Balustrade Design Loads
Failures, Fatalities, Research and Global Design Practices
Presented on October 9, 2024 at Facade Tectonics 2024 World Congress
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Overview
Abstract
A review of balustrade practices from around the world, and why practices in United States and countries using ICC code/ASCE 7 designs are failing to keep people safe in some circumstances. A history of why assembly and crowd loadings have increased. References include full-scale validation by testing. This paper also describes how you can specify your project to meet global best practice and keep occupants safe in areas with assembly and crowd loading.
Authors
Richard Green, SE, PE, P.Eng, CPEng, IntPE, APEC Engineer, M.ASCE M.IEAust
Founding Principal
Green Facades LLC
richard@greenfacadesllc.com
Andrew Crosby PEng
Principal
Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd.
ACrosby@rjc.ca
Terrence McDonnell
Associate Principal
Klein & Hoffman
trmcdonnell@kleinandhoffman.com
Keywords
Paper content
1. INTRODUCTION
In general, loading codes around the world are in close agreement for most loading types, with variations of +/- 20% for comparable conditions. The uniform loadings for handrails
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Acknowledgements
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References
ABNT NBR 6120:2010 Norma Brasileira - Design Loads for Structures (translated)
AS/NZS 1170.1 – 2002 Structural design actions - Part 1: Permanent, imposed and other actions
ASCE/SEI 7 – 22 Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures
BS 6399-1: 1996 Loading for Buildings
BS 6180:2011 Barriers in and about buildings
EN BS 1991-1-1: 2002 Eurocode 1: Actions on structures - Part 1-1: General actions - Densities, self-weight, imposed loads for buildings
National Building Code of Canada, 2015
NB 1225002-1 Norma Boliviana - Actions on Structures - Part 1(translated)
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Behaviour and Mechanics of Crowd Crush Disasters https://riskfrontiers.com/insights/behaviour-and-mechanics-of-crowd-crush-disasters/
Crowd Collapse Simulations: Crowd Risks.com https://www.crowdrisks.com/research.html
https://riskfrontiers.com/insights/behaviour-and-mechanics-of-crowd-crush-disasters/
https://simplifiedsafety.com/safety-railing/osha-railing/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_crowd_crushes#21st_century
Philadelphia railing collapse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBqyJPGZcdc
Rogers Arena collapse June 2023: https://globalnews.ca/video/9761158/railing-collapse-at-ufc-289-caught-on-video; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tg0_23SgkI
El Alto University balustrade collapse:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_University_of_El_Alto
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/798693-seven-students-plummet-to-death-at-bolivia-university