
0.400 in 2005.
0.359 in 2010
0.263 in 2015 (Source NRC Hazard Maps)

Question is;
The material standard, S304.1, references NBC 2005 only. If designing a reinforced masonry building using CSA S304.1-2004 (R09) must one use the 2005 seismic data?
If I was permitted to use the 2015 seismic data unreinforced masonry would be permitted in the case of the building to design, which is not the case with both the 2005 and 2010 data. Big difference!

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Ron]

This is a generalization, but usually applies:

There is a heirarchy of requirements. First, the Building Code must be followed. Where the code uses referenced standards, those standards are generally required to be followed as if they were included directly within the building code (check the administrative provisions of the code (usually Chapter 1)...this is where you will find the validation statements of the referenced standards. Then you will find statements regarding conflicts.....either the code with apply in the event of a conflict or the administrative provisions will tell you to use the more stringent of the conflicting requirements.

Finally, the code usually provides a minimum requirement. The design professional must also meet a standard of care for the area. If the standard of care for your area is to exceed the minimum code requirements, then do so. If you feel, in your professional opinion, that you want to use a more stringent requirement than stated in the code, then do so with the provision that if you do not comply the standard of care in your area, you might lose some defensive posture in the event of a claim.