Elevated Track in Sports Field House

[ETThompson]

Hi,

I'm working on a university sports field house and recreation center project. The field house is in an approximately 29,000sf footprint prefabricated steel building. There is a small connector (about 25'x25') to the recreation center which is in an adjacent existing, to be renovated structure about 15,700 sf. The renovated structure is also an (existing) prefabricated building. We are under the 2017 Ohio Building Code which is based on the 2015 IBC.

We're using A-4* as the occupancy group for the field house, which allows us an exception so that we do not need to provide sprinklers (OBC 507.4, see below). We're using 50 gross as our occupant load factor (exercise rooms).

The field house also includes an elevated running track. We are wondering about the occupant load for this element. The track amounts to about 10,000 sf, so our occupant load on this elevated track would be 200 occupants, which is excessively more than would actually be there. Is there an alternate approach that would yield a more reasonable number? Or do we have to use the exception in 1004.1.2 (allowing the building official to approve a proposed alternate approach)?

(this OL also affects our restroom count, if we use the track OL + the main floor OL we get about 700 occupants. Again, I know there's an exception for the building official to overrule, but using these OLs for this facility would lead to excessive quanitities of toilets, lavs, etc.)

 

[Tim Mailloux]

Hi,

I'm working on a university sports field house and recreation center project. The field house is in an approximately 29,000sf footprint prefabricated steel building. There is a small connector (about 25'x25') to the recreation center which is in an adjacent existing, to be renovated structure about 15,700 sf. The renovated structure is also an (existing) prefabricated building. We are under the 2017 Ohio Building Code which is based on the 2015 IBC.

We're using A-4* as the occupancy group for the field house, which allows us an exception so that we do not need to provide sprinklers (OBC 507.4, see below). We're using 50 gross as our occupant load factor (exercise rooms).

The field house also includes an elevated running track. We are wondering about the occupant load for this element. The track amounts to about 10,000 sf, so our occupant load on this elevated track would be 200 occupants, which is excessively more than would actually be there. Is there an alternate approach that would yield a more reasonable number? Or do we have to use the exception in 1004.1.2 (allowing the building official to approve a proposed alternate approach)?

(this OL also affects our restroom count, if we use the track OL + the main floor OL we get about 700 occupants. Again, I know there's an exception for the building official to overrule, but using these OLs for this facility would lead to excessive quanitities of toilets, lavs, etc.)

an A4 occupancy building of type IIB construction with no sprinkler system only has an allowable area of 9,500 sf per table 506.2 of the 2015 IBC.

 

[ETThompson]

an A4 occupancy building of type IIB construction with no sprinkler system only has an allowable area of 9,500 sf per table 506.2 of the 2015 IBC.

Thanks, I do know that and that may be an issue for us. We do have some increased allowable area due to open area around the building (basically almost completely open), but not enough. We're looking into what it would take to achieve IA or IB with this approach. It may be that sprinklers make more sense, but we'll have to see.

 

[Tim Mailloux]

Thanks, I do know that and that may be an issue for us. We do have some increased allowable area due to open area around the building (basically almost completely open), but not enough. We're looking into what it would take to achieve IA or IB with this approach. It may be that sprinklers make more sense, but we'll have to see.

the section you reference of the OHoi state Building code was for unlimited area buildings. This may be applicable but your unlimited area building would also need to include the existing structure your adding onto.

 

[steveray]

I would talk to the BO and try to get an OL gimmie....Seems reasonable....

 

[ETThompson]

the section you reference of the OHoi state Building code was for unlimited area buildings. This may be applicable but your unlimited area building would also need to include the existing structure your adding onto.

True but the same exception essentially appears in the sprinkler section 903 as a standalone.

[F] 903.2.1.4 Group A-4

An automatic sprinkler system shall be provided for fire areas containing Group A-4 occupancies and intervening floors of the building where one of the following conditions exists:

1. The fire area exceeds 12,000 square feet (1115 m2).
2. The fire area has an occupant load of 300 or more.
3. The fire area is located on a floor other than a level of exit discharge serving such occupancies.

Exception: Areas used exclusively as participant sports areas where the main floor area is located at the same level as the level of exit discharge of the main entrance and exit.

 

[ETThompson]

I would talk to the BO and try to get an OL gimmie....Seems reasonable....

Thanks, I agree, but would be nice if there were something in the code specifically.

 

[Sifu]

It looks like the OBC has an added exception that is close to the exception located in the IBC for unlimted area buildings. Interesting how this post and another OBC related post about an A4 came in at the same time!

Two observations:
1) Both codes appear to only exclude the area over the actual participant areas, and not in any of the remainder of the building.
2) At first glance it appears 507.4 exc. #2 (excepting sprinklers) conflicts with 903.2.1.4 (requiring sprinklers), but I don't think it excepts ALL of the sprinklers, just those located over the areas used by participants.

But I could be wrong.

You also say you are "using A4", but is the AHJ going to accept it? It doesn't seem like your facility is intended for viewing of sporting events or that is has spectator seating. If not, does the same exception exist for A3 occupancies?

 

[ETThompson]

It looks like the OBC has an added exception that is close to the exception located in the IBC for unlimted area buildings. Interesting how this post and another OBC related post about an A4 came in at the same time!

Two observations:
1) Both codes appear to only exclude the area over the actual participant areas, and not in any of the remainder of the building.
2) At first glance it appears 507.4 exc. #2 (excepting sprinklers) conflicts with 903.2.1.4 (requiring sprinklers), but I don't think it excepts ALL of the sprinklers, just those located over the areas used by participants.

But I could be wrong.

You also say you are "using A4", but is the AHJ going to accept it? It doesn't seem like your facility is intended for viewing of sporting events or that is has spectator seating. If not, does the same exception exist for A3 occupancies?

A-3 has the same exception in the 2017 Ohio Building Code, see below, so I don't think it's in conflict. Which is part of why I thought the exception applied to the whole thing, not just the sports field itself. I didn't think Occupancy Groups were that specific to particular types of areas. But it is confusing.

I guess not having to sprinkler the big playing field would be good, but not as much help as not having sprinklers at all. This is basically a one-story building at grade so that exception seemed plausible to me.

The other wing of the building - offices, exercise rooms and such, are B occupancy and 8ksf S-1 occupancy, so we thought we could avoid sprinklers there too. It is also primarily one story at grade.

------------------------------------------
[F] 903.2.1.3 Group A-3

An automatic sprinkler system shall be provided for fire areas containing Group A-3 occupancies and intervening floors of the building where one of the following conditions exists:

1. The fire area exceeds 12,000 square feet (1115 m2).
   
   Exception:
   1. Fire areas used exclusively for religious worship services with fixed seating.
2. The fire area has an occupant load of 300 or more.
   
   Exception:
   1. Fire areas used primarily for worship with fixed seating.
   2. Fire areas without fixed seating not used for exhibition or display; or
3. The fire area is located on a floor other than a level of exit discharge serving such occupancies.

Exception: Areas used exclusively as participant sports areas where the main floor area is located at the same level as the level of exit discharge of the main entrance and exit.