Article from the SEAU Codes Committee
By Danny Currit, SEAU Codes Committee Chair
The SEAU Codes Committee is a group of dedicated structural engineers who identify provisions in the building code that are problematic or in need of revision. We collaborate as firms throughout the region to develop code amendments on behalf of SEAU. These amendments are presented to the Structural Advisory Committee of the Utah Uniform Building Code Commission (UBCC). Once approved by the UBCC, they are submitted to the Legislature for adoption into the state building code.
In addition, the committee serves to educate SEAU members and building officials on code interpretation through presentations and white papers.
2025 was a busy year for the Codes Committee. The adoption of the 2024 IBC was before the Legislature, and with it came new provisions that either impacted existing amendments or required new ones. Our team developed three significant amendments this year, all of which were successfully signed into law during the legislative session.
Snow Loading (15A-3-107 – effective 3/17/26)
Several revisions to the snow load amendments were made in this section, including:
- Deletion of the section providing snow loads per the 2018 Utah Snow Load Study. Snow loads will now be determined in accordance with ASCE 7-22, including use of the online tool.
- Modification of amendments to align with ASCE 7-22, including removal of the snow importance factor and introduction of snow loads based on Risk Category.
- Modification of amendments to reflect the transition in ASCE 7-22 from ASD-based snow loads to LRFD-based snow loads.
- Modification of amendments to align with updated load combinations in ASCE 7-22.
- Deletion of the amendment that allowed snow drift to be ignored in low snow areas; this condition is now addressed in ASCE 7-22 Section 7.2.
- Deletion of the amendment that added load to eaves in high snow areas to account for ice buildup. Ice dams and icicle loading will now follow ASCE 7-22 provisions.
Seismic Amendments (15A-3-107 – effective 3/17/26)
An amendment to ASCE 7-22 Section 12.8.1.1 has been adopted to address an unintended consequence in the current code language. This section permits two methods for determining the seismic response coefficient; however, Method 2 results in approximately a 10% reduction in seismic forces at short periods compared to Method 1.
Because multi-period response spectrum data are available statewide through the USGS Seismic Design Geodatabase, the use of Method 2 is unnecessary and potentially unconservative. This amendment removes the option to use Method 2 where Method 1 data are available and aligns with anticipated changes in ASCE 7-28.
ACI 318-25 Early Adoption (15A-3-108 – effective 3/17/26)
An amendment has been added that replaces select provisions of ACI 318-19 with corresponding sections from ACI 318-25. This allows engineers to take advantage of beneficial updates that would otherwise not be available until adoption of the 2027 IBC.
These changes include:
- Modification to ACI Section 18.10.3: shear design forces for special structural walls
- Modification to ACI Section 21.2.4.1: shear reduction factor for walls resisting seismic forces
- Addition of ACI Section 13.2.6.2: size effect factor for shear in footings
- Addition of ACI Section 13.3.6.1.1: shear strength for cantilever retaining walls
- Addition of ACI Section 13.3.7: basement wall design provisions
- Addition of ACI Section 22.5.5.1.1: lower bound for shear strength
