CALIFORNIA STATE BUILDING CODE - EMERGENCY ESCAPE WINDOWS PROVISION

CALIFORNIA STATE BUILDING CODE - EMERGENCY ESCAPE WINDOWS
What Is The Provision In The California Building Code On Emergency Escape Windows?


EMERGENCY ESCAPE WINDOWS


Section 310.4

Basements in dwelling units and every sleeping room below the fourth story shall have at least  one operable window or door approved for emergency escape or rescue that shall open directly into a public  street, public alley, yard or exit court.

The door or window shall be operable from the inside to provide a full clear  opening without the use of separate tools.

All escape or rescue windows shall have a minimum net clear openable area of 5.7 square feet.  The minimum net clear openable height dimension shall be twenty-four inches.

The minimum net clear openable width  dimension shall be twenty inches.  When windows are provided as a means of escape or rescue they shall  have a finished sill height not more than forty-four inches above the floor.

This measurement is taken from the  floor to the clear opening of the window, not the lower, wooden, plaster or sheetrock window stool.

Bars, grilles, grates or similar devices may be installed on an emergency escape or rescue windows or doors, provided:

1. Such devices are equipped with approved release mechanisms which are openable from the inside without the use of a key or special knowledge or effort; and

2. The building is equipped with smoke detectors installed in accordance with section 310.9.

MOCK UPS AND WIND MODEL TESTS BASICS AND CIVIL ENGINEERING TUTORIALS

MOCK UPS AND WIND MODEL TESTS BASIC INFORMATION
What Are Mock Ups And Wind Model Tests?


In addition to tests that are performed in the field, certain assemblies of buildings are mocked up at full scale and fully tested. This would be true for the assembles that are associated with curtain wall construction.

These mock-ups are required because it is extremely difficult to test in situ (on site when constructed). Also, it is more cost effective to check the assembly in the laboratory rather than finding a failure when the assembly is installed.

In addition, in the urban environment, wind loads on a building are impacted by other structures in the area. To account for this variable, a model of the building is created, along with models of the surrounding buildings.

These models are then tested in a wind tunnel. Sensors are placed on the building being tested and readings are taken of the pounds per square foot (psf) that would be imposed on the total outside surface of the building.

The wind tunnel loads that are used for testing are based on historical wind data of the area in question and requirements from the local code.

When a mock-up of the curtain wall is constructed (full scale) in a laboratory setting, it usually consists of a typical two-story curtain wall section of the building. Any unusual condition may have to be mocked-up for testing as well.

The mock-up assembly is tested to determine:

1. Amount of air and water infiltration observed
2. Drainage of the system
3. Structural capability of the mullions and glass
4. Expansion and contraction of the assemblies
5. Deflection of materials

Corrections are made to the mock-up, if required, so that all the assemblies are performing according to specified criteria. The components are then fabricated based on the results of the test.

Thus, the installation of the curtain wall should perform according to the standards established by the organizations. This eliminates the potential for failure that could have occurred and the consequence of replacement of the curtain wall if the mock-up was not tested in the laboratory.