Are Serviceability Requirements Covered Adequately in Current Codes and Standards?
Are Serviceability Requirements Covered Adequately in
Current Codes and Standards?
(82 K)
Lew, H. S.
CTBUH2005;
Renewing the Urban Landscape. 7th World Congress.
Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH2005).
Proceedings. October 16-19, 2005, New York City, NY,
2005.
Keywords:
high rise buildings; urban habitat; building codes;
standards; structural design; occupants; safety
Abstract:
Traditionally, building codes and standards require that
serviceability be considered in the structural design to
both ensure the building's functional performance and
maintain the comfort for building occupants. Vertical
deflection of floors, lateral deflection or drift of
structural frames, and vibration of floors are some of
the serviceability requirements that the designer is
advised to consider in the design. Because these
requirements are not considered to be directly related
to the safety of building, codes and standards have
avoided establishing specific limits. Thus, actual
practice to meet serviceability requirements varies
considerably from region to region and from one designer
to another. With advanced structural design tools and
availability of high-performance construction materials,
buildings have become lighter and more flexible than
before, and as a result, are more susceptible to
becoming non-functioning buildings. This presentation
will summarize available technical data relevant to the
serviceability requirements and will examine current
design practices in relation to the requirements in
codes and standards.
