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Chapter 16 — STRUCTURAL DESIGN

Section 1605

California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2) · 2022 edition · updated 2026-09-12 · California

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

1605.1 General.

Buildings and other structures and portions thereof shall be designed to resist the strength load combinations specified in ASCE 7, Section 2.3, the allowable stress design load combinations specified in ASCE 7, Section 2.4, or the alternative allowable stress design load combinations of Section 1605.2.

Exceptions:

  1. The modifications to load combinations of ASCE 7, Section 2.3, ASCE 7, Section 2.4, and Section 1605.2 specified in ASCE 7 Chapters 18 and 19 shall apply.

  2. Where the allowable stress design load combinations of ASCE 7, Section 2.4 are used, flat roof snow loads of 30 pounds per square foot (1.44 kN/m 2 ) and roof live loads of 30 pounds per square foot (1.44 kN/m 2 ) or less need not be combined with seismic load. Where flat roof snow loads exceed 30 pounds per square foot (1.44 kN/m 2 ), 20 percent shall be combined with seismic loads.

  3. Where the allowable stress design load combinations of ASCE 7, Section 2.4 are used, crane hook loads need not be combined with roof live loads or with more than three-fourths of the snow load or one-half of the wind loads.

1605.1.1 Stability. Regardless of which load combinations are used to design for strength, where overall structure stability (such as stability against overturning, sliding, or buoyancy) is being verified, use of the load combinations specified in Section 2.3 or 2.4 of ASCE 7, and in Section 1605.2 shall be permitted. Where the load combinations specified in ASCE 7, Section 2.3 are used, strength reduction factors applicable to soil resistance shall be provided by a registered design professional. The stability of retaining walls shall be verified in accordance with Section 1807.2.3.

1605.2 Alternative allowable stress design load combina-tions.

tions. In lieu of the load combinations in ASCE 7, Section 2.4, structures and portions thereof shall be permitted to be designed for the most critical effects resulting from the

16-8 2022 CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE

Copyright © 2022 by, or licensed to, International Code Council, Inc. (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED); licensed to California Building Standards Commission pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions is authorized. 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.

STRUCTURAL DESIGN

contents and movable trays, shall not be used to counteract forces causing overturning, sliding, and uplift conditions in accordance with Section 1.3.6 of ASCE 7.

Exceptions:

  1. Where force effects are the result of the presence of the variable components, the components are permitted to be used to counter those load effects. In such cases, the structure shall be designed for force effects with the variable components present and with them absent.

  2. For the calculation of seismic force effects, the components of fixed service equipment that are variable, such as liquid contents and movable trays, need not exceed those expected during normal operation.

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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. Appendix N — REPLICABLE
  6. Appendix O — PERFORMANCE-BASED
  7. Chapter 1 — SCOPE AND ADMINISTRATION
  8. Chapter 3 — OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION AND USE
  9. Chapter 4 — SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED ON OCCUPANCY A…
  10. Chapter 5 — GENERAL BUILDING HEIGHTS AND AREAS
  11. Chapter 6 — TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
  12. Chapter 7 — FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES
  13. Chapter 7A — MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION
  14. Chapter 8 — INTERIOR FINISHES
  15. Chapter 9 — FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS
  16. Chapter 10 — MEANS OF EGRESS
  17. Chapter 11A — HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY
  18. Chapter 11B — ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC BUILDINGS, PUBLIC ACCOMM…
  19. Chapter 12 — INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT
  20. Chapter 14 — EXTERIOR WALLS
  21. Chapter 15 — ROOF ASSEMBLIES AND ROOFTOP STRUCTURES
  22. ▸Chapter 16 — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
    Overview
    1. Section 1601
    2. Section 1602
    3. Section 1603
    4. Section 1604
    5. Section 1605
    6. Section 1607
    7. Section 1606
    8. Section 1608
    9. Section 1609
    10. Section 1610
    11. Section 1611
    12. Section 1612
    13. Section 1613
    14. Section 1614
    15. Section 1615
    16. Section 1616
    17. Section 1617
  23. Chapter 16A — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  24. Chapter 17 — SPECIAL INSPECTIONS AND TESTS
  25. Chapter 18 — SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
  26. Chapter 19 — CONCRETE
  27. Chapter 20 — ALUMINUM
  28. Chapter 21 — MASONRY
  29. Chapter 22 — STEEL
  30. Chapter 23 — WOOD
  31. Chapter 24 — GLASS AND GLAZING
  32. Chapter 25 — GYPSUM BOARD, GYPSUM PANEL PRODUCTS AND PLASTER
  33. Chapter 26 — PLASTIC
  34. Chapter 27 — ELECTRICAL
  35. Chapter 28 — MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
  36. Chapter 30 — ELEVATORS AND CONVEYING SYSTEMS
  37. Chapter 31 — SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION
  38. Chapter 31B — PUBLIC POOLS
  39. Chapter 31C — RADIATION
  40. Chapter 31D — FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS
  41. Chapter 31F — MARINE OIL TERMINALS
  42. Chapter 32 — ENCROACHMENTS INTO THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
  43. Chapter 33 — SAFEGUARDS DURING CONSTRUCTION
  44. Chapter 35 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
  45. Appendix A — EMPLOYEE QUALIFICATIONS
  46. Appendix B — BOARD OF APPEALS
  47. Appendix C — GROUP U – AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS
  48. Appendix D — FIRE DISTRICTS
  49. Appendix F — RODENTPROOFING
  50. Appendix H — SIGNS
  51. Appendix I — PATIO COVERS
  52. Appendix J — GRADING
  53. Appendix K — GROUP R-3 AND GROUP R-3.1 OCCUPANCIES
  54. Appendix P — EMERGENCY HOUSING

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