Temporary Structures (Tents)

[chrisrog]

We have been providing Life Safety plans for temporary tents like used at special events for hospitality areas. We've been doing these for several years, but just had a new scenario come up that I'm not sure how to handle.

In the past the tents were all small enough that we could classify them as Type VB, which made everything easy.

Currently we have a couple of tents that are larger than would be allowed with Type VB construction. The tents proposed have raised floors with plywood decking covered with a flame resistant carpeting.

Do temporary structures and tents fall within the same Type requirements as permanent buildings? 2015 IBC Section 3103.1.1 Conformance - says IBC applies to structural strength, fire safety, means of egress, accessibility, light, ventilation and sanitary requirements....3103.1 says IFC applies for all temporary structures. Does building Type fall under the category of Fire Safety mentioned above? If not, then these requirements should be regulated by IFC, not IBC and the size of the tent isn't limited by IBC Table 506.2.

 

[chrisrog]

I think I have the answer now:

I found in IBC 3103 where we are directed to follow IFC for this scenario (less than 180 days).

I have been using IBC Type VB for these tents (technically we have Membrane Covered Frame Structures) for years, never found the IFC rules until having a larger tents can't meet the IBC requirements for area limits.

It took working through these two large tents using IFC Chapter 31 requirements to figure it out. There's more freedom in the IFC method for large tents. IFC requires more egress doors than does IBC for smaller tents.

 

[north star]

* * = * *

** chrisrog **, ...glad that we could assist you !

* * = * *

 

[chrisrog]

Frequently, I find asking the question leads to the answer simply via the organization of thought required to ask the question in a way that would allow someone else to understand the problem. So it that sense, you did help. In reality, the key to solving this one was completely erasing the IBC code information from my drawings and starting fresh with the definitions of tent and membrane structure and the direction from IBC 3103 to use IFC where applicable.

 

[Mr. Inspector]

In my state they can have temporary structures up to 90 days without a permit. Once 90 days is over they take it down and then put it up again the next day and then 90 days start again.

 

[ICE]

I inspected many tent structures while assigned to a contract city. The permit was a "Miscellaneous Permit" The miscellaneous permit was used for anything that the city wanted to stick it's nose in without getting a sunburn. There would be a site plan and I was on my own for the rest of it. Shirley there were some flimsy structures. I always made them drive big stakes and lash the poles to the stakes. Now and then the tent would be over an asphalt parking lot and anchored with five gallon pails half filled with concrete. They would offer to get more pails.....and finally drive stakes.

In retrospect I think removing some of the stakes was as difficult as was driving them.

 

[bill1952]

Just fyi, several changes in next edition of IBC regarding temporary structures.

 

[chrisrog]

Thanks! This jurisdiction is still on 2015 and hasn't announced any plans to shift. They usually change every third cycle.

 

[CityKin]

My state recently updated from the 2015 to the 2021 IBC. Now IBC 3101.1.2 requires permits for tents larger than 120 SF.

In the past there was an exception for 400 SF tents with sidewalls and 600 SF for open sided tents, which matches the Fire Code. The 2021 IFC has the 400 and 600 SF exceptions still.

I really do not want to inspect every little 10x20 tent that is up for a few hours. How can I get around this? I do not want to require permits for every little tent in a festival or every tent going up for 2 hours because of rain.