Page 198 - Structural Steel Designers Handbook AISC, AASHTO, AISI, ASTM, and ASCE-07 Design Standards

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BUILDING CODES, LOADS, AND FIRE PROTECTION*

4.26 CHAPTER FOUR

TABLE 4.10 Classification of Buildings and Other Structures for Flood, Wind, Snow, Earthquake, and Ice Loads
Nature of occupancy Category
Buildings and other structures that represent a low hazard to human life in the event of failure including, I
but not limited to:
Agricultural facilities
Certain temporary facilities
Minor storage facilities
All buildings and other structures except those listed in Categories I, III, and IV II
Buildings and other structures that represent a substantial hazard to human life in the event of failure III
including, but not limited to:
Buildings and other structures where more than 300 people congregate in one area
Buildings and other structures with day care facilities with capacity greater than 150
Buildings and other structures with elementary school or secondary school facilities with capacity
greater than 250
Buildings and other structures with a capacity greater than 500 for colleges or adult education facilities
Health care facilities with a capacity of 50 or more resident patients but not having surgery or
emergency treatment facilities
Jails and detention facilities
Power generating stations and other public utility facilities not included in Category IV
Buildings and other structures not included in Category IV (including, but not limited to, facilities that
manufacture, process, handle, store, use, or dispose of such substances as hazardous fuels, hazardous
chemicals, hazardous waste, or explosives) containing sufficient quantities of hazardous materials to be
dangerous to the public if released.
Buildings and other structures containing hazardous materials shall be eligible for classification as
Category II structures if it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the authority having jurisdiction by
a hazard assessment as described in Sec. 1.5.2 that a release of the hazardous material does not pose
a threat to the public.
Buildings and other structures designated as essential facilities including, but not limited to: IV
Hospitals and other health care facilities having surgery or emergency treatment facilities
Fire, rescue, ambulance, and police stations and emergency vehicle garages
Designated earthquake, hurricane, or other emergency shelters
Designated emergency preparedness, communication, and operation centers and other facilities required
for emergency response
Power generating stations and other public utility facilities required in an emergency
Ancillary structures (including, but not limited to, communication towers, fuel storage tanks, cooling
towers, electrical substation structures, fire water storage tanks or other structures housing or supporting
water, or other fire-suppression material or equipment) required for operation of Category IV structures
during an emergency
Aviation control towers, air traffic control centers, and emergency aircraft hangars
Water storage facilities and pump structures required to maintain water pressure for fire suppression
Buildings and other structures having critical national defense functions
Buildings and other structures (including, but not limited to, facilities that manufacture, process, handle,
store, use, or dispose of such substances as hazardous fuels, hazardous chemicals, hazardous waste, or
explosives) containing extremely hazardous materials where the quantity of the material exceeds a threshold
quantity established by the authority having jurisdiction.
Buildings and other structures containing extremely hazardous materials shall be eligible for classification as
Category II structures if it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the authority having jurisdiction by a
hazard assessment as described in Sec. 1.5.2 that a release of the extremely hazardous material does not
pose a threat to the public. This reduced classification shall not be permitted if the buildings or other
structures also function as essential facilities.
Source: From Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures, SEI/ASCE 7-02, American Society of Civil Engineers, Reston, Va.,
with permission.

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