Upcoming Updated Concrete Standard ACI 318-19 Out for Public Review Dec. 21

The American Concrete Institute is publishing the complete draft of the proposed “ACI 318-19: Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete” for a 45-day public review starting Dec. 21. It is anticipated that the final code requirements will be published and made available this June referenced in the 2021 International Building Code. ACI 318-19 will be included in the ACI Collection of Concrete Codes, Specifications, and Practices and educational seminars will begin in fall 2019.

ACI expects 318-19 to include new code provisions on topics the use of high-strength reinforcing steel for transverse reinforcement and shear in wide beams, hanger reinforcement, bi-directional interaction of one-way shear and more. All challenges to proposed code changes related to high-strength reinforcement were fully addressed without negative votes at the recent ACI meeting in Dallas.

Existing provisions expected to receive significant updates and clarifications include two-way shear strength, ordinary walls, seismic loads, reinforcement detailing, analysis and numerous materials requirements. Analysis methods for two-way slabs and provisions on shear heads and composite concrete columns are expected to be removed.More information is available at concrete.org/ACI318

Nadine M. Post, ENR's former editor-at-large for buildings, is an award-winning journalist with 45 years of experience covering trends, issues, innovations, controversies and challenging projects. Post has written about many industry giants, including 10 ENR Award of Excellence winners. And she has covered disasters, failures and attacks, including the 1993 bombing and the 2001 destruction of the World Trade Center. Project stories include the redevelopment of the World Trade Center; the 828-meter-tall Burj Khalifa; Los Angeles’ Disney Concert Hall; and Seattle's Bullitt Center and Rainier Square Tower. In 1985, Post wrote McGraw-Hill's book Restoring the Statue of Liberty (1986) for the restoration’s architects—Richard S. Hayden and Thierry W. Despont.

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