ASCE 7-22 is the latest edition of the Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures standard, published by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 2022. It provides up-to-date and coordinated loading provisions for general structural design.

ASCE 7-22 was initially released on December 1, 2021. Supplements 1 and 2 were added in 2023.

This standard is essential for structural engineers, architects, building officials, construction professionals, and researchers involved in the design and construction of buildings and other structures.

ASCE 7-22 prescribes design loads for all hazards including dead, live, soil, flood, tsunami, snow, rain, atmospheric ice, seismic, wind, and fire, as well as how to evaluate load combinations.

ASCE 7 is updated and released every six years to incorporate new research, evolving construction techniques, and changing societal expectations.

Yes, ASCE 7-22 will be referenced in the 2024 International Building Code (IBC) and the 2024 International Residential Code (IRC).

Key updates include:

• First-ever criteria for tornado-resistant design
• New models for more accurate snow loads
• New multipoint seismic spectrum for certain soft-soil sites
• Requirement for digital data use in hazard-specific geodatabases
• Updated tsunami design provisions
• Enhanced atmospheric icing load requirements

The 2023 Supplement 2 introduces new flood load provisions that protect against 500-year flood events and includes requirements for relative sea-level change considerations

ASCE 7-22 includes updated wind load calculations for various structure types and new long return period hazard maps for wind and tornado.

The ASCE 7 Hazard Tool is an online platform that provides digital data for all environmental hazards covered in the standard.

Yes, ASCE 7-22 now requires structural observations by a professional engineer for structures classified as Risk Category III and IV, or those assigned to Seismic Design Category E with more than two stories above the grade plane.

ASCE 7-22 incorporates multi-period response spectrum data, eliminating the need for Fa and Fv coefficients. It also includes new lateral force resisting systems and provisions for rigid wall, flexible diaphragm buildings.

The 2023 Supplement 2 requires Risk Category II structures and above to use the 500-year floodplain to determine flood loads, a significant change from previous versions.

ASCE 7-22 includes a new chapter on tornado provisions, introducing design criteria for tornado-resistant structures in certain regions of the country.

ASCE 7-22 defines four Risk Categories:

• Risk Category I: Buildings with low risk to human life (e.g., agricultural facilities)
• Risk Category II: Typical buildings not listed in other categories
• Risk Category III: Buildings with substantial risk to human life (e.g., schools, large assembly areas)
• Risk Category IV: Essential facilities (e.g., hospitals, emergency response facilities)

Higher Risk Categories generally require:

• Higher importance factors for wind, snow, and earthquake loads
• More stringent design criteria
• Additional quality assurance measures
• Enhanced structural observation requirements

Yes, ASCE 7-22 includes some revisions to Risk Category assignments, particularly for certain types of educational and assembly occupancies.

Key updates include:

• New ground snow load maps for the contiguous United States
• Revised equations for rain-on-snow surcharge
• Updated provisions for unbalanced snow loads on gable roofs
• New criteria for snow loads on solar panels

ASCE 7-22 provides refined methods for calculating snow drift loads, including:

• Updated drift height calculations
• Revised provisions for drift on lower roofs
• New guidance for drifting against roof projections

Significant changes include:

• New long return period wind speed maps
• Updated exposure factor tables
• Revised provisions for roof and wall pressure coefficients
• New chapter on tornado loads and effects

ASCE 7-22 includes new provisions for wind loads on ground-mounted and roof-mounted solar panel systems, considering various panel configurations and tilt angles.

The MPRS is a new approach that provides spectral acceleration values at multiple periods, replacing the two-period approach used in previous versions. This allows for more accurate representation of seismic hazards, especially for soft soil sites.

ASCE 7-22 includes significant revisions to Chapter 13 on nonstructural components, including:

• Updated force equations
• New component importance factors
• Revised amplification factors
• Enhanced design requirements for certain components

Key updates include:

• Use of 500-year flood elevations for Risk Category II and higher structures
• Consideration of future conditions including relative sea level rise
• New provisions for tsunami loads in coastal high hazard areas
• Updated hydrostatic and hydrodynamic load calculations

ASCE 7-22 Supplement 2 requires consideration of future flood conditions, including:

• Projected sea level rise over the design life of the structure
• Changes in precipitation patterns affecting riverine flooding
• Potential changes in storm surge characteristics

While the basic load combination equations remain largely unchanged, ASCE 7-22 includes:

• New load combinations for tornado loads
• Updated importance factors affecting certain load combinations
• Revised load combinations for extraordinary events

ASCE 7-22 provides specific load combinations for tsunami effects, considering both inundation and debris impact loads in conjunction with other applicable loads.

ASCE provides several digital tools:

• ASCE 7 Hazard Tool: Web-based application for site-specific hazard data
• ASCE 7 Online: Digital platform for accessing the full standard
• Wind speed and seismic hazard maps in various digital formats

The ASCE 7 Hazard Tool provides:

• Site-specific hazard data for wind, seismic, snow, and other environmental loads
• Automated calculations of certain design parameters
• Integration with digital design workflows

While primarily developed for use in the U.S., ASCE 7-22 is often referenced internationally, particularly for:

• Projects funded by U.S. agencies
• Regions without comprehensive local standards
• Comparative analysis with local codes

Potential areas for future updates include:

• Further refinement of climate change considerations
• Enhanced provisions for resilience and sustainability
• Integration of performance-based design concepts
• Expanded guidance on emerging structural systems and materials

ASCE maintains ongoing research initiatives and collaborations, including:

Funded research projects on various aspects of structural loading
Collaboration with other standards organizations and academic institutions
Integration of data from post-disaster investigations
Consideration of emerging computational and modeling techniques