47.5 MB - The Whole Building Design Guide

For further general information on nonload-bearingwalls and wall coverings, seethe National Institute of Building Sciences’Building Envelope Design Guide(www.wbdg.org/design/envelope.php).3.3.3.3 Non-Load-Bearing Walls, WallCoverings, and SoffitsThis section addresses exterior non-load-bearing walls, exteriorwall coverings, and soffits, as well as the underside of elevatedfloors, and provides guidance for interiornon-load-bearing masonry walls. See Section3.4.3.3 for additional information pertainingto critical facilities located in hurricaneproneregions, and Section 3.5 for additionalinformation pertaining to critical facilities locatedin tornado-prone regions.Loads and ResistanceThe IBC requires that soffits, exterior non-load-bearing walls, andwall coverings have sufficient strength to resist the positive andnegative design wind pressures.To ensure the continuity of elevator service, elevator penthouse walls must possess adequatewind and water resistance. If the walls blow away or water leaks through the wall system, theelevator controls and/or motors can be destroyed. Loss of elevators may critically affect facilityoperations because the restoration can take weeks even with expedited work (see Figure 3-41).Figure 3-41:The wall covering blewoff the penthouse at thishospital complex allowingrainwater to destroythe elevator controls.Hurricane Ivan (Florida,2004)3-56 MAKING CRITICAL FACILITIES SAFE FROM High Wind