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Chapter 16A — STRUCTURAL DESIGN

Section 1602A

California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2) · 2019 edition · updated 2026-09-12 · California

Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.

NOTATIONS

1602 A .1 Notations. The following notations are used in this chapter:

D = Dead load.

Copyright © 2019 ICC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Accessed by Kevin Day (kevin.day@dgs.ca.gov), (California Building Standards Commission) Order Number #100735044 on Jul 24, 2019 03:54 PM (PDT) pursuant to License Agreement with ICC. No further reproduction or distribution authorized. Single user only, copying and networking prohibited. ANY UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION OR DISTRIBUTION IS A VIOLATION OF THE FEDERAL COPYRIGHT ACT AND THE LICENSE AGREEMENT, AND SUBJECT TO CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES THEREUNDER.

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  1. Flood design data, if located in flood hazard areas established in Section 1612 A .3.

  2. Design load-bearing values of soils.

  3. Rain load data.

[DSA-SS] Additional requirements are included in Section 4- 210 and 4-317 of the California Administrative Code (Part 1, Title 24, C.C.R).

[OSHPD 1] Additional requirements are included in Sec- tion 7-115 and 7-125 of the California Administrative Code.

1603 A .1.1 Floor live load. The uniformly distributed, concentrated and impact floor live load used in the design shall be indicated for floor areas. Use of live load reduction in accordance with Section 1607 A .11 shall be indicated for each type of live load used in the design.

1603 A .1.2 Roof live load. The roof live load used in the design shall be indicated for roof areas (Section 1607 A .13).

1603 A .1.3 Roof snow load data. The ground snow load, Pg, shall be indicated. In areas where the ground snow load, Pg, exceeds 10 pounds per square foot (psf) (0.479 kN/m 2 ), the following additional information shall also be provided, regardless of whether snow loads govern the design of the roof:

  1. Flat-roof snow load, Pf .
  2. Snow exposure factor, Ce .
  3. Snow load importance factor, Is .
  4. Thermal factor, Ct.
  5. Slope factor(s), Cs .
  6. Drift surcharge load(s), Pd, where the sum of Pd and Pf exceeds 20 psf (0.96 kN/m 2 ).
  7. Width of snow drift(s), w .

1603 A .1.4 Wind design data. The following information related to wind loads shall be shown, regardless of whether wind loads govern the design of the lateral force-resisting system of the structure:

  1. Basic design wind speed, V, miles per hour and allowable stress design wind speed, Vasd, as determined in accordance with Section 1609 A .3.1.

  2. Risk category.

  3. Wind exposure. Applicable wind direction if more than one wind exposure is utilized.

  4. Applicable internal pressure coefficient.

  5. Design wind pressures to be used for exterior component and cladding materials not specifically designed by the registered design professional responsible for the design of the structure, psf (kN/ m 2 ).

1603 A .1.5 Earthquake design data. The following information related to seismic loads shall be shown, regardless of whether seismic loads govern the design of the lateral force-resisting system of the structure:

  1. Risk category.

  2. Seismic importance factor, Ie.

  3. Mapped spectral response acceleration parameters, SS and S 1.

  4. Site class.

  5. Design spectral response acceleration parameters, SDS and SD 1.

  6. Seismic design category.

  7. Basic seismic force-resisting system(s).

  8. Design base shear(s).

  9. Seismic response coefficient(s), CS .

  10. Response modification coefficient(s), R .

  11. Analysis procedure used.

12. Applicable horizontal structural irregularities.

13. Applicable vertical structural irregularities.

14. Location of base as defined in ASCE 7 Section 11.2.

1603A.1.5.1 Connections. Connections that resist design seismic forces shall be designed and detailed on the design drawings.

1603 A .1.6 Geotechnical information. The design loadbearing values of soils shall be shown on the construction documents.

1603 A .1.7 Flood design data. For buildings located in whole or in part in flood hazard areas as established in Section 1612 A .3, the documentation pertaining to design, if required in Section 1612.4, shall be included and the following information, referenced to the datum on the community’s Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM), shall be shown, regardless of whether flood loads govern the design of the building:

  1. Flood design class assigned according to ASCE 24.

  2. In flood hazard areas other than coastal high hazard areas or coastal A zones, the elevation of the proposed lowest floor, including the basement.

  3. In flood hazard areas other than coastal high hazard areas or coastal A zones, the elevation to which any nonresidential building will be dry floodproofed.

  4. In coastal high hazard areas and coastal A zones, the proposed elevation of the bottom of the lowest horizontal structural member of the lowest floor, including the basement.

1603 A .1.8 Special loads. Special loads that are applicable to the design of the building, structure or portions thereof, including but not limited to the loads of machinery or equipment, and that are greater than specified floor and roof loads shall be specified by their descriptions and locations.

1603 A .1.8.1 Photovoltaic panel systems. The dead load of rooftop-mounted photovoltaic panel systems, including rack support systems, shall be indicated on the construction documents.

58 2019 CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE

Copyright © 2019 ICC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Accessed by Kevin Day (kevin.day@dgs.ca.gov), (California Building Standards Commission) Order Number #100735044 on Jul 24, 2019 03:54 PM (PDT) pursuant to License Agreement with ICC. No further reproduction or distribution authorized. Single user only, copying and networking prohibited. ANY UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION OR DISTRIBUTION IS A VIOLATION OF THE FEDERAL COPYRIGHT ACT AND THE LICENSE AGREEMENT, AND SUBJECT TO CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES THEREUNDER.

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3. The computations shall be sufficiently complete to the extent that calculations for the individual struc- tural members and connections can be readily inter- preted.

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Contents — California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
  1. Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
  2. Appendix G — FLOOD-RESISTANT
  3. Appendix L — EARTHQUAKE RECORDING
  4. Appendix M — TSUNAMI-GENERATED
  5. Chapter 1 — SCOPE AND ADMINISTRATION
  6. Chapter 3 — OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION AND USE
  7. Chapter 4 — SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED
  8. Chapter 5 — GENERAL BUILDING HEIGHTS AND AREAS
  9. Chapter 6 — TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
  10. Chapter 7 — FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES
  11. Chapter 7A — MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION
  12. Chapter 8 — INTERIOR FINISHES
  13. Chapter 9 — FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS
  14. Chapter 10 — MEANS OF EGRESS
  15. Chapter 11A — HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY
  16. Chapter 11B — ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC BUILDINGS, PUBLIC ACCOMM…
  17. Chapter 12 — INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT
  18. Chapter 14 — EXTERIOR WALLS
  19. Chapter 15 — ROOF ASSEMBLIES AND ROOFTOP STRUCTURES
  20. Chapter 16 — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  21. Chapter 16A — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  22. Chapter 17 — SPECIAL INSPECTIONS AND TESTS
  23. Chapter 18 — SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
  24. Chapter 19 — CONCRETE
  25. Chapter 20 — ALUMINUM
  26. Chapter 21 — MASONRY
  27. Chapter 22 — STEEL
  28. Chapter 23 — WOOD
  29. Chapter 24 — GLASS AND GLAZING
  30. Chapter 25 — GYPSUM BOARD, GYPSUM PANEL PRODUCTS AND PLASTER
  31. Chapter 26 — PLASTIC
  32. Chapter 27 — ELECTRICAL
  33. Chapter 28 — MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
  34. Chapter 30 — ELEVATORS AND CONVEYING SYSTEMS
  35. Chapter 31 — SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION
  36. Chapter 31B — PUBLIC POOLS
  37. Chapter 31C — RADIATION
  38. Chapter 31D — FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS
  39. Chapter 31F — MARINE OIL TERMINALS
  40. Chapter 32 — ENCROACHMENTS INTO THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
  41. Chapter 33 — SAFEGUARDS DURING CONSTRUCTION
  42. Chapter 35 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
  43. Appendix A — EMPLOYEE QUALIFICATIONS
  44. Appendix B — BOARD OF APPEALS
  45. Appendix C — GROUP U – AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS
  46. Appendix D — FIRE DISTRICTS
  47. Appendix F — RODENTPROOFING
  48. Appendix H — SIGNS
  49. Appendix I — PATIO COVERS
  50. Appendix J — GRADING
  51. Appendix K — GROUP R-3 AND GROUP R-3.1 OCCUPANCIES
  52. Appendix N — REPLICABLE BUILDINGS
  53. Appendix O — EMERGENCY HOUSING

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