Most of the people would relate
to this, particularly those who have businesses of their own. Basically, as we
all know, infrastructures are vastly growing because everything in the world
seems to evolve. But have we ever wondered a “what if” on these buildings. See,
situate yourself in a setting where you are in a city. See, in that city, wherever
it 1 may be we see buildings and when we see them we go typically and say, “what
a design” or just past by it and just typically ignore what was on the outside
because the matters that we have are on the inside. Technically speaking, it actually
is our matter as well.
Buildings are very much vital onto our everyday lives, considering that on today’s generation, industrialization is very much vivid almost everywhere. Rural places turning to urban, and somewhat. However, our scope here is not that. Ever wonder how these new buildings, or more importantly, the old beautiful buildings we knew existed way before have last? Or, really, just staying stronger from time to time? Let’s go deep into that.
Now, in this much deeper world, we are referring
to the much more technical and law abiding world, here’s a thing called Republic Act 1096 predominantly active
in the Philippines, wherein as stated, this is where everything related to the
building code or standards of the Philippines are listed and elaborated, hence,
it’s formally affirmed as, “ADOPTING A NATIONAL
BUILDING CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES (NBCP) THEREBY REVISING REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED SIXTY-FIVE
HUNDRED FORTY-ONE (R.A. NO. 6541)”.
Oh right and that said, it is now the officially
revised code from then before it was 6541. With such a mouthful code, you are
going to be needing this. Especially if you are in a profession where you are
going to hold on to this, for your life is part of it as well. See, in this
code, there lies different chapters from which each chapter highlights
different standards an infrastructure should carry on or pull through, by then
if this certain infrastructure passed its needed requirements, then “building,
you’re good to go.”
Saving all this talk, lies the Chapter XII which
strongly relates unto our first idea about “buildings”. Now, this 12th
chapter is elaborately known as, “GENERAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
REQUIREMENTS” where everything, from flooring construction, concrete
inspection to building tests are mentioned. Not schematically laid out through,
but are strongly emphasized for what listed in this chapters are “the musts”
when it comes to general design and construction requirements. That said, in
every chapters of things it must be broken down or it must made up of subparts
for it to become a one big whole of a chapter. In this chapter of the code, we’ll
know more about the sections of this chapter the 1201 to 1205. Hopefully you
would be given an idea from which would be beneficial for you and us as well. Now
we begin.
Section 1201. General Requirements. Buildings proposed for construction shall comply
with all the regulations and specifications herein set forth governing quality,
characteristics and properties of materials, methods of design and
construction, type of occupancy and classification.All other matters
relative to the structural design of all buildings and other structures not
provided for in this Chapter shall conform with the provisions of the National
Structural Code of Buildings, as adopted and promulgated by the Board of Civil
Engineering pursuant to the Republic Act Number 544, as amended, other wise
known as the “Civil Engineering Law”.
For
starters, the Section 1201 of Chapter XII is all about the General Requirements. In this section of
the building code, it was elaborated that any infrastructure must undergo tight
and certain confirmation of safety and just foundation test to be able to be
given the verification that the structure is usable for the consumers or
clients need. This verification is to be given by the civil engineer given that
they are the one to test the justness of the building to be undergoing formal
protocols or series of tests.
For any practicing professional in the design industry and even to the budding designers like us in school, it is basic to know that the standardized process for building proposals always undergo approval and inspection. Therefore, this section puts the assigned person aware of that and of the need to comply with the regulations, codes, and requirements for successful building project turnout.
This standardized process-- these codes and regulations established under government as law is only of best interest to ensure safety and order to the general public; which involves the potential building occupants, the client, and designers ourselves. Negligence of this section is a liability to us, the designer/professional and can be of damage to all individuals involved.
Section 1202 Excavation, Foundation and Retaining
Walls.(a) Subject to the provisions of Articles 684 to
686 of the Civil Code of the Philippines on lateral and subjacent support, the
design and quality of materials used structurally in excavation, footings, and
in foundations shall conform to accepted engineering practice.
(b) Excavation and Fills(1) Excavation or fills for buildings or structures
shall be so constructed or protected that they do not endanger life or
property.(2) Whenever the depth of excavation for any
construction is such that the lateral and subjacent support of the adjoining
property or existing structure thereon would be affected in a manner that the
stability or safety of the same is endangered, the person undertaking or
causing the excavation to be undertaken shall be responsible for the expense of
underpinning or extending the foundation or footings of the aforementioned
property or structure.(3) Excavation and other similar disturbances made
on public property shall, unless otherwise excluded by the Building Official,
be restored immediately to its former condition within 48 hours from the start
of such excavation and disturbances by whosoever caused such excavation or
disturbance.
(c) Footings, Foundations, and Retaining Walls(1) Footings and foundations shall be of the
appropriate type, of adequate size, and capacity in order to safely sustain the
superimposed loads under seismic or any conditions of external forces that may
affect the safety or stability of the structure. It shall be the responsibility
of the architect and/or engineer to adopt the type and design of the same in
accordance with the standards set forth by the Secretary.(2) Whenever or wherever there exists in the site
of the construction an abrupt change in the ground levels or level of the
foundation such that instability of the soil could result, retaining walls
shall be provided and such shall be of adequate design and type of construction
as prescribed by the Secretary.
The Section 1202 of Chapter XII tells about the Excavation, Foundation and Retaining Walls. In this section, it was discussed that considerations to
living elements or property must be observed during excavation and the
construction of footings must follow proper procedure for good quality and
stability. If changes occur, alternations must be according to as what the
Secretary prescribes.
In Section 1202, it is
said that whatever activity like digging for the building that should be
constructed, must not put any life in danger.
Excavation should not
affect the safety, thus if excavation affects safety, the person who is
responsible for causing the excavation shall be responsible for the expense of
extending the foundation of the structure. There are excavation risks such as,
cave-ins, collapse of spoil soil, falling into excavation, water and flooding,
that should be avoided.
Therefore, This section talks about the safety
not only of the structure but also of the people working on it and the safety
of the people who’ll be staying on that building after it is built. It is the
job of the people within the Construction to work together to design new
buildings, restoring and conserving old buildings and developing new ways of
using existing buildings. Not only that, but also to create, improve and
protect the environment in which we live.
Section 1203. Veneer.(a) Definition. Veneer is a non structural facing
of brick, concrete, tile, metal, plastic, glass, or other similar approved
materials attached to a backing or structural components of the building for
the purpose of ornamentation, protection, or enclosure that may be adhered,
integrated, or anchored either on the interior or exterior of the building or
structure.(b) Design Requirements. The design of all veneer
shall comply with the following:(1) Veneer shall support no load other than its own
weight and the vertical dead load of veneer immediately above.(2) Surfaces to which veneer is attached shall be
designed to support the additional vertical and lateral loads imposed by the
veneer.(3) Consideration shall be given to differential
movements of the supports including those caused by temperature changes,
shrinkage, creep, and deflection.(4) Adhered veneer and its backing shall be
designed to have a bond to the supporting elements sufficient seismic effects
on the total assemblage.(5) Anchored veneer and its attachment shall be
designed to resist horizontal forces equal to twice the weight of the veneer.(6) Anchors supports
and ties shall be non-combustible and corrosion-resistant.
The Section 1203. Veneer, is said to be a thin layer of wood or other material that is glued to a surface for decorative purposes. In this section, it indicates that usage of veneers whether for ornamentation, protection or enclosure should follow specific design requirements. This shows that veneers aren’t that simple to use and a certain process of installation should be strictly complied.
Section 1204. Enclosure of Vertical Openings.
(a) General. Vertical openings shall be enclosed
depending upon the fire-resistive requirements of a particular type of
construction as set forth in this Code.
(b) Elevator Enclosures. Walls and partitions
enclosing elevators and escalators shall be of not less than the fire-resistive
construction required under the Types of Construction. Enclosing Walls of
elevator shafts may consist of wire glass set in metal frames on the entrance
side only. Elevator shafts extending through more than two storeys shall be
equipped with an approved means of adequate ventilation to and through the main
roof of the building: Provided, that in those buildings housing Groups F and G
Occupancies equipped with automatic fire-extinguishing systems throughout,
enclosures shall not be required for escalators: Provided, further that the top
of the escalator opening at each storey shall be provided with a draft curtain.
Such draft curtain shall enclose the perimeter of the unenclosed opening and
shall extend from the ceiling downward at least 300 millimeters on all sides.
Automatic sprinkles shall be provided around the
perimeter of the opening and within a 600 millimeters of the draft curtain. The
distance between the sprinkles shall not exceed 1.80 meters center-to-center.
(c) Other Vertical Openings. All shafts, ducts,
chutes, and other vertical openings not covered in paragraph (b) above shall
have enclosing walls conforming to the requirements specified under the type of
construction of the building in which they are located.
In other than Group A Occupancies rubbish and linen
chutes shall terminate in rooms separated from the remainder of the building by
a One-Hour Fire-Resistive Occupancy Separation. Openings into the chutes shall
not be located in required exit corridors or stairways.
(d) Air Ducts. Air
ducts passing through a floor shall be enclosed in a shaft. The shaft shall be
as required in this Code for vertical openings. Dampers shall be installed
where ducts pierce the shaft enclosure walls. Air ducts in Group A Occupancies
need not be enclosed in a shaft if conforming to the mechanical provisions of
this Code.
Such draft curtain shall enclose the perimeter of the unenclosed opening and
shall extend from the ceiling downward at least 300 millimeters on all sides.
(In the Image; Drops 18” = 457.2 millimeters)
In
this section, infrastructures having elevators must have a sufficient means of
ventilation through the main roof of the building given that the said construction
must acquire the primary precautionary actions in case of fire. The said construction
must also be aided with enough numbers of automatic sprinklers with distances
ranging from not less than 1.80 m center to center. Placements of chutes and
other installations for ventilation and water systems must not hinder the main
entrances and exits of the building.
Note that each chutes or ducts must be
allocated with appropriate passage of exit that must not be visible and neatly planned
to retain the accuracy of the area. Lastly, concerning the technicalities of
the air ducts, they must be constrained or isolated using shafts in reason that
dampers, chutes, and shafts must be adjacent with one another.
Section 1205. Floor Construction.
(a) Floors shall be of such materials and
construction as specified under Chapter 5 Fire- Zones and Fire-Resistive
Standards and under Chapter 6 – Types of Construction.
(b) All floors shall be so framed and secure into
the framework and supporting walls as to form an integral part of the whole
building.
(c) The types of
floor construction used shall provide means to keep the beam and girders from
lateral buckling.
The very surface we step foot on in buildings is as self-explanatory as it is integral to the entire building envelope. Floors, just like ceilings, walls—are governed under law by codes and articles to ensure safety as early as from planning stage, to the construction stage, up until turnover.
The risks of poor supervision on this section are to be given of great consideration and caution, by ensuring every element; girders, beams, type of construction, material specifications, and such. One must stay vigilant for any possible missed elements or specifications to ensure a successful turnover.
