The dangers of software and code changes

[Eng16080]

I use WoodWorks Sizer for sizing most wood members. I must have installed an update recently or inadvertently changed program settings because I just noticed the default code is set to ASCE 7-22 and not ASCE7-16 therefore using the snow load combo: D+0.7S rather than D+S. Fortunately this came to light while manually checking a beam calc. and noticing the end reactions were off.

I realize this is ultimately my error, but it makes me wonder how often errors like this occur, and if the code writers realize the potential problems caused by messing with these loads seemingly every other code cycle. I'm sure there are software users who wouldn't suspect any great harm in using the newest code in the analysis. (I'm not necessarily defending them.)

Sometimes I feel like it would be safer to write my own software for some of this stuff and just lock it to the codes I'm currently using (ASCE 7-16, etc.) and then use these same codes for the next 20 years or so (until I retire). Maybe it's not a perfect approach, but I doubt I'd ever be more incorrect than I was today due to the rather large difference between 0.7S and S.

I don't really have a question here, but wanted to mention today's screw up in the hopes that somebody else might avoid the same error. I always try to be careful but this one certainly caught me off guard.

 

[driftLimiter]

This is one of many issues that will arise due to the change in snow load to ultimate levels. I don't think the code writers really care that much about us little guys. And realistically the engineers are going to be the first to adopt these changes, the rest of the industry (products, specifications etc) is going to take a while to catch up. I am sure you are aware of this but it isn't just the load combination factor that changed, the magnitudes of the loads increased as well. Care to guess how much? lol. Hint (1/0.7).

Seismic loads are up 15% in my region on the 7-22 vs 7-16. Its going to eliminate some construction methods around here unfortunatley. People are already talking about traditional tilt-up warehouses no longer penciling out are suggesting moving to a steel frame supported wall system.

 

[Flotsam7018]

Same exact thing happened to me in Enercalc a few weeks back.