Seismic is enforced based on the specific site conditions, building use and 
occupancy categories, etc, which are derived out of an analysis typically 
performed by a civil engineer.  I haven't come across a state that doesn't 
enforce the IBC in it's entirety and SC and GA are using the IBC and enforce 
the requirements. I'd love to know who in the SCLLR said they weren't going to 
enforce the IBC, just 13, the two go hand in hand.  However there are plenty of 
A/E's that don't know when it's required and just put it in the spec as a 
requirement to be installed per NFPA 13.  That's a lazy move and not very 
responsible.

If you are doing your job as the EOR, your engineering package should tell the 
contractor when it's required and reflect the applicable site condition data 
for substantiation of that requirement.  Don't throw some meaningless note 
about "the contractor to determine..." if it's required or not.

Bracing isn't required for every project and is not "map dependent" as it used 
to be.  I still hear people refer to the maps in 13 as the golden rule. If you 
use that, you're going to be in trouble.    

Now not all areas are enforcing the testing, documentation and special 
inspection requirements of the IBC,  maybe that's what the SCLLR guys was 
referring to.

As we all know, the IBC tells you when it's required, 13 tells you how to 
execute it.


Craig L. Prahl, CET   
Fire Protection Specialist
Mechanical Department
CH2MHILL
Lockwood Greene
1500 International Drive
PO Box 491, Spartanburg, SC  29304-0491
Direct - 864.599.4102
Fax - 864.599.8439
[email protected]
http://www.ch2m.com 


-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] 
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Joe Powell
Sent: Friday, March 13, 2009 4:00 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: RE: Siesmic - NFA 13 vs IBC

Thanks for the article and the information.

Seismic is still a "brave new world" in the southeast.  South Carolina enforces 
it while Ga typically does not.  We work in both states.

The S.C. fire marshal stated that he will enforce NFPA 13 not the IBC.  So this 
could be a vendor who is out for a buck or is just flat wrong.

Joe C. Powell
Pruett Ford & Associates, Inc.
Consulting Engineers
1201 Broad Street, Suite 3A
Augusta, GA 30901
Ph:     706-722-3959
Fax:    706-724-5127
Email: [email protected] 


-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Roland Huggins
Sent: Friday, March 13, 2009 3:45 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Siesmic - NFA 13 vs IBC

there was a problem with the 2003 IBC and associated ASCE 7.  I did an article 
on this issue in the NFPA Journal (Jan 2005).  This issue initiated the first 
TIA on the 02 edition of 13 and lead to significant changes in the 07 edition.  
Any one interested that doesn't keep old Journals can get a copy of the article 
off our web
page:

http://www.firesprinkler.org/techservices/articles/index.html.

This never really had a huge impact on installations since spec's basically 
simply said per 13 and FM's typically reviewed just 13 (not the IBC).  It 
certainly could have been an issue for any one playing in the consulting world.

Roland

On Mar 13, 2009, at 10:08 AM, Joe Powell wrote:

> A seismic vendor was in our office this week claiming that IBC 2006 no
> longer accepts NFPA 13 for seismic bracing of sprinkler piping.   
> Sprinkler
> piping is subject to rules and exclusions of other piping systems.   
> Anyone
> else heard of this?
>
>
>
> Joe C. Powell
>
> Pruett Ford & Associates, Inc.
>
> Consulting Engineers
>
> 1201 Broad Street, Suite 3A
>
> Augusta, GA 30901
>
> Ph:     706-722-3959
>
> Fax:    706-724-5127
>
> Email:  <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Sprinklerforum mailing list
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> For Technical Assistance, send an email to: 
> [email protected]
>
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