The NBCC is reasonably set up for seismic design of buildings and non-building structures similar to buildings, but falls pretty short on other non-building structures, and some non-structural attachments. It is a *building* code, after all, so that seems fine to me.
I'm just curious what other people do for the specification or design of this type of item. Personally, if I can't find a reasonable method of analysis elsewhere, I'll use the NBCC provisions as a guide with a conservative R factor and call it a day. However, if I can find something more specific I'll use it. In a lot of cases, this 'something' is ASCE 7 since it has sections that were specifically written to act as seismic design criteria for things like pressure vessels and tanks, plus it ties into the various design codes that are usually in play for this type of structure (i.e. ASME or ASCE specific design codes for pressure vessels, tanks, and the like). If I'm specifying the design for something like this, I'll call out ASCE 7 as the design code on the drawing and convert all the appropriate local environmental factors into the ASCE 7 equivalents.
I think it makes the most sense to design using a reference developed to suit the problem at hand, rather than try to force a square peg into a round hole. Other people have disagreed, arguing that the NBCC (or, rather, the provincial code in force) is the local code and should be designed to even if it's not particularly well adapted to a problem.
The code *does* specifically mention that the NBCC provisions don't apply to most types of tanks, but there's nothing I can point to regarding any other type of equipment other than the fact that it isn't really within the scope of the code to begin with.
Any other opinions on this?
I'm just curious what other people do for the specification or design of this type of item. Personally, if I can't find a reasonable method of analysis elsewhere, I'll use the NBCC provisions as a guide with a conservative R factor and call it a day. However, if I can find something more specific I'll use it. In a lot of cases, this 'something' is ASCE 7 since it has sections that were specifically written to act as seismic design criteria for things like pressure vessels and tanks, plus it ties into the various design codes that are usually in play for this type of structure (i.e. ASME or ASCE specific design codes for pressure vessels, tanks, and the like). If I'm specifying the design for something like this, I'll call out ASCE 7 as the design code on the drawing and convert all the appropriate local environmental factors into the ASCE 7 equivalents.
I think it makes the most sense to design using a reference developed to suit the problem at hand, rather than try to force a square peg into a round hole. Other people have disagreed, arguing that the NBCC (or, rather, the provincial code in force) is the local code and should be designed to even if it's not particularly well adapted to a problem.
The code *does* specifically mention that the NBCC provisions don't apply to most types of tanks, but there's nothing I can point to regarding any other type of equipment other than the fact that it isn't really within the scope of the code to begin with.
Any other opinions on this?
