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mechanical railing

What’s Different About Designing a Railing For Rooftop Mechanical Equipment?

Installing A Railing Around Mechanical Equipment? It could be easier than you think. Railings around mechanical equipment, as opposed to general use pedestrian railings, can be designed to a different standard. These types of railing include those that protect: •  Roofs of commercial buildings •  Industrial facilities •  Mechanical rooms Railing systems of all kinds …

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About ASTM E1996 Missile Levels

Overview of Missile Impact Levels As of the 2023 Florida Building Code & 2021 International Building Code, ASTM E1996-17 is the adopted reference standard. The title is ‘Standard Specification for Performance of Exterior Windows, Curtain Walls, Doors, & Impact Protective Systems Impacted by Windborne Debris in Hurricanes’. (Exterior garage doors & rolling doors are covered …

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The Updated Saffir-Simpson Scale

First, it needs to be said that there is a complicated formula that converts wind velocity to wind pressure.  Many wind pressure values can exist from a single wind velocity which vary based on roof height, topography, terrain, even code version, and more. The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is a 1 to 5 rating based …

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Glossary of Engineering Terms

Glossary of Building Component Engineering Terms & Abbreviations These terms are published by Engineering Express to coincide with help menus for our online tools & published articles and as they relate to the Building Component Design industry. See also our FLOOD ENGINEERING GLOSSARY for more terms related to flood engineering. See Also SUNROOM TERMINOLOGY for …

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How do I tell if my building is considered “enclosed”?

A building is considered “enclosed” if it does not comply with the requirements for open or partially enclosed buildings (ASCE 7-16, Section 26.2, “BUILDING, ENCLOSED”). From the ASCE 7-16 Commentary C26.2 Definitions: BUILDING, ENCLOSED; BUILDING, OPEN; BUILDING, PARTIALLY ENCLOSED; BUILDING, PARTIALLY OPEN: These definitions relate to the proper selection of internal pressure coefficients, (GCpi). “Enclosed,” …

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How do I tell if my building/enclosure is considered “partially enclosed”?

A building is considered “Partially Enclosed” if it complies with both of the following conditions (ASCE 7-16, Section 26.2, “BUILDING, PARTIALLY ENCLOSED”): the total area of openings in a wall that receives positive external pressure exceeds the sum of the areas of openings in the balance of the building envelope (walls and roof) by more …

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How do I calculate the effective opening area on window or door products? – What opening area should be used for wind pressure determination on a multi-panel product?

From The Buidling Code The Building Codes in the US reference ASCE-7 for the design of the components and cladding of buildings (ref. section 26.1.2.2 ASCE 7-10, ASCE 7-16, ASCE 7-22+). Theory Wind design theory is such that the smaller the area in consideration, the greater the probability that a maximum burst of wind will …

How do I calculate the effective opening area on window or door products? – What opening area should be used for wind pressure determination on a multi-panel product? Read More »

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