Risk Category for a Hotel 1

[Zeltmacher]

Can anyone give me the required design Risk Category for a four story Hotel? It will be wood framed with 128 rooms.
ZM

 

[TehMightyEngineer]

What's the adopted building code? It will be in there.

Maine EIT, Civil/Structural.

 

[Zeltmacher]

The: Thanks. The adopted building code is the 2013 CBC (ASCE 7-10). I've looked at the descriptions for each Risk Category, however the definitions/descriptions of each Risk Category do not seem to directly address our situation (the word 'Hotel' for example, is not found). I'm looking for an answer from someone with actual experience on similar projects. Anybody else?

 

[JAE]

Zeltmacher - generally a hotel with multiple rooms would be Risk Category II.

The exception here would be:
1. If there is a room or area where a large number of persons would occupy a single space (ballroom, etc.)
2. The owner of the hotel wishes to increase the performance of the building.

I'd suggest you read the commentary for ASCE 7-10, Chapter 1 (called Chapter C1) - specifically the section C1.5 Classification of Buildings and Other Structures.

There they provide a litter better commentary on the four categories.

The Risk Category table (Table 1.5-2) has been changed from the ASCE 7-05 by detaching the load importance factors from "categories" used in the IBC for fire and life safety applications.
So now we have "Risk" categories instead of "Occupancy" categories and the descriptions for categories I through IV are much more general.



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[gtaw]

The question is whether you would want your family members in the structure in a worst case situation.

Best regards - Al

 

[JAE]

Hmmmm...that sounds like a purely emotional response to the question...which I'm not saying is invalid. It just isn't the question here.

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[Zeltmacher]

Thanks all.
We went ahead and called the Building Department and discussed the issue with a plans examiner. He was convinced that we were risk cat II but based on Table 1.5-1 (ASCE 7-10) which brings in 'substantial risk to human life' he decided it would be best to take up with his boss. I'll let you know what they come back with. Thanks all for your help-- really appreciate it.

 

[azcats]

The table (1604.5) in the CBC/IBC spell it out a bit better than the ASCE table.

IMO, the only way it would fall into category III is if the occupant load is greater than 5000. Also, in my mind hotels/motels fall into the residential category...unless there is significant convention/meeting space in the building. Then you would need to decide if the primary occupancy is public assembly or the residential side.