Alberta Building Code: 1997

(1)

Alberta Building Code

1997

Established by the

Building Technical Council, Safety Codes Council

June 19, 1997

Published by the National Research Council of Canada

Note: "e" indicates an editorial correction which was made since the first edition.

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First Edition 1974 Second Edition 1977 Third Edition 1978 Fourth Edition 1981 Fifth Edition 1985 Sixth Edition 1991 Seventh Edition 1998 ISBN 0-660-17253-4

World Rights Reserved

NRCC 41503 Printed in Canada Second Printing May 1999

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Preface

... xi

Relationship between the Alberta

Building Code and the Alberta Fire

Code

... xiii

A Guide to the Use of the Code

... xv

Part 1 Scope, Deﬁnitions and

Administration

1.1. General ... 1

1.1.1. Administration ... 1

1.1.2. Scope ... 1

1.1.3. Deﬁnitions of Words and Phrases ... 2 1.1.4. Abbreviations ... 10 1.2. Administration ... 12 1.2.1. Permits ... 12 1.2.2. Occupancy ... 14 1.2.3. Prohibitions ... 14 1.2.4. Required Notiﬁcation ... 14

1.2.5. Safety during Construction ... 15

1.2.6. Unsafe Condition ... 15

1.2.7. Building Failures ... 15

1.2.8. Appeals ... 16

Part 2 General Requirements

2.1. Application ... 17

2.1.1. Parts 1, 2, 7 and 8 ... 17

2.1.2. Parts 3, 4, 5 and 6 ... 17

2.1.3. Part 9 ... 17

2.1.4. Site Assembled and Factory-Built Buildings ... 17

2.1.5. Application of Parts 10 and 11 .. 17

2.1.6. Building Size Determination ... 18

2.2. Climatic Data ... 18

2.2.1. General ... 18

2.3. Plans, Speciﬁcations and Calculations ... 18

2.3.1. General ... 18

2.3.2. Site Plans ... 19

2.3.3. Professional Involvement ... 19

2.3.4. Structural and Foundation Drawings and Calculations ... 20

2.3.5. Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning Drawings and Speciﬁcations ... 21

2.3.6. Electrical Drawings and Speciﬁcations ... 21

2.4. Materials, Appliances, Systems and Equipment ... 21 2.4.1. General ... 21 2.5. Equivalencies and Interpretations ... 22 2.5.1. General ... 22 2.5.2. Structural Equivalents ... 23

2.5.3. Equivalent Test Standards ... 23

2.6. Professional Design and Review 23 2.6.1. General ... 23 2.6.2. Schedules ... 23 2.6.3. Responsibilities ... 23 2.6.4. Notification of Change ... 24 2.6.5. Off-Site Review ... 24 2.6.6. Notification to Others ... 24 2.7. Referenced Documents ... 25 2.7.1. Application ... 25 2.7.2. Conflicting Requirements ... 25 2.7.3. Effective Date ... 25

Part 3 Fire Protection, Occupant

Safety and Accessibility

3.1. General ... 41

3.1.1. Scope and Deﬁnitions ... 41

3.1.2. Classiﬁcation of Buildings or Parts of Buildings by Major Occupancy ... 41

3.1.3. Multiple Occupancy Requirements ... 42

3.1.4. Combustible Construction ... 43

3.1.5. Noncombustible Construction ... 45

3.1.6. Tents and Air-Supported Structures ... 49

3.1.7. Fire-Resistance Ratings ... 50

3.1.8. Fire Separations and Closures ... 50

3.1.9. Building Services in Fire Separations and Fire Rated Assemblies ... 54

3.1.10. Firewalls ... 56

3.1.11. Fire Stops in Concealed Spaces 57 3.1.12. Flame-Spread Rating and Smoke Developed Classiﬁcation ... 58 3.1.13. Interior Finish ... 59 3.1.14. Roof Assemblies ... 61 3.1.15. Roof Covering ... 61

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3.2.4. Fire Alarm and Detection

Systems ... 93

3.2.5. Provisions for Fire Fighting ... 98

3.2.6. Additional Requirements for High Buildings ... 103

3.2.7. Lighting and Emergency Power Systems ... 106

3.2.8. Mezzanines and Openings through Floor Assemblies ... 107

3.3. Safety within Floor Areas ... 109

3.3.1. All Floor Areas ... 109

3.3.2. Assembly Occupancy ... 115

3.3.3. Care or Detention Occupancy .... 119

3.3.4. Residential Occupancy ... 120

3.3.5. Industrial Occupancy ... 122

3.4. Exits ... 127

3.4.1. General ... 127

3.4.2. Number and Location of Exits from Floor Areas ... 128

3.4.3. Width and Height of Exits ... 130

3.4.4. Fire Separation of Exits ... 131

3.4.5. Exit Signs ... 132

3.4.6. Types of Exit Facilities ... 132

3.4.7. Fire Escapes ... 137

3.5. Vertical Transportation ... 138

3.5.1. General ... 138

3.5.2. Standards ... 138

3.5.3. Fire Separations ... 138

3.5.4. Dimensions and Signs ... 138

3.6. Service Facilities ... 139

3.6.1. General ... 139

3.6.2. Service Rooms ... 139

3.6.3. Vertical Service Spaces and Service Facilities ... 141

3.6.4. Horizontal Service Spaces, Service Facilities and Roof Top Equipment ... 142

3.6.5. Air Duct and Plenum Systems ... 143

3.7. (Reserved) ... 145

3.8. Barrier-Free Design ... 145

3.8.1. General ... 145

3.8.2. Occupancy Requirements ... 147

3.8.3. Design Standards ... 148

Part 4 Structural Design

4.1. Structural Loads and Procedures ... 155

4.1.1. General ... 155

4.1.2. Speciﬁed Loads and Effects ... 156

4.1.3. Limit States Design ... 156

4.1.10. Other Effects ... 172

4.2. Foundations ... 173

4.2.1. General ... 173

4.2.2. Subsurface Investigations, Drawings and Reviews ... 173

4.2.3. Materials Used in Foundations .. 173

4.2.4. Design Requirements ... 174

4.2.5. Excavations ... 175

4.2.6. Shallow Foundations ... 176

4.2.7. Deep Foundations ... 176

4.2.8. Special Foundations ... 177

4.3. Design Requirements for Structural Materials ... 177

4.3.1. Wood ... 177

4.3.2. Plain and Reinforced Masonry ... 178

4.3.3. Plain, Reinforced and Prestressed Concrete ... 178

4.3.4. Steel ... 178

4.3.5. Aluminum ... 178

4.3.6. Glass ... 178

4.4. Design Requirements for Special Structures ... 178

4.4.1. Air-Supported Structures ... 178

4.4.2. Parking Structures ... 178

Part 5 Environmental Separation

5.1. General ... 179 5.1.1. Scope ... 179 5.1.2. Application ... 179 5.1.3. Deﬁnitions ... 179 5.1.4. Environmental Separation Requirements ... 179 5.1.5. Other Requirements ... 179

5.2. Loads and Procedures ... 179

5.2.1. Environmental Loads ... 179 5.2.2. Procedures ... 180 5.3. Heat Transfer ... 180 5.3.1. Thermal Resistance of Assemblies ... 180 5.4. Air Leakage ... 181

5.4.1. Air Barrier Systems ... 181

5.5. Vapour Diffusion ... 182

5.5.1. Vapour Barriers ... 182

5.6. Precipitation ... 182

5.6.1. Protection from Precipitation .... 182

5.6.2. Sealing, Drainage, Accumulation and Disposal ... 184

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Part 6 Heating, Ventilating and

Air-Conditioning

6.1. General ... 187

6.1.1. Application ... 187

6.1.2. Deﬁnitions ... 187

6.1.3. Plans and Speciﬁcations ... 187

6.2. Design and Installation ... 187

6.2.1. General ... 187

6.2.2. Ventilation ... 189

6.2.3. Air Duct Systems ... 190

6.2.4. Air Ducts for Low Capacity Heating Systems ... 193

6.2.5. Heating Appliances, General ... 194

6.2.6. Incinerators ... 194

6.2.7. Unit Heaters ... 194

6.2.8. Radiators and Convectors ... 194

6.2.9. Piping for Heating and Cooling Systems ... 194

6.2.10. Refrigerating Systems and Equipment for Air-Conditioning .. 195

6.2.11. Storage Bins ... 195

6.3. Chimneys and Venting Equipment ... 196

6.3.1. General ... 196

Part 7 Plumbing Services and

Health

7.1. General ... 197

7.1.1. Height and Area of Rooms ... 197

7.1.2. Windows ... 197

7.1.3. Ventilation ... 197

7.1.4. Food Establishments ... 197

7.1.5. Personal Service Facilities ... 198

7.1.6. Commercial Bathing Places and Man-Made Beaches ... 198

7.2. Plumbing Facilities ... 198

7.2.1. General ... 198

7.2.2. Water Closets and Lavatories .... 200

7.2.3. Service Water Heating Facilities ... 204

7.3. Swimming Pools ... 204

7.3.1. General ... 204

7.3.2. Pool Location and Layout ... 205

7.3.3. Swimming Pool Construction ... 206

7.3.4. Design Standards for Above Ground Pools, Semi-Public Swimming Pools, Special Purpose Swimming Pools, Whirlpools and Wading Pools ... 214

7.3.5. Water Theme Parks ... 216

7.6.1. General ... 219

7.7. Medical Gas Piping Systems ... 219

7.7.1. General ... 219

7.7.2. Acceptance ... 220

7.8. Coin Operated Dry Cleaning Establishments ... 220

7.8.1. General ... 220

7.8.2. Separation ... 221

7.8.3. Access ... 221

7.8.4. Ventilation ... 221

7.9. Abattoirs and Secondary Meat Processing Plants ... 222

7.9.1. Abattoirs ... 222

7.9.2. Secondary Meat Processing Plants ... 224

7.10. Laboratories Using Biological Agents ... 225

7.10.1. General ... 225

7.11. Cemeteries and Related Buildings ... 225

7.11.1. General ... 225

7.11.2. Design Requirements ... 225

Part 8 Safety Measures at

Construction and

Demolition Sites

8.1. General ... 227

8.1.1. Scope ... 227

8.1.2. Application ... 227

8.2. Protection of the Public and Fire Safety ... 227

8.2.1. Fencing and Barricades ... 227

8.2.2. Fire Safety at Demolition Sites .. 228

8.2.3. Fire Safety at Construction Sites ... 229

8.2.4. Excavation ... 230

8.2.5. Use of Streets or Public Property ... 231

8.2.6. Direction of Vehicular Trafﬁc ... 231

8.2.7. Waste Material ... 232

Part 9 Housing and Small

Buildings

9.1. General ... 233 9.1.1. Scope ... 233 9.2. Deﬁnitions ... 233 9.2.1. General ... 233

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9.4.2. Speciﬁed Loads ... 236

9.4.3. Deﬂections ... 236

9.4.4. Foundation Conditions ... 237

9.5. Design of Areas and Spaces ... 238

9.5.1. General ... 238 9.5.2. Barrier-Free Design ... 238 9.5.3. Ceiling Heights ... 238 9.5.4. Hallways ... 238 9.6. Doors ... 239 9.6.1. General ... 239 9.6.2. Required Doors ... 239 9.6.3. Doorway Sizes ... 239

9.6.4. Door Sill Height ... 240

9.6.5. Exterior Doors ... 240

9.6.6. Glass ... 240

9.6.7. Thermal Breaks ... 241

9.6.8. Resistance to Forced Entry ... 242

9.7. Windows and Skylights ... 242

9.7.1. General ... 242

9.7.2. Window Standards ... 244

9.7.3. Glass ... 244

9.7.4. Caulking and Glazing ... 244

9.7.5. Protection of Windows in Public Areas ... 244

9.7.6. Resistance to Forced Entry ... 245

9.7.7. Skylights ... 245

9.8. Stairs, Ramps, Handrails and Guards ... 245

9.8.1. Scope ... 245

9.8.2. General ... 245

9.8.3. Stair Dimensions ... 245

9.8.4. Landings ... 246

9.8.5. Curved Stairs and Winders ... 246

9.8.6. Pedestrian Ramps ... 246

9.8.7. Handrails ... 247

9.8.8. Guards ... 247

9.8.9. Construction ... 248

9.8.10. Cantilevered Precast Concrete Steps ... 249

9.9. Means of Egress ... 249

9.9.1. Scope ... 249

9.9.2. General ... 249

9.9.3. Dimensions of Means of Egress . 250 9.9.4. Fire Protection of Exits ... 250

9.9.5. Obstructions and Hazards in Means of Egress ... 251

9.9.6. Doors in a Means of Egress ... 252

9.9.7. Access to Exits ... 253

9.9.8. Exits from Floor Areas ... 253

9.9.9. Egress from Dwelling Units ... 254

9.10.5. Permitted Openings in Wall and Ceiling Membranes ... 257

9.10.6. Construction Types ... 258

9.10.7. Steel Members ... 258

9.10.8. Fire Resistance in Relation to Occupancy and Height ... 258

9.10.9. Fire Separations between Rooms and Spaces within Buildings ... 259

9.10.10. Service Rooms ... 262

9.10.11. Firewalls ... 263

9.10.12. Prevention of Fire Spread at Exterior Walls and between Storeys ... 263

9.10.13. Doors, Dampers and Other Closures in Fire Separations ... 264

9.10.14. Spatial Separations between Buildings ... 265

9.10.15. Fire Stops ... 269

9.10.16. Flame Spread Limits ... 269

9.10.17. Alarm and Detection Systems ... 271

9.10.18. Smoke Alarms ... 272

9.10.19. Fire Fighting ... 272

9.10.20. Reserved ... 273

9.10.21. Fire Protection for Gas and Electric Ranges ... 273

9.11. Sound Control ... 273

9.11.1. Sound Transmission Class Rating (Airborne Sound) ... 273

9.11.2. Required Sound Control Locations (Airborne Sound) ... 273

9.12. Excavation ... 274

9.12.1. General ... 274

9.12.2. Depth ... 274

9.12.3. Backﬁll ... 275

9.12.4. Trenches beneath Footings ... 275

9.13. Dampproofing and Waterproofing ... 275 9.13.1. General ... 275 9.13.2. Material ... 275 9.13.3. Dampproofing of Walls ... 276 9.13.4. Dampproofing of Floors-on-Ground ... 276 9.13.5. Waterproofing of Walls ... 276 9.13.6. Waterproofing of Floors-on-Ground ... 276 9.14. Drainage ... 276 9.14.1. Scope ... 276 9.14.2. Foundation Drainage ... 277

9.14.3. Drainage Tile and Pipe ... 277

9.14.4. Granular Drainage Layer ... 277

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9.15.5. Support of Joists and Beams on

Masonry Foundation Walls ... 281

9.15.6. Parging and Finishing of Masonry Foundation Walls ... 281

9.16. Floors-On-Ground ... 282

9.16.1. Scope ... 282

9.16.2. Material beneath Floors ... 282

9.16.3. Drainage ... 282 9.16.4. Concrete ... 282 9.16.5. Wood ... 282 9.17. Columns ... 283 9.17.1. Scope ... 283 9.17.2. General ... 283 9.17.3. Steel Columns ... 283 9.17.4. Wood Columns ... 283

9.17.5. Unit Masonry Columns ... 283

9.17.6. Solid Concrete Columns ... 283

9.18. Crawl Spaces ... 284 9.18.1. General ... 284 9.18.2. Access ... 284 9.18.3. Ventilation ... 284 9.18.4. Clearance ... 284 9.18.5. Drainage ... 284 9.18.6. Ground Cover ... 284 9.19. Roof Spaces ... 285 9.19.1. Venting ... 285 9.19.2. Access ... 285 9.20. Above-Grade Masonry ... 286 9.20.1. Scope ... 286 9.20.2. Masonry Units ... 286 9.20.3. Mortar ... 287 9.20.4. Mortar Joints ... 287 9.20.5. Masonry Support ... 287

9.20.6. Thickness and Height ... 288

9.20.7. Chases and Recesses ... 289

9.20.8. Support of Loads ... 289

9.20.9. Bonding and Tying ... 290

9.20.10. Lateral Support ... 291

9.20.11. Anchorage of Roofs, Floors and Intersecting Walls ... 291

9.20.12. Corbelling ... 292

9.20.13. Control of Rain Water Penetration ... 292

9.20.14. Protection during Work ... 293

9.20.15. Reinforcement for Earthquake Resistance ... 294

9.20.16. Corrosion Resistance ... 294

9.21. Chimneys and Flues ... 295

9.21.1. General ... 295 9.22.1. General ... 298 9.22.2. Fireplace Liners ... 298 9.22.3. Fireplace Walls ... 299 9.22.4. Fire Chamber ... 299 9.22.5. Hearth ... 299 9.22.6. Damper ... 299 9.22.7. Smoke Chamber ... 299 9.22.8. Factory-Built Fireplaces ... 299 9.22.9. Clearance of Combustible Material ... 299

9.22.10. Fireplace Inserts and Hearth-Mounted Stoves ... 300 9.23. Wood-Frame Construction ... 300 9.23.1. Scope ... 300 9.23.2. General ... 300 9.23.3. Fasteners ... 301 9.23.4. Maximum Spans ... 303

9.23.5. Notching and Drilling ... 304

9.23.6. Anchorage ... 305

9.23.7. Sill Plates ... 305

9.23.8. Beams to Support Floors ... 305

9.23.9. Floor Joists ... 306

9.23.10. Wall Studs ... 307

9.23.11. Wall Plates ... 309

9.23.12. Framing over Openings ... 310

9.23.13. Roof and Ceiling Framing ... 310

9.23.14. Subﬂooring ... 312

9.23.15. Roof Sheathing ... 313

9.23.16. Wall Sheathing ... 315

9.23.17. Wall Sheathing Membrane ... 316

9.24. Sheet Steel Stud Wall Framing .. 317

9.24.1. General ... 317

9.24.2. Size of Framing ... 317

9.24.3. Installation ... 318

9.25. Heat Transfer, Air Leakage and Condensation Control ... 319

9.25.1. Scope ... 319

9.25.2. Thermal Insulation ... 319

9.25.3. Air Barrier Systems ... 321

9.25.4. Vapour Barriers ... 321 9.26. Rooﬁng ... 322 9.26.1. General ... 322 9.26.2. Rooﬁng Materials ... 322 9.26.3. Roof Slope ... 323 9.26.4. Flashing at Intersections ... 324

9.26.5. Eave Protection for Shingles and Shakes ... 325

9.26.6. Underlay beneath Shingles ... 325

9.26.7. Asphalt Shingles on Slopes of 1 in 3 or Greater ... 326

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Rooﬁng ... 329

9.26.15. Hot Applied Rubberized Asphalt Rooﬁng ... 329

9.26.16. Polyvinyl Chloride Sheet Rooﬁng ... 329

9.26.17. Concrete Roof Tiles ... 329

9.26.18. Roof Drains and Downspouts ... 329

9.27. Cladding ... 329 9.27.1. Scope ... 329 9.27.2. General ... 330 9.27.3. Flashing ... 330 9.27.4. Caulking ... 330 9.27.5. Attachment of Cladding ... 330 9.27.6. Lumber Siding ... 332

9.27.7. Wood Shingles and Machine Grooved Shakes ... 332

9.27.8. Asbestos-Cement Shingles and Sheets ... 333

9.27.9. Plywood ... 333

9.27.10. Hardboard ... 334

9.27.11. OSB and Waferboard ... 334

9.27.12. Metal ... 335 9.27.13. Vinyl Siding ... 335 9.28. Stucco ... 335 9.28.1. General ... 335 9.28.2. Stucco Materials ... 336 9.28.3. Fasteners ... 336 9.28.4. Stucco Lath ... 336 9.28.5. Stucco Mixes ... 337 9.28.6. Stucco Application ... 338

9.29. Interior Wall and Ceiling Finishes ... 338

9.29.1. General ... 338

9.29.2. Waterproof Wall Finish ... 338

9.29.3. Wood Furring ... 338

9.29.4. Plastering ... 339

9.29.5. Gypsum Board Finish (Taped Joints) ... 339

9.29.6. Plywood Finish ... 340

9.29.7. Hardboard Finish ... 340

9.29.8. Insulating Fibreboard Finish ... 341

9.29.9. Particleboard, OSB or Waferboard Finish ... 341

9.29.10. Wall Tile Finish ... 341

9.30. Flooring ... 342

9.30.1. General ... 342

9.30.2. Panel-Type Underlay ... 342

9.30.3. Wood Strip Flooring ... 343

9.30.4. Parquet Flooring ... 343

9.30.5. Resilient Flooring ... 343

Ventilation ... 345

9.33. Heating and Air-Conditioning ... 354

9.33.1. General ... 354

9.33.2. Required Heating Systems ... 354

9.33.3. Design Temperatures ... 354

9.33.4. General Requirements for Heating and Air-Conditioning Systems ... 354

9.33.5. Heating and Air-Conditioning Appliances ... 355

9.33.6. Air Duct Systems ... 355

9.33.7. Radiators and Convectors ... 359

9.33.8. Piping for Heating and Cooling Systems ... 359

9.33.9. Refrigerating Systems and Equipment for Air-Conditioning .. 360

9.33.10. Chimneys and Venting Equipment ... 360

9.34. Electrical Facilities ... 360

9.34.1. General ... 360

9.34.2. Lighting Outlets ... 361

9.34.3. Emergency Lighting ... 362

9.35. Garages and Carports ... 362

9.35.1. Scope ... 362

9.35.2. General ... 362

9.35.3. Foundations ... 362

9.35.4. Walls and Columns ... 362

9.36. Log Construction ... 363

9.36.1. General ... 363

9.36.2. Walls ... 363

Part 10 Relocatable Industrial

Accommodation

10.1. Application ... 397 10.1.1. General ... 397 10.2. Structural Requirements ... 398 10.2.1. General ... 398 10.2.2. Design Loads ... 398 10.2.3. Stability ... 398

10.3. Heights and Areas ... 398

10.3.1. Size Requirements ... 398

10.4. Fire Safety ... 398

10.4.1. Fire-Resistance Rating and Fire Separations ... 398

10.4.2. Service Spaces ... 399

10.4.3. Flame-Spread Rating ... 399

10.4.4. Windows and Means of Egress .. 399

10.4.5. Doors ... 400

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10.6. General Safety ... 402 10.6.1. Spatial Separation ... 402 10.6.2. Skirting ... 402 10.6.3. Fire Alarms ... 402 10.6.4. Kitchen Ventilation ... 403 10.6.5. Lighting ... 403 10.6.6. Doors ... 403 10.7. Identiﬁcation ... 404 10.7.1. Labelling ... 404

Part 11 Exterior Acoustic

Insulation

11.1. Application ... 405 11.1.1. Scope ... 405 11.2. Design ... 405 11.2.1. General ... 405 11.2.2. Ventilation ... 407 11.2.3. Typical Assemblies ... 408

Appendix A

Explanatory Material

.411

Appendix B

Fire Safety in High

Buildings

... 555

Appendix C

Climatic Information

.. 563

Appendix D

Fire Performance

Ratings

... 575

Appendix E

Safety Codes Act

... 613

Index

... 657

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The Alberta Building Code (ABC) is established by the Safety Codes Council (SCC), Building Technical Council (BTC), and is published for Alberta by the National Research Council. Under the Safety Codes Act, Alberta adopts the latest edition of the National Building Code of Canada (NBC) and makes changes so the resulting

document ﬁts the Alberta legislative frameworkand meets the needs of Albertans.

The ABC is essentially a code of minimum regulations for public health, ﬁre safety and structural sufﬁciency with respect to the public interest. It establishes a standard of safety for the construction of buildings, including extensions or alterations, the evaluation of buildings undergoing a change of occupancy and upgrading of buildings to remove an unacceptable hazard.

The content of the ABC pertains primarily to the needs of health and safety. Requirements unrelated to health and safety are kept to a minimum; any requirements that would increase the scope of the ABC are only considered after thorough

consultation with Albertans. Requirements for workmanship related to aesthetics only are not considered appropriate for the ABC although requirements for quality and durability that affect health and safety are appropriate.

Under the terms of the Constitution Act, regulation of building in Canada is the responsibility of provincial and territorial

governments. The NBC has received wide use as the basis for provincial building codes. Liaison with provincial and territorial code authorities is

maintained through the Provincial/Territorial Committee on Building Standards.

By agreement with the National Research

Council, Alberta is committed to using the National Building Code of Canada as its base document in regulating building standards. The following outlines the relationship and the development of that document.

NBC Committees. The NBC has been developed and continues to be developed through the voluntary assistance of many experts from coast to coast. The Canadian Commission on Building

and Fire Codes (CCBFC) has direct responsibility under the National Research Council (NRC) for the preparation and publication of the NBC. The members of the Commission are appointed by the National Research Council. They serve as

individuals and not as designated appointees of any organization and the membership is broadly

representative of all major phases of construction in Canada.

The Commission is assisted in the technical aspects of code writing by standing committees, each of which is responsible for specific portions of the Code or its associated documents. The members of each standing committee are knowledgeable in the particular field for which the committee is responsible. Building and fire officials, architects, engineers, contractors, building owners and others share their experience in the national interest.

IRC Staff. The staff of the Institute for Research in Construction (IRC) of the National Research Council provides technical and administrative support at the direction of the Commission.

Technical problems revealed through the use of the NBC are referred to the Institute for study. IRC’s participation makes available to the Commission the most up-to-date information on building technology.

Safety Codes Council – Building Technical Council.The SCC is a statutory corporation that formulates and oversees the development and administration of safety codes and standards in Alberta. The BTC is one of nine technical councils forming the SCC and deals with all matters related to buildings generally, excluding service and equipment installation. Based on public review of a proposed new edition of the ABC, the BTC established the content of the Code and proposed its adoption to the Minister of Labour as an Alberta Regulation, the Alberta Building Code 1997.

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Alberta Labour, #705, 10808-99 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T5K 0G5

Building Technical Council

Dave Monsen, Chair Alberta Association of Architects

Avi Amir The Alberta New Home Warranty Program Jim Bassingthwaite Building Owners & Managers Association

Gord Bontje Urban Development Institute Herman Bruin Alberta Construction Association

RickEnnis Alberta Alliance of Manufacturers & Exporters Canada

Linden Holmen Alberta Home Builders’ Association Denis St. Onge Alberta Urban Municipalities Association

George Sykora City of Calgary//City of Edmonton Ivan Villadsen Mechanical Contractors Association

DickWalters Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists, and Geophysicists of Alberta

Ed Wieclaw Alberta Building Ofﬁcials Association Bernie Williams Alberta Fire Chiefs Association Technical Support

Chris Tye Director/Administrator, Alberta Labour Paul Mousseau Technical Advisor, Alberta Labour

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A special relationship exists between the Alberta Building Code and the Alberta Fire Code with respect to ﬁre safety. The contents of both Codes must be considered in building design, construction and maintenance. The role of each Code with respect to life safety can be summarized as follows:

Alberta Building Code (ABC) — establishes a satisfactory standard of life safety for the

construction of new buildings, the reconstruction of buildings, including extensions, alterations, or changes in occupancy and upgrading of buildings to remove an unacceptable ﬁre hazard.‡

Alberta Fire Code (AFC) — establishes a satisfactory standard for fire prevention, fire fighting and life safety in buildings in use,‡

including standards for the conduct of activities causing fire hazards, maintenance of fire safety equipment and egress facilities, standards for portable extinguishers, limitations on building contents and the establishment of fire safety plans, including the organization of supervisory staff for emergency purposes. In addition, the AFC

establishes the standard for prevention, containment and suppression of ﬁres originating outside

buildings, which may present a hazard to a community, and sets standards for the storage and handling of dangerous goods, and ﬂammable and combustible liquids.

The two Codes have been developed as complementary and coordinated documents in order to reduce to a minimum the possibility of conﬂict in their respective contents. Though developed as two separate documents to be administered separately, to aid in their effective application, users must be conversant with the life safety standards of both Codes. Buildings with volatile substances and hazardous processes are addressed extensively by the AFC.‡

‡ _{The extent of application of the ABC and the AFC to the} upgrading of buildings to remove an unacceptable ﬁre hazard should be based on the judgement of the authority having jurisdiction, who must deal with each case on its merits.

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The Alberta Building Code is essentially a set of minimum provisions for the safety of buildings with reference to public health, ﬁre protection and structural sufﬁciency. It is not intended to be a textbookon building design, advice on which should be sought from professional sources. Its primary purpose is the promotion of public safety through the application of appropriate uniform building standards.

The Code is divided into 11 Parts. A decimal numbering system has been used throughout the Code. The ﬁrst number indicates the Part of the Code; the second, the Section in the Part; the third, the Subsection and the fourth, the Article in the Subsection. Code requirements are provided at the Sentence level (indicated by numbers in brackets), and Sentences may be broken down into Clauses and Subclauses. This structure is illustrated as follows: 2 Part 2.8. Section 2.8.2. Subsection 2.8.2.1. Article 2.8.2.1.(1) Sentence 2.8.2.1.(1)(a) Clause 2.8.2.1.(1)(a)(i) Subclause

A summary of the contents of the Code follows:

Part 1: Scope, Deﬁnitions and Administration

The scope of the Code, deﬁnitions of words that are italicized in the Code and administrative requirements appear in this Part.

The administrative requirements include the issuing of permits, conditions relating to occupancy, prohibitions, procedural alerting requirements, safety during construction, correction of unsafe conditions, identifying failures and procedures for appeals.

Part 2: General

Part 2 contains provisions of a general nature which apply to all buildings, such as the use of referenced documents, climatic data, plans and

speciﬁcations, provision for equivalent materials, systems, equipment, and procedures, professional seals on documents, and the construction review process.

Part 3: Fire Protection, Occupant Safety and Accessibility

This Part contains the requirements with respect to health and fire safety, which depend upon the use to which a building is put and its type of occu-pancy. The first Section contains material relating to occupancy classification and the more general features of fire protection. Sections that follow contain specific requirements relating to building size and occupancy, fire safety within floor areas, exit requirements, requirements for service spaces and health requirements. Section 3.8. contains specific requirements for those buildings required to be accessible to persons with physical or sensory disabilities.

Part 4: Structural Design

This Part is made up of 4 Sections. The ﬁrst deals with the loads to be used in design calculations and the methods of design to be followed. Section 4.2. regulates foundation design and construction. Section 4.3. deals with design in wood, masonry, concrete, steel and aluminum and the structural design of air-supported structures. Section 4.4. contains only short performance requirements referring to the design methods outlined in detail in the relevant CSA standards.

Part 5: Environmental Separation

This Part provides criteria for the design and construction of building elements that separate environments that differ one from another. These include elements that separate conditioned interior spaces from exterior spaces or the ground, and elements that separate adjacent interior spaces that are conditioned differently. The requirements address the control of condensation, and the control of heat, air and moisture transfer, including

precipitation, surface water and moisture in the ground.

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This Part contains requirements for the number and type of plumbing ﬁxtures needed in various occupancies. Many health related construction requirements previously under other departments of government have been located in this Part. They include requirements for swimming pools,

barbershops, dry cleaning establishments, food establishments, milkplants and others. Medical gas system requirements are included in this Part.

Part 8: Safety Measures at Construction and Demolition Sites

Part 8 regulates the precautions that must be taken for ﬁre safety and to protect the public at construction and demolition sites.

Part 9: Housing and Small Buildings

This Part provides detailed requirements for the construction of houses and small buildings up to 600 m2_{per ﬂoor and 3 storeys high, and applies to} all occupancies except assembly, care or detention, and high hazard industrial.

Part 10: Relocatable Industrial Accomodation

This Part sets out speciﬁc modiﬁcations to other Parts of the Code and recognizes the special requirements for buildings located at industrial camp sites. This Part does not replace or waive requirements of other Parts unless it is so stated.

Part 11: Exterior Acoustic Insulation

Part 11 sets out requirements for alleviating the effects of aircraft noise in locations near speciﬁc airports through appropriate use of materials in exterior assemblies.

Appendix A: Explanatory Material

Appendix A contains additional explanatory information to assist Code users in understanding the intent of the requirements contained in Parts 1 to 11. It is not a mandatory section of the Code.

Appendix B: Fire Safety in High Buildings

Appendix B contains material formerly found in Chapter 3 of the Supplement to the NBC 1990 as applied to sprinklered buildings, updated for 1995. It contains information in support of the high-rise

for 1997. It contains information on the climatic loads to be expected in all parts of Alberta. It is through the use of these climatic factors, with appropriate adjustments for climate variation in different localities, that the Code can be used in different localities. It is not a mandatory section of the Code.

Appendix D: Fire-Performance Ratings

Appendix D contains material formerly found in Chapter 2 of the Supplement to the NBC 1990, updated for 1995. It provides a guide to the determination of the combustibility, flame spread rating and smoke developed classification of construction materials and fire-resistance ratings of construction assemblies in relation to the provisions of the Code. It gives a procedure for calculating the fire-resistance rating of construction assemblies based on generic descriptions of materials used in the assemblies. It is not a mandatory section of the Code.

Appendix E: Safety Codes Act

Appendix E contains the legislation under which the Alberta Building Code is adopted. The Act also provides for the accreditation of organizations, certiﬁcation and powers of the authority having jurisdiction, enforcement, appeals and penalties.

Change Indication.Where a technical change or addition to the NBC 1990 has been made, the requirements affected are indicated by a narrow vertical line in the margin. No indication is provided where requirements have been renumbered or deleted.

A small heavy vertical line in the margin indicates an addition or amendment to the NBC 1995 at the time it was adopted in Alberta as the Alberta Building Code 1997.

Renumbering.There is extensive renumbering due to additions, deletions and relocation of requirements. Care should be taken therefore in relating requirements in previous codes with the 1997 edition.

Metric Conversion.All values in the Code are given in metric units. A conversion table of imperial equivalents for the most common units used in building design and construction is located at the end of the document.

e

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and inquiries on the use of this Code and

suggestions for its improvement are welcomed and should be submitted to:

The Director, Building Standards, Alberta Labour, #705, 10808-99 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T5K 0G5

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Section 1.1. General

1.1.1. Administration

1.1.1.1. Conformance with Administrative Requirements

1) This Code shall be administered in conformance with the appropriate provincial regulations made pursuant to the Safety Codes Act and may be cited as the Alberta Building Code 1997.

1.1.2. Scope

1.1.2.1. Application

1) This Code applies to any one or more of the following

a) the design of a new building, b) the construction of a new building,

c) the occupancy of any building,

d) the change in occupancy of any building, e) an alteration to any building,

f) an addition to any building, g) the demolition of any building,

h) the reconstruction of any building that has been damaged by ﬁre, earthquake or other cause,

i) the correction of an unsafe condition in or about any building or property,

j) all parts of any building affected by a change in occupancy,

k) the work necessary to ensure safety in parts of any building

i) that remain after demolition, ii) that are affected by, but that are not

directly involved in alterations, iii) that are affected by, but that are not

directly involved in additions, l) the installation, replacement, or alteration

of materials regulated by this Code, m) the installation, replacement, or alteration

of equipment regulated by this Code, n) the work necessary to ensure safety in a

relocated building during and after relocation, and

o) safety during construction of a project, including protection of the public and neighbouring properties.

2) This Code, or any amendment to it, shall not affect the right of an owner under a permit issued before June 1, 1998, if the owner has started work within 6 months of the date the permit was issued and has actively carried out work after starting.

3) This Code does not authorize the

construction of a building for which a land use is not allowed pursuant to an AVPA regulation.

4) This Code does not apply

a) except for speciﬁc requirements in Part 7, to a building of low human occupancy for the housing of livestockor the storage or maintenance of equipment or materials or produce associated with the operation of the farm or acreage on which it is located (see Appendix A),

b) to utility towers and poles, television and radio or other communications antennas or towers, except that loads resulting from those located on or attached to a

building shall be included in the building

design,

c) to water conveyance and control

structures, except for a building provided for occupancy,

d) to highway and railway bridges, e) to mechanical process equipment and

appliances in an industrial occupancy that

are not required for building services and are not speciﬁcally regulated by this Code,

f) to an accessory building not greater than 10 m2_{in building area that does not create} a hazard, or

g) except for ramps, stairs, platforms and associated buildings, to the category of elevating devices and amusement rides regulated under other regulations made pursuant to the Safety Codes Act.

1.1.2.2. Application to Existing Buildings

(See Appendix A.)

1) This Subsection applies to a building which has been legally built, occupied and used before June 1, 1998.

2) If a building is altered, rehabilitated, refurbished, renovated or repaired, the level of life

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construction or condition that lawfully existed in Alberta before June 1, 1998 if the construction or condition does not constitute an unsafe condition.

4) A change in occupancy or alteration of any building constructed before June 1, 1998 shall be permitted if the level of safety and building

performance proposed are acceptable to the

authority having jurisdiction.

5) For a building constructed before June 1, 1998, the authority having jurisdiction may accept an alternative or a proposal that achieves the

appropriate level of safety for the speciﬁc activity for which the building is to be used.

6) The authority having jurisdiction may accept existing construction not in complete

compliance with this Code, in which case it may be accepted subject to conditions.

1.1.2.3. Temporary Use

1) Except for buildings constructed under Part 10, the authority having jurisdiction may allow, for a limited time only, the erection or relocation and existence of a building for an occupancy which may, because of its nature, exist for a short time, under circumstances which may warrant only selective compliance with this Code. (See Appendix A.)

2) The building allowed in Sentence (1) shall have posted

a) the time limitations imposed under Sentence (1),

b) any conditions of selective compliance imposed under Sentence (1), and c) the permit.

1.1.3. Deﬁnitions of Words and

Phrases

1.1.3.1. General

1) In this Code, “Act” means the Safety Codes Act.

2) Except where otherwise provided in this Code, words deﬁned in the Act have the same meaning in this Code.

3) For words not deﬁned in either the Act or this Code, reference should be made to Webster’s Tenth New International Dictionary published by Merriam-Webster.

1.1.3.2. Deﬁned Terms

1) The words and terms in italics in this Code have the following meanings:

within a ﬂoor area that provides access to an exit serving the ﬂoor area.

Acoustic insulation factor means a number that is

used as a measure of the reduction in the level of aircraft noise provided by the assemblies forming the exterior envelope of a building.

Adfreezing means the adhesion of soil to a foundation unit resulting from the freezing of soil water.

(Also referred to as “frost grip.”)

Air barrier system means the assembly installed to

provide a continuous barrier to the movement of air.

Air-supported structure means a structure consisting

of a pliable membrane which achieves and maintains its shape and support by internal air pressure.

Alarm signal means an audible signal transmitted

throughout a zone or zones or throughout a

building to advise occupants that a ﬁre emergency

exists.

Alert signal means an audible signal to advise

designated persons of a ﬁre emergency.

Alteration means a change or extension to any

matter or thing or to any occupancy regulated by this Code.

Appliance means a device to convert electrical

energy or fuel into thermal energy, and includes all components, controls, wiring and piping required to be part of the device by the applicable standard referred to in this Code.

Architectural work means the preparation of designs,

graphic representations, plans, drawings, detail drawings or speciﬁcations for the erection, construction or alteration of, or addition to a

building but does not include engineering work. Artesian groundwater means a conﬁned body of

water under pressure in the ground.

Assembly occupancy means the occupancy or the use

of a building, or part thereof, by a gathering of persons for civic, political, travel, religious, social, educational, recreational or like purposes, or for the consumption of food or drink.

Attic or roof space means the space between the roof

and the ceiling of the top storey or between a dwarf wall and a sloping roof.

Authority having jurisdiction means a safety codes ofﬁcer in the building discipline exercising

authority pursuant to designation of powers and terms of employment in accordance with Section 28 of the Safety Codes Act.

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Barrier-free means that a building and its facilities can

be approached, entered, and used by persons with physical, mental or sensory disabilities.

Basement means a storey or storeys of a building

located below the ﬁrst storey.

Bather means a person actually in or on the water of

a swimming pool.

Bathing load means the maximum number of bathers

allowed in or on the water of a swimming pool at any one time.

Bearing surface means the contact surface between a foundation unit and the soil or rock upon which it

bears.

Boiler means an appliance intended to supply hot

water or steam for space heating, processing or power purposes.

Breeching means a flue pipe or chamber for receiving flue gases from one or more flue connections and

for discharging these gases through a single ﬂue connection.

Building means any structure used or intended for

supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy.

Building area means the greatest horizontal area of a building above grade within the outside surface of

exterior walls or within the outside surface of exterior walls and the centre line of ﬁrewalls.

Building height (in storeys) means the number of storeys contained between the roof and the ﬂoor

of the ﬁrst storey.

Business and personal services occupancy means the occupancy or use of a building or part thereof for

the transaction of business or the rendering or receiving of professional or personal services.

Caisson (see Pile).

Campground means land on which a person is

commonly permitted to erect tents, or park recreational vehicles for the purpose of overnight camping, and includes any building, structure, tent, vehicle or enclosure that is located on the land and is used as part of the facility.

Care or detention occupancy means the occupancy or

use of a building or part thereof by persons who require special care or treatment because of cognitive or physical limitations or by persons who are restrained from, or are incapable of, self preservation because of security measures not under their control.

Cavity wall means a construction of masonry units

laid with a cavity between the wythes. The wythes are tied together with metal ties or

other human remains or in which dead human bodies or other human remains are buried.

Chimney means a primarily vertical shaft enclosing

at least one ﬂue for conducting ﬂue gases to the outdoors.

Chimney liner means a conduit containing a chimney ﬂue used as a lining of a masonry or concrete chimney.

Closure means a device or assembly for closing an

opening through a ﬁre separation or an exterior wall, such as a door, a shutter, wired glass or glass block, and includes all components such as hardware, closing devices, frames and anchors.

Columbarium means a building or part thereof

designed for storing the ashes of dead human bodies or other human remains that have been cremated.

Combustible means that a material fails to meet the

acceptance criteria of CAN4-S114, “Determination of Non-Combustibility in Building Materials.”

Combustible construction means that type of

construction that does not meet the requirements for noncombustible construction.

Combustible liquid means a liquid having a ﬂash point

at or above 37.8C and below 93.3C.

Commercial bathing place means any natural body of

water used by persons for swimming or bathing, together with the shores, building, equipment and appurtenances thereto available to the public and for the use of which persons are either

(a) directly charged a fee, or

(b) indirectly charged a fee through the

commercial exploitation of the area adjacent to or in proximity to the body of water.

Conditioned space means any space within a building

the temperature of which is controlled to limit variation in response to the exterior ambient temperature by the provision, either directly or indirectly, of heating or cooling over substantial portions of the year.

Constructor means a person who contracts with an owner or his authorized agent to undertake a project, and includes an owner who contracts with

more than one person for the work on a project or undertakes the work on a project or any part thereof.

Contained use area means a supervised area

containing one or more rooms in which occupant movement is restricted to a single room by security measures not under the control of the occupant.

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Crematory means a building or part thereof ﬁtted with

proper appliances for the purpose of incineration or cremation of dead human bodies, and includes everything incidental or ancillary thereto.

Dairy manufacturing plant means an establishment in

which milk, cream, butter, cheese, ice cream, condensed milk, evaporated milk, milk powder, dry milk, malted milk, sherbet or any other product manufactured wholly or mainly from milk, is processed, manufactured, reprocessed, packed or repacked.

Day care facility means a day care centre, drop-in

centre or nursery school for children under seven years who are not attending school on a full-time basis.

Day use area means a speciﬁcally designated parcel

or tract of land where a camper may picnic or partake in day use activities but does not include playgrounds, sports grounds, rodeo grounds or exhibition grounds.

Dead load means the weight of all permanent

structural and nonstructural components of a

building.

Deep foundation means a foundation unit that

provides support for a building by transferring loads either by end-bearing to a soil or rock at considerable depth below the building, or by adhesion or friction, or both, in the soil or rock in which it is placed. Piles are the most common type of deep foundation.

Designer means the person responsible for the

design.

Director means a person appointed as an

Administrator under Section 14 of the Safety Codes Act with respect to the building discipline.

Dwelling unit means a suite operated as a

housekeeping unit, used or intended to be used by one or more persons and usually containing cooking, eating, living, sleeping and sanitary facilities.

Engineering work means the preparation of designs,

plans, drawings, detail drawings, speciﬁcations or graphic representations for electrical,

mechanical and structural systems or components in buildings and includes any applicable

geotechnical engineering work.

Excavation means the space created by the removal

of soil, rock or ﬁll for the purposes of construction.

Exhaust duct means a duct through which air is

conveyed from a room or space to the outdoors.

Exit means that part of a means of egress, including

doorways, that leads from the ﬂoor area it serves,

Appendix A.)

Exit level (as applying to Subsection 3.2.6.) means the

level of an enclosed exit stair at which an exterior

exit door or exit corridor leads to the exterior. Exit storey (as applying to Subsection 3.2.6.) means a

storey having an exterior exit door.

Exposing building face means that part of the exterior

wall of a building which faces one direction and is located between ground level and the ceiling of its top storey or, where a building is divided into

ﬁre compartments, the exterior wall of a ﬁre compartment which faces one direction. Factory-built chimney means a chimney consisting

entirely of factory-made parts, each designed to be assembled with the other without requiring fabrication on site.

Field review means a review of the work to which a project relates

(a) at the project site, and

(b) at locations where building components are fabricated for use at the project site.

Fill means soil, rock, rubble, industrial waste such as

slag, organic material or a combination of these that is transported and placed on the natural surface of a soil or rock or organic terrain. It may or may not be compacted.

Fire compartment means space in a building that is

enclosed by exterior walls or is separated from all other parts of the building by enclosing

construction providing a ﬁre separation having a required ﬁre-resistance rating.

Fire damper means a closure which consists of a

damper installed in an air distribution system or in a wall or floor assembly, which is normally held open but is designed to close automatically in the event of a fire in order to maintain the integrity of the fire separation.

Fire detector means a device which detects a ﬁre

condition and automatically initiates an electrical signal to actuate an alert signal or alarm signal and includes heat detectors and smoke detectors.

Fire load (as applying to an occupancy) means the combustible contents of a room or ﬂoor area

expressed in terms of the average weight of

combustible materials per unit area, from which

the potential heat liberation may be calculated based on the calorific value of the materials, and includes the furnishings, finished floor, wall and ceiling finishes, trim and temporary and movable

partitions.

Fire-protection rating means the time in minutes or

hours that a closure will withstand the passage of flame when exposed to fire under specified

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will withstand the passage of flame and the transmission of heat when exposed to fire under specified conditions of test and performance criteria, or as determined by extension or interpretation of information derived therefrom as prescribed in this Code.

Fire-retardant treated wood means wood or a wood

product that has had its surface-burning

characteristics, such as ﬂame spread, rate of fuel contribution and density of smoke developed, reduced by impregnation with ﬁre-retardant chemicals.

Fire separation means a construction assembly that

acts as a barrier against the spread of ﬁre. (See Appendix A.)

Fire stop ﬂap means a device intended for use in

horizontal assemblies required to have a

ﬁre-resistance rating and incorporating protective

ceiling membranes, which operates to close off a duct opening through the membrane in the event of a ﬁre.

Firewall means a type of ﬁre separation of

noncombustible construction which subdivides a building or separates adjoining buildings to resist

the spread of ﬁre and which has a ﬁre-resistance

rating as prescribed in this Code and has

structural stability to remain intact under ﬁre conditions for the required ﬁre-rated time.

First storey means the uppermost storey having its

ﬂoor level not more than 2 m above grade.

Flame-spread rating means an index or classiﬁcation

indicating the extent of spread-of-ﬂame on the surface of a material or an assembly of materials as determined in a standard ﬁre test as

prescribed in this Code.

Flammable liquid means a liquid having a ﬂash point

below 37.8C and having a vapour pressure not more than 275.8 kPa (absolute) at 37.8C as determined by ASTM D 323, “Vapor Pressure of Petroleum Products (Reid Method).”

Flash point means the minimum temperature at

which a liquid within a container gives off vapour in sufﬁcient concentration to form an ignitable mixture with air near the surface of the liquid.

Floor area means the space on any storey of a building

between exterior walls and required ﬁrewalls, including the space occupied by interior walls and partitions, but not including exits, vertical

service spaces, and their enclosing assemblies. Flue means an enclosed passageway for conveying

ﬂue gases.

an appliance to a chimney.

Foamed plastic means all materials which are

homogeneous systems comprised of at least two phases, one is a continuous polymeric organic material, and the second is deliberately

introduced for the purpose of distributing a gas in voids throughout the material, thereby achieving a reduction in density of the base material. Examples include but are not limited to polyisocyanurate foam, polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam and polyvinyl chloride foam.

Foamed plastic interior trim means foamed plastic

products with a density of at least 320 kg/m3 used around openings or on walls and ceilings, including casing, baseboards, chair rails, and moldings applied for decoration.

Food area means any area of a food establishment

where food is prepared, processed, served, stored or packaged.

Food establishment means a place or premises where

in, on or from which food that is intended for consumption by the public is sold, offered for sale, supplied, distributed, displayed,

manufactured, prepared, preserved, processed, packaged, served, stored or handled.

Food handler means a person working in or for a food establishment whose functions require or permit

him to be in contact with any food or utensil.

Forced-air furnace means a furnace equipped with a

fan that provides the primary means for the circulation of air.

Foundation means a system or arrangement of foundation units through which the loads from a building are transferred to supporting soil or rock. Foundation unit means one of the structural

members of the foundation of a building such as a footing, raft or pile.

Frost action means the phenomenon that occurs

when water in soil is subjected to freezing which, because of the water/ice phase change or ice lens growth, results in a total volume increase or the build-up of expansive forces under conﬁned conditions or both, and the subsequent thawing that leads to loss of soil strength and increased compressibility.

Furnace means a space-heating appliance using warm

air as the heating medium and usually having provision for the attachment of ducts.

Gas vent means that portion of a venting system

designed to convey vent gases to the outdoors from the vent connector of a gas-ﬁred appliance or