ACI MNL-3

Abstract

Scope: General ACI 562 Code is written to the licensed design professional (LDP) and provides guidance and consistency when assessing, designing, repairing, and rehabilitating concrete structures. It is intended to supplement the International Existing Building Code (IEBC), as part of a locally adopted code governing existing buildings or structures, or as a stand-alone code for existing concrete structures. The intent of the Code is to address minimum safety requirements and provide some uniformity and standardization to the industry for assessing existing concrete structures. The mostly performance requirements included in the Code direct the design professional to satisfy specific requirements, while providing some leeway, flexibility, and direction with the repair and rehabilitation of concrete structures. Concrete structures constructed before 1971 that require repair, rehabilitation, or strengthening were probably designed based on the allowable stress approach whereas the demand and capacity requirements of ACI 562 are based on strength design. The demand and capacity requirements in ACI 562, however, are based on the strength design approach. The engineer is encouraged to consider strength design provisions of this Code as a check when assessing existing structures originally designed with allowable stress methods. An existing structure, as defined in Chapter 2 and consistent with the definition in the International Building Code (IBC)/IEBC, is one for which a legal certificate of occupancy has been issued, or one that is finished and permitted for use. If no certificate of occupancy has been issued, or the building has not been permitted for use, the building is still considered new construction, and provisions of ACI 318 used in its design will govern. Licensed design professional—The LDP, as defined in the Code and consistent with ACI Concrete Terminology (CT), refers to an individual for a project who is licensed to provide design services as defined by the statutory requirements of professional licensing laws of the state or jurisdiction in which the project is to be executed and who is in responsible charge of the structural assessment, rehabilitation design, or both. The LDP should exercise sound engineering knowledge, experience, and judgment when interpreting and applying ACI 562.