WABO / SEAW Liaison Committee
Committee Mission Statement
Improve communications between the public jurisdictions that administer building codes and the engineering design community that prepares construction documents.
Improve consistency and quality of engineering submittals and project reviews.
Build consensus between the engineering design community and building officials with regard to code interpretation and submittal requirements.
WABO Committee Members: Julius Carreon, Nathalie Boeholt, Steve Belzak, Hoyt Jeter, and Don Cole.
Announcements:
WABO would like to report that WABO/SEAW White Paper 5 has been recognized in a FEMA/NIST publication as being a legitimate substitute for BORP. It appears as part of the discussion of expediting recovery in the report, “Recommended Options for Improving the Built Environment for Post-Earthquake Reoccupancy and Functional Recovery Time,” FEMA P-2090/NIST SP-1254, January 2021.
Structural Plan Review Philosophy – Article by WABO/SEAW Committee
WABO/SEAW Structural Interpretation Requests
The WABO/SEAW Structural Liaison Committee will respond to WABO and SEAW members who submit requests for interpretation of structural code issues or code administration questions. The Committee added this option to help improve code knowledge and consistency for members.
The Committee works to strengthen communication between public jurisdictions that administer building codes and the engineering design community responsible for building design and construction documents. It also seeks to improve the quality of engineering submittals and project reviews, while building consensus between engineers and building officials on structural code interpretations and submittal requirements.
White papers written by the Committee related to structural design, review, and code compliance are available on the WABO website or the SEAW website.
Sample 1: Are structural calculations required to be done if the design engineer is confident that the design complies with the code?”
Committee answer: “No, but if a plans reviewer is in doubt of the code compliance, then calculations can be requested for confirmation of code compliance.”
Sample 2: Can the plans reviewer require that specific analysis methods or software be used for the design?
Committee answer: “No, the design engineer can use whatever method or software that he/she wants to confirm code compliance with the structural design. Software written for previous codes can be used if the SE is confident that the design used is in compliance with the current code.”
Structural Interpretation Requests
Disclaimer Statement:
WABO/SEAW provides this website as an informational service for the benefit of WABO/SEAW members only.
This website, and any services, materials, interpretations, or responses provided or made available by WABO/SEAW through this website, are intended solely for instructional and educational purposes and to provide general information regarding WABO/SEAW’s interpretation of structural code issues and code administration questions. WABO/SEAW does not provide legal advice, and nothing contained on this website or provided through these services shall be construed as legal advice. By accessing or using this website or any related services, users acknowledge and agree that no attorney-client relationship is created between the user and WABO/SEAW, the WABO/SEAW Liaison Committee, or any of their respective representatives. This website and the services provided by WABO/SEAW are not intended to be, and should not be relied upon as, a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed attorney or other qualified professional.
In all circumstances, the WABO/SEAW Liaison Committee provides its interpretations of structural code issues and code administration questions as a service to WABO/SEAW members and in furtherance of improving code knowledge and consistency among its members. Users and members should not rely upon any interpretations, responses, materials, or information provided by WABO/SEAW or the WABO/SEAW Liaison Committee as binding authority when making decisions or taking action. Any reliance upon such information or interpretive responses is solely at the user’s or member’s own risk. WABO/SEAW makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, that any information provided on this website is accurate, complete, current, or suitable for any particular purpose. WABO/SEAW is not responsible for, and expressly disclaims all liability for, any loss, damage, claim, or expense of any kind, including, without limitation, any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, or other damages arising out of, relating to, or in connection with the use of, reference to, or reliance upon this website, any services provided by WABO/SEAW, or any information contained herein. Although this website may include links or references to third-party internet resources or websites, WABO/SEAW is not responsible for the accuracy, content, availability, or reliability of any information contained on any linked or referenced site.