Reorganized Code Offers Many Benefits In The Design, Construction, And Education Of Structural Concrete
Online, June 2, 2014 (Newswire.com) - A materials code in the world of construction is much more than a "rule book" that finds its way into official building codes. It is a repository of accumulated, verified knowledge, a source for design ideas and solutions, and an aid in drawing up field specifications. It becomes a teaching aid, as well as an on-the-job guide.
The best codes are logical in structure, consistent throughout in the application of construction principles, and readily accessible to a diverse group of users. To that end, the American Concrete Institute will publish the reorganized ACI 318 Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete (ACI 318-14) in December 2014.
As one of the most essential and valuable codes with respect to the use of concrete in modern construction, ACI 318 is used daily in a wide range of settings. These include building design and repair, writing project specifications, inspecting and quality assurance of construction, evaluating existing buildings and in education. Users include designers, building officials, contractors, academics and students. Today, more than 20 nations incorporate all or some of ACI 318 into their Building Code requirements.
"It was time to reorganize the Code to better reflect the design process as we understand it today, make the code language easier to understand and the commentary even more valuable, and improve the consistency in language and terminology," says Randall W. Poston, Ph.D., P.E., S.E., Chair, ACI Committee 318. "In addition, the reorganized ACI 318-14 will increase the confidence that designers have satisfied all required code provisions."
Important benefits. Poston adds that the reorganized ACI 318-14 will offer many benefits to the design, construction, regulatory and educational communities. These include:
• A logical flow of chapters that closely follows the design process and supports all users getting to the information they need more quickly and more comprehensively.
• Use of utility chapters for elements common to member design chapters.
• Incorporating, as appropriate, material from the appendices of ACI 318-11, the current publication of the Code, into its main chapters.
• Maintaining the current side-by-side Code and Commentary format in printed editions; and
• Improving the consistency of language and style in phrases, tables, equations, lists, notations and figures, while, overall, making greater use of graphs and tables.
"This format will also make it easier to incorporate new knowledge into the Code, especially as our understanding of and skills in the use of structural concrete expands. An example would be the use of structural concrete in harsher or more demanding settings like earthquake zones or high wind areas," Poston adds.
ACI 318-14 is scheduled to be published in December 2014 in several of today's most popular searchable, electronic formats, in addition to the traditional paper, hard copy format.
Always Advancing. Founded in 1904 and headquartered in Farmington Hills, MI, the American Concrete Institute (ACI) is advancing concrete knowledge by conducting seminars, managing various certification programs, publishing technical documents, and offering scholarships to students in the field. With 99 chapters, 65 student chapters, and nearly 20,000 members spanning over 120 countries, the American Concrete Institute has always retained the same basic mission — provide knowledge and information for the best use of concrete. For more information, please visit www.concrete.org/ACI318