Test Drive Chapter 34 of the Massachusetts State Building Code (posted 1/19/07) Volunteers within the Massachusetts structural engineering community are sought to test the proposed Chapter 34 on existing buildings for the 7th Edition of Mass. State Bldg. Code. At the request of the Joint Loads Advisory Committee(LAC)/Seismic Advisory Committee (SAC) of the Board of Building Regulations and Standards (BBRS), Richard Croswell is asking members of the Massachusetts structural engineering community to "Test Drive" the structural provisions of the proposed new Chapter 34 on existing buildings that is to be incorporated into the 7th edition of the State Building Code. The effort is to compare the results of the proposed Chapter 34 with those of an existing building on which you have already preformed a design using the current provisions of Chapter 34 in the 6th edition of the State Building Code. Feed-back from the structural engineers who will be using these provisions is needed.

(PDF) View and download the proposed Chapter 34 from the Joint LAC/SAC for the BBRS

The Joint Committee would like to have 15 to 20 projects compared, so we’ll need a number of volunteers to get involved. Please indicate your willingness to help ASAP by emailing Richard Croswell or call Richard at (617) 547-5400.

The Massachusetts Building Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings (posted 1/18/07) According to a telephone conversation with the BBRS, the residential code is expected to be promulgated in the next 4 to 8 weeks. The code is available for purchase directly from the International Code Council (ICC). According to the State Book Store, it should have the code available sometime within the next few months.

Reference material from discussion on the 7th Edition of the Massachusetts State Building Code (First Meeting 9/21/06)

• Section 3408 Comparison of Section 3408 'Structural Requirements for Existing Buildings' of the 6th and 7th Editions of the Massachusetts State Building Code in the presentation given by Rubin Zallen 9/21/06.
• BBRS Loads Advisory Committee: Proposed structural chapters and sections for the 7th edition of the state building code given in the presentation by Rubin Zallen 9/21/06.
• Seismic changes to the Massachusetts State Building code given in the presentation by Joe Zona 9/21/06.

Guidelines for Structural Tests and Inspections (1/99) - For compliance with the 6th Edition of the Massachusetts State Building Code, Chapter 17

Guidelines for Structural Provisions for the Repair, Alteration, Addition and Change of Use of Existing Buildings (3/02) - For compliance with the 6th Edition of the Massachusetts State Building Code, Chapter 34