System Architecture and Design Flashcards

According to the IBC, what is the maximum number of stories permitted for a Group R-2 occupancy building of Type V-A construction with an NFPA 13 sprinkler system?

Answer: 5 stories

Per IBC Table 504.4, a sprinklered Group R-2 building of Type V-A construction is permitted up to 5 stories above grade plane.

Under the IBC, the 'area of refuge' concept is primarily associated with which building system design element?

Answer: Accessible means of egress

Areas of refuge are required components of accessible means of egress, providing a safe waiting area for persons unable to use stairs during evacuation.

In the ICC framework, what distinguishes a 'fire wall' from a 'fire barrier'?

Answer: Fire walls provide structural independence and allow buildings on either side to be treated as separate, while fire barriers do not provide structural separation

A fire wall provides structural independence between portions of a building, allowing each side to be treated as a separate building for area/height purposes; fire barriers do not confer this independence.

Which seismic design category (SDC) triggers the most stringent structural system restrictions under the IBC?

Answer: SDC F

SDC F represents the highest seismic risk and applies to essential facilities in areas with the most severe ground motion, triggering the strictest structural system and detailing requirements.

What is the purpose of a 'soft story' irregularity check in building system design?

Answer: To identify stories where lateral stiffness is significantly less than the story above, creating potential weak points

A soft story has lateral stiffness less than 70% of the story above, concentrating deformation during seismic events and requiring design mitigation.

Under the IBC, which document primarily governs the design loads (dead, live, wind, snow, seismic) for building structural systems?

Answer: ASCE 7

ASCE 7 (Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures) is the referenced standard in the IBC for determining all structural design loads.

In a building designed with a 'core and shell' structural concept, what role does the central core typically serve?

Answer: It functions as the primary lateral force-resisting system using shear walls or braced frames

In core-and-shell design, the central core (containing stairs, elevators, and mechanical shafts) is typically designed as a reinforced concrete shear wall system resisting lateral forces.