Building Design and Construction Handbook - Merritt - Ventech!

11.110 SECTION ELEVEN
Hinge jambs of swinging doors should be located at least 6 in from a wall
perpendicular to the building face.
If hinge jambs for two doors have to be placed close together, there should be
enough distance between them to permit the doors to swing through an arc of 110�.
If several doors swinging in the same direction are placed close together in the
same plane, they should be separated by center lights and should also have sidelights,
to enable the doors to swing through 110� arcs.
If doors hung on center pivots are arranged in pairs, they should be hinged at
the side jambs and not at the central mullion.
The floor on both sides of an exit door should be substantially level for a distance
on each side equal to at least the width of the widest single leaf of the door. If,
however, the exit discharges to the outside, the level outside the door may be one
step lower than inside, but not more than 7 1 ⁄2% inlower.
11.53 STRUCTURAL REQUIREMENTS FOR
OPENINGS AND DOORS
A wall or partition above a door or window opening must be adequately supported
by a structural member. In design of such a member, stiffness as well as strength
must be taken into account. Excessive deflection could interfere with door operation.
It is common practice to install a frame along the perimeter of a door opening,
to support the door. Anchored to the wall, the frame usually also serves as trim
around the opening. In design of door framing, wind loads are generally more
critical than dead loads imposed by the wall or partition above. Wind load should
be taken as at least 15 lb/ft 2 . Under this loading, maximum deflection of framing
members should not exceed 3 ⁄4 in or 1 ⁄175 the clear span. The design should take
into account the fact that wind forces acting outward may be larger than those
acting inward. Door framing should generally be made independent of other framing.
11.54 ORDINARY DOORS
Ordinary doors may be classified as exterior or interior doors. Exterior doors are
those that are installed in an opening in a wall that separates an interior space from
outdoors. Serving as an entrance or an exit door, or both, these doors must be
capable of excluding weather but usually need not be fire rated. Interior doors are
those installed in an opening in a wall or partition between two interior spaces.
Such doors are not required to exclude weather but may be required to bar passage
of fire and smoke.
11.54.1 Exterior Doors
Entrance and exit doors in exterior walls should be suitably selected and located
for smooth traffic flow and safety. Choice of door movement, for example, should
take into account in which direction persons are likely to turn immediately before