Atriums and the UBC

[Sifu]

I can't find anything on atriums in the UBC prior to the 1982 edition, but I have lots of buildings that have them. Most have no or only partial suppression, and most have no smoke control and no separations. Does anybody have any insight as to how they were addressed prior to the 82 UBC?

 

[Sifu]

The only way I can find was as a shaft, which doesn't explain why I have so many unprotected (no fire separation), multi-story (>2), atriums without suppression. I am hoping I am missing something.........

 

[cda]

Before people thought about atriums and codes for them ??

Like some of the other stuff and design now a days that was not regulated by codes in the past.

 

[cda]

I don’t know why you don’t buy the book

The code guru has an article on all things Building


http://www.specsandcodes.com/articles/code_corner/The Code Corner No. 13 - Atriums.pdf

 

[Sifu]

I had already read that article but didn't see anything mentioned about how they were treated prior to 1982. I think that article is more about how they are addressed now than how they were addressed previously. It is a very good article, just wanted to see if there was any other info out there. From what I can tell, they had to be treated out of the shaft section. Unfortunately, in my area, it looks like sometimes they were just ignored.

 

[cda]

I had already read that article but didn't see anything mentioned about how they were treated prior to 1982. I think that article is more about how they are addressed now than how they were addressed previously. It is a very good article, just wanted to see if there was any other info out there. From what I can tell, they had to be treated out of the shaft section. Unfortunately, in my area, it looks like sometimes they were just ignored.

Well that is the problem with new fangled construction and materials

What do you do with them and especially if you do not want to go Code research or require a professiona design l report

 

[Sifu]

We do require gap studies, but they usually just reveal what I have already identified, and not one has come back and said "here is how they were compliant when they were built". More like "here is what we would like to do to be approved even though it won't meet code". Its a tough situation for everybody.

 

[ADAguy]

Bradbary building on Broadway in LA was built with its atrium (8 stories), back in 1890's and is still standing. Were'nt they considered light wells?

 

[Builder Bob]

You may not have to use the prior codes if your use the IEBC - however, you may be required to provide upgrades that reflect current construction methodology that fifty years from now, somebody will be asking what were we thinking?

 

[Sifu]

We have not adopted the IEBC, but I am not sure it would help. Best I can tell, they would have had to have been considered vertical openings and constructed as a shaft. I am not claiming they are an imminent threat, but when these spaces get remodeled you have to start somewhere, and if they were not compliant from day one you gotta find a point to start.

 

[cda]

Atria