Clemson University TigerPrints All Theses Theses May 2020 Existing Building Codes and Historic Masonry Towers John Sheridan Bennett Clemson University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_theses Recommended Citation Bennett, John Sheridan, "Existing Building Codes and Historic Masonry Towers" (2020). All Theses. 3303. https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_theses/3303 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses at TigerPrints. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Theses by an authorized administrator of TigerPrints. For more information, please contact [email protected]. EXISTING BUILDING CODES AND HISTORIC MASONRY TOWERS A Thesis Presented to the Graduate School of Clemson University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science Historic Preservation by John Sheridan Bennett May 2020 Accepted by: Amalia Liefeste, AIA, Committee Chair Ashley K. Jennings, A I Melvyn Green, SE i ABSTRACT The existing building codes offer exemptions for historic structures that lessen the prescriptive requirements and offer alternative means to achieve life safety goals. Three examples selected for this study are unreinforced masonry towers subject to high wind loads and seismic forces to explore the methods of Prescriptive, Work Area, and Performance Compliance with an eye to the role of the building code official and where the decisions may impact life safety in the course of repairing, altering, or changing the occupancy of the towers. The thesis explores the complexity of the code while forming a roadmap of the process. As the American Institute of Architects and Association for Preservation Technology send out a call to professionals to better understand and increase their involvement in the code development cycles at ICC, this thesis might offer a point of discussion about the nature of hard-to-follow codes and the impact it has on life safety. ii DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to my supportive family, Bonnie, Jack, and Leland. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author wishes to acknowledge a few people who have had a role in completing this work in some measure, large and small. My family, who tolerated the irregular hours and supported me on this journey. My dad, who provided an avenue into the world of historic preservation as a structural engineer. My mom, for encouraging me and listening to the all-too-familiar challenges of a practicing engineer. My grandparents, who reminded me that whatever happens in life, no one can take away your education. My committee members, who suffered through this code with me and offered encouragement. The faculty and staff of the MSHP program, who share their wealth of knowledge and work tirelessly to support their students. My classmates from the classes of 2019 and 2020, who served as inspiration and mental relief, and who are the future of historic preservation. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page TITLE PAGE ................................................................................................................................... i ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................................................... ii DEDICATION .............................................................................................................................. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ........................................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ vii LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................... viii CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................... 1 II. LITERATURE REVIEW .......................................................................................... 5 Code Development............................................................................................... 5 Recent History of Building Codes ...................................................................... 6 Early Code Exemptions for Historic Buildings ............................................... 9 International Building Code Exemptions for Historic Buildings ........................................................................................................ 15 Evaluation of Historic Buildings ...................................................................... 22 III. METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................. 25 The Towers .......................................................................................................... 25 Evaluation of Code Methods ............................................................................ 37 Application of the Existing Building Code ..................................................... 46 Wind Hazard ....................................................................................................... 46 Seismic Hazard .................................................................................................... 47 Life Safety ............................................................................................................ 48 Code Official ....................................................................................................... 49 IV. MORRIS ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE ..................................................................... 50 Conditions Assessment ...................................................................................... 52 Life Safety Risk .................................................................................................... 52 Wind Assessment ................................................................................................ 52 v Table of Contents (Continued) Page Seismic Assessment ............................................................................................ 53 Repair Procedure ................................................................................................ 53 Alterations Procedure ......................................................................................... 54 Change of Occupancy Procedure ..................................................................... 55 V. CITY INCINERATOR CHIMNEYS ................................................................... 62 Conditions Assessment ...................................................................................... 62 Life Safety Risk .................................................................................................... 63 Wind Assessment ................................................................................................ 63 Seismic Assessment ............................................................................................ 67 Repair Procedure ................................................................................................ 67 Alterations Procedure ......................................................................................... 69 Change of Occupancy Procedure ..................................................................... 70 VI. ST. PHILIPS CHURCH STEEPLE ...................................................................... 71 Conditions Assessment ...................................................................................... 71 Life Safety Risk .................................................................................................... 72 Wind Assessment ................................................................................................ 72 Seismic Assessment ............................................................................................ 75 Repair Procedure ................................................................................................ 75 Alterations Procedure ......................................................................................... 76 Change of Occupancy Procedure ..................................................................... 77 VII. ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS ..................................................................... 80 Repairs .................................................................................................................. 80 Alterations ............................................................................................................ 82 Change of Occupancy ........................................................................................ 84 Code Intent .......................................................................................................... 87 Conclusions ......................................................................................................... 88 Significance .......................................................................................................... 88 APPENDICES ............................................................................................................................... 90 A: Wind Analysis Calculations ...................................................................................... 91 B: Seismic Tier 1 Evaluations ..................................................................................... 113 REFERENCES ...........................................................................................................................