Design Codes and Standards

Version 11 of Sizer updates several design codes and standards used in the program. The details of the associated changes to the program appear elsewhere in this list of changes; this section just identifies the design standards changed.

1. Standards Updated (Feature 220)

   The implementation in Sizer of the IBC has been updated from the 2012 edition to 2015, the NDS from 2005 to 2012.

   1. ICC International Building Code (IBC 2015)

      Version 11 of Sizer implements the 2015 IBC, whereas Version 10 implemented the 2012 version.

   2. ANSI/AWC National Design Specification for Wood Construction (NDS 2015)

      Version 11 of Sizer conforms to the NDS 2015, whereas version 10 conformed to NDS 2012.

   3. ANSI/AWC Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (SDPWS 2015)

      The SDPWS had been updated from the 2008 version to the 2015 version for Design Office 11, however, the one provision in Sizer from the SDPWS has not changed.

2. References to the Design Standard Editions

   The references to design standards have been updated in the following places:

   1. Welcome, About Sizer, and Building Codes Dialog

      The new design standards implemented are listed in the Welcome dialog box that appears on program start-up, and can be invoked later via the Help menu, and in the About Shearwalls box from the Help menu. More detailed information is given in the Building Codes dialog box invoked from the Welcome box.

   2. On-line Help

      The On-line Help documentation has been updated to refer to the current design code editions.

3. References to the Design Standard Clauses

   Where necessary, references to design code clause numbers in program messages, notes, results output, etc., have been updated, as follows.

   1. NDS

      There were no references within the Sizer program to those portions of the NDS that were renumbered.

   2. On-line Help

      The few design code clause references that may have changed have not yet been updated as within the On-line Help as of the date of the software release. The Help is now accessed over the Web, and will have the updated references, if any, by Feb 2017.

4. On-line Design Standards

   The WoodWorks package no longer installs a .pdf file for the On-line NDS on your computer. The Help menu links and Start menu icons now direct you to websites where viewable versions of the NDS and NDS Supplement are accessed.

   Note that the NDS Commentary is no longer included.

5. Building Codes Dialog

   In the Building Codes dialog box that is accessed from the Welcome box:

   The section detailing substantive changes to the 2012 NDS and 2010 ASCE 7 have been removed.

   The note about implementing fire design for Version 10 has been removed.

   A small grammar error was corrected.