ACCESS FLOOR SYSTEM

Is an assembly consisting of panels mounted on pedestals to provide an underfloor space for the installation of mechanical, electrical, communication or similar
system or to serve as an air-supply or return-air plenum.
AGRICULTURAL BUILDING
Is a structure designed and constructed to house farm implements hay, grain,
poultry, livestock or other horticultural products. The structure shall not be a place
of human habitation or a place of employment where agricultural products are
processed, treated, or packaged, nor shall it be a placed used by the public.
ALLOWABLE STRESS DESIGN (ASD)
Is a method of proportioning and designing structural members such that
elastically computed stressed produced in the members by nominal loads do not
exceed specified allowable stresses (also called working stress design)
ASSEMBLY BUILDING
Is a building or portion of a building for the gathering together of 50 or more
persons for such purposes as deliberation, education, instruction worship,
entertainment amusement, drinking or dining, or awaiting transportation.
AWNING
Is an architectural projection that provides weather protection, identity, or
decoration and is wholly supported by the building to which it is attached.
BALCONY, EXTERIOR
Is an exterior floor system projecting from and supported by a structure without
additional independent supports.
BASE
Is the level at which the earthquake motions are considered to be imparted to the
structure or the level at which the structure, as a dynamic vibrator, is supported.
BASE SHEAR
Is the total design lateral force or shear at the base of a structure.
BASIC WIND SPEED
Is a three-second gust speed at 10m above the ground in exposure C as
determined in accordance with section 207.4 and associated with an annual
probability of 0.02.

BEARING WALL SYSEM

Is a structural system that does not have a complete vertical load-carrying space
frame.
BOUNDARY ELEMENT
Is an element at edges of openings or at perimeters of shear walls or
diaphragms.
BRACED FRAME
Is essentially a vertical truss system of the concentric or eccentric type that is
provided to resist lateral forces.
BUILDING FRAME SYSTEM
Is essentially a complete space that provides support for gravity loads.
BRACED WALL LINE
Is a series of braced wall panels in a single story that meets the requirements of
Section 620.10.3.
BRACED WALL PANEL
Is a section of wall braced in accordance with Section 620.10.3.
BUILDING, ENCLOSED
Is a building that does not comply with the requirements for open or partially
enclosed building.
BUILDING ENVELOPE
Refers to cladding, roofing, exterior wall, glazing, door assemblies, window
assemblies, skylight assemblies, and other components enclosing the building.
BUILDING, FLEXIBLE
Refers to slender buildings that have fundamental natural frequency less than 1
Hz.
BUILDING, LOW-RISE
Is an enclosed or partially enclosed building that complies with the following
condition.
1. Mean roof height, h, less than or equal to 18 m
2. Mean roof height, h, does not exceed least horizontal dimension.

BUILDING, OPEN

Refers to a building having each wall at least 80 percent open. This condition is
expressed for each wall by equation A o 0.8 A g
BUILDING, PARTIALLY ENCLOSED
Is a building that complies with the both of the following conditions:
1. The total area of openings in a wall that receives positive external
pressure exceeds the sum of the areas of openings in the balance
of the building envelope (walls and roof) by more than 10 % and
2. The total area of openings in a wall that receives positive external
pressure exceeds 0.5 m2 or 1 percent of the area of that wall,
whichever is smaller, and the percentage of openings in the
balance of the building envelope does not exceed 20 percent.
BUILDING OR OTHER STRUCTURE, REGULARSHAPED
Refers to a building or other structure having no unusual geometrical irregularity
in spatial form.
BUILDING OR OTHER STRUCTURES, RIGID
Refers to a building or other structure whose fundamental frequency is greater
than or equal to 1 Hz.
BUILDING, SIMPLE DIAPHRAGM
Refers to a building in which both windward and leeward wind loads are
transmitted through floor and roof diaphragms to the same verticals MWFRS.
CANTILEVERED COLUMN ELEMENTS
Is a column element in a lateral-force-resisting system that cantilevers from a
fixed base and has minimal moment capacity at the top, with lateral forces
applied essentially at the top.
COLLECTOR
Is a member or element provided to transfer lateral forces from a portion of a
structure to vertical elements of the lateral-force-resisting system.
COMPONENT
Is a part or element of an architectural, electrical, mechanical or structural
system.

COMPONENT, EQUIPMENT

Is a mechanical or electrical component or element that is part of a mechanical

and/or electrical system.
COMPONENT, FLEXIBLE
Is a component, including its attachment, having a fundamental period greater
than 0.06 second.
COMPONENT, RIGID
Is a component, including its attachments, having a fundamental period less than
0.06 second.
COMPONENTS AND CLADDING
Refers to elements of the building envelope that do not qualify as part of the
MWFRS.
CONCENTRICALLY-BRACED FRAME
Is a braced frame in which the members are subjected primarily to axial forces.
CONVENTIONAL LIGHT-FRAME
Is a type of construction in which the primary structural elements are formed by a
system of repetitive woodframing members.
COVERING, IMPACT-RESISTANT
Is a covering designed to protect impact-resistant glazing.
CRIPPLE WALL
Is a framed stud wall extending from the top of the foundation to the underside of
floor framing for the lowest occupied level.
DEAD LOADS
Consist of the weight of all materials and fixed equipment incorporated into the
building or other structure.
DECK
Is an exterior floor system supported on at least two opposing sides by an
adjacent structure and/or posts, piers, or other independent supports.

DESIGN BASIS GROUND MOTION

Is that ground motion that has a 10 percent chance of being exceeded in 50

years as determined by a site-specific hazard analysis or may be determined
from a hazard map.
DESIGNED FORCE
Is the equivalent static force to be used in the determination of wind loads for
open buildings and other structures.
DESIGN RESPONSE SPECTRUM
Is an elastic response spectrum for 5 % equivalent viscous damping used to
represent the dynamic effects of the design basis ground motion for the design of
the structures in accordance with Section 208.5 and 208.5.3.
DESIGN SEISMIC FORCE
Is the minimum total strength design base shear, factored and distributed in
accordance with Section 208.5.
DESIGN PRESSURE
Is the equivalent static pressure to be used in the determination of wind loads for
buildings.
DIAPHRAGM
Is a horizontal or nearly horizontal system acting to transmit lateral forces to the
vertical resisting elements. The term diaphragm includes horizontal bracing
systems.
DIAPHRAGM, BLOCKED
Is a diaphragm in which all sheathing edges not occurring on frame members are
supported on and connected to blocking.
DIAPHRAGM CHORD OR SHEAR WALL CHORD
Is the boundary element of a diaphragm or shear wall that is assumed to take
axial stresses analogous to the flanges of the beam.
DIAPHRAGM STRUT
Is the element of a diaphragm parallel to applied load that collects and transfers
diaphragm shear to the vertical resisting elements or distributes loads within the
diaphragm. Such members may take axial tension or compression.

DIAPHRAGM, UNBLOCKED

Is a diaphragm that has edge nailing at supporting members only. Blocking

between supporting structural members at panel edges is not included.
DRIFT OR STORY DRIFT
Is the lateral displacement of one level relative to the level above or below.
DUAL SYSTEM
Is a combination of moment resisting frames and shears walls of braced frames
designed in accordance with criteria of Section 208.4.6.4.
EAVE HEIGHT
Is the distance from the ground surface adjacent to the building to the roof eave
line at a particular wall. If the height of the eave varies along the wall, the
average height shall be used.
ECCENTRICALLY BRACED FRAME (EBF)
Is a steel braced frame designed in conformance with Section 528.
EFFECTIVE WIND AREA
Is the area used to determine GC p . For cladding, fasteners, the effective wind
area shall not be greater than the area that is tributary to an individual fasteners.
ELASTIC RESPONSE PARAMETERS
Are forces and deformations determined for an elastic dynamic analysis using an
unreduced ground motion representation in accordance with Section 208.5.3.
ESCARPMENT
Also known as scarp, with respect to, topographic effect in Section 207.7, is a cliff
or steep slope generally separating two levels or gently sloping areas.
ESSENTIAL FACILITIES
Are buildings, towers, and other vertical structures that are intended to remain
operational in the event of the extreme environmental loading from wind or
earthquakes.
FACTORED LOAD
Is the product of a load specified in Section 204 through 208 and a load factor.
FIBERBOARD
Is a fibrous homogenous panel made from lignocellulosic fibers and having a
density of less than 50 kg/m3 but more than 160 kg/m3

FLEXIBLE ELEMENT OR SYSTEM

Is one whose deformation under lateral load is significantly larger than adjoining
parts of the system. Limiting ratios for defining a specific flexible elements are set
forth in Section 208.5.1.3.
FOREST PRODUCTS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE (FDRDI)
Is the department of science and technologys research and development arm on
forest products utilization. It is mandated to conduct basic and applied research
to help the wood using industries disseminate information and technologies on
forest products to end users.
GARAGE
Is a building or portion thereof in which motor vehicles containing flammable or
combustible liquids or gas in its tank is stored, repaired or kept.
GARAGE, PRIVATE
Is a building or a portion of a building, not more than 90 m 2 in area, in which only
motor vehicles are used by the tenants of the building or buildings on the
premises are kept or stored.
GLAZING
Is a glass or transparent or translucent plastic sheet used in windows, doors,
skylights, or curtain walls.
GLAZING, IMPACT-RESISTANT
is a glazing that has been tested in accordance with ASTM E1886 and ASTM
E1996 or other approved test methods to withstand the impact of wind-borne
missiles likely to be generated in wind-borne debris regions during design winds.
GLUED BUILD-UP MEMBERS
Are structural elements, the section of which is composed of built-up lumber,
wood structural panels or wood structural panels in combination with lumber, all
parts bonded together with structural adhesives.

GRADE (LUMBER)
Is the classification of lumber in regard to strength and utility in accordance with
the grading rules of an approved lumber grading agency.

HARDBOARD
Is a fibrous-felted, homogenous panel made from lignocellulosic fibers
consolidated under heat and pressure in a hot press to a density not less than 50
kg/m3
HILL
With respect to topographic effects in section 207.7, is a land surface
characterized by strong relief in any horizontal direction.
HORIZONTAL BRACING SYSTEM
Is a horizontal truss system that serves the same function as a diaphragm.
IMPACT-RESISTANT COVERING
Is a covering designed to protect glazing, which has been shown by testing in
accordance with ASTM E1886 and ASTM E1996 of other approved test methods
to withstand the impact or wind-borne debris missiles likely to be generated in the
wind-borne debris regions during design winds.
IMPORTANCE FACTOR
Is a factor thats accounts for the degree of hazard to human life and damage to
property
INTERMEDIATE MOMENT RESISTING FRAME (IMRF)
Is a concrete frame designed in accordance with section 412.
LATERAL-FORCE-RESISTING SYSTEM
Is that part of the structural system designed to resist the design seismic forces.
LIMIT STATE
Is a condition beyond which a structure or members becomes unfit for service
and is judged to be no longer useful for its intended function (serviceability limit
state) or to be unsafe (strength limit state).
LIVE LOADS
Are those loads produced by the use and occupancy of the building or other
structure and do not include dead load, construction load, or environmental
loads.

LOADS
Are forces or other actions that result from the weight of all building materials
occupants and their possessions, environmental effects, differential movements,
and restrained dimensional changes. Permanent loads are those loads in which
variations over time are rare or of small magnitude. All other loads are variable
loads
LOAD AND RESISTANCE FACTOR DESIGN (LFRD) METHOD
Is a method of proportioning and designing structural elements using load and
resistance factors such that no applicable limit state is reached when the
structure is subjected to all appropriate load combinations. The term LRFD is
used in the design of steel structure.
MACHINE-GRADED LUMBER (MGL)
Is a lumber evaluated by a machine using a non-destructive test and sorted into
different stress grades.
MAIN WIND-FORCE RESISTING SYSTEM (MWFRS)
Is an assemblage of structural elements assigned to provide support and stability
for the overall structure. The system generally receives wind loading from more
than one surface.
MARQUEE
Is a permanent roofed structure attached to and supported by the building and
projecting over public right-of-way.
MEAN ROOF HEIGHT
Is the average of the roof eave height and the height to the highest point on the
roof surface, except that, for roof angles of less than or equal to 10 degree, the
mean roof height shall be the roof eave height.
MOISTURE CONTENT (MC)
Is the amount of moisture in wood, usually measured as the percentage of water
to the oven dry weight of the wood.
MOMENT-RESISTING FRAME
Is a frame in which members and joints are capable of resisting forces primarily
by flexure.
MOMENT-RESISTING WALL FRAME (MRWF)
Is a masonry wall frame especially detailed to provide ductile behavior and
designed in conformance with section 708.2.6.

NOMINAL LOADING
Is a design load that stressed a member or fastening to the full allowable stress
tabulated in this chapter. This loading may be applied for approximately 10 years,
either continuously or cumulatively and 90 percent of this load may be applied for
the remainder of the life of the member or fastening.
NOMINAL SIZE (LUMBER)
Refers to the commercial size designation width and depth, in standard sawn
lumber and glued laminated lumber grades; somewhat larger than the standard
net size of dressed lumber.
OPENINGS
Are apertures or holes in the building envelope that allow air flow through the
building envelope and that are designed as open during design wind as defined
by these provisions.
ORDINARY BRACED FRAME (OBF)
Is a steel braced frame designed in accordance with the provision of section 527
or 528 or concrete-braced frame designed in accordance with section 421
ORDINARY MOMENT-RESISTING FRAME (OMRF)
Is a moment-resisting frame not meeting special detailing requirements for
ductile behavior.
ORTHOGONAL EFFECTS
Are the earthquake load effects on structural elements simultaneously occurring
to the lateral-force-resisting system along two orthogonal axes.
OVERSTRENGTH
Is a characteristic of structures where the strength is larger than the design
strength. The degree of over-strength is material-and-system-dependent.
PARTICLEBOARD
Is a manufactured panel product consisting of particles and wood fibers bonded
together with synthetic resins or other suitable bonding system by a bonding
process, in accordance with approved nationally recognized standard.
PLYWOOD
Is a panel of laminated veneers conforming to Philippine national standard (PNS
196) plywood specifications.

P EFFECT
Is the secondary effect on shears, axial forces and moments of frame members
induced by the horizontal displacement of vertical loads from various loading,
when a structure is subjected to lateral forces.
RECOGNIZED LITERATURE
Are published research findings and technical papers that are approved.
RIDGE
With respect to topographic effects in section 207.7, is an elongated crest of a hill
characterized by strong relief in two dimensions.
ROTATION
Is a torsional movement of a diaphragm about a vertical axis.
SHEAR WALL
Is a wall designed to resist lateral forces parallel to the plane of the wall
(sometimes referred to as vertical diaphragm or structural wall).
SHEAR WALL-FRAME INTERACTIVE SYSTEM
Uses combinations of shear walls and frames designed to rest lateral forces in
proportion to their relative rigidities, considering interaction between shear walls
and frames on all levels.
SHEATING
Is a layer of boards or of other wood or fiber materials applied to the outer studs,
joist, and rafters of a building to strengthen structures and serve as a base for an
exterior weatherproof cladding.
SHEATING, WALL
Is a layer of boards or of other wood or fiber materials used to cover the wall
studding.
STRUCTURAL GLUED-LAMINATED TIMBER
Is any member comprising an assembly of laminations of lumber in which the
grain of all laminations is approximately parallel longitudinally, in which the
laminations are bonded with adhesive.
SUBDIAPHRAGM
Is a portion of a diaphragm used to transfer wall anchorage forces to diaphragm
cross ties.
SOFT STORY

Is one in which the lateral stiffness is less than 70 percent of the stiffness of the
story above.
SPACE FRAME
Is a three-dimensional structural system, without bearing walls, composed of
members interconnected so as to function as a complete self-contained unit with
or without the aid of horizontal diaphragms or floor-bracing systems.
SPECIAL CONCENTRICALLY BRACED FRAME (SCBF)
Is a steel-braced frame designed in conformance with the provision of section
526.
SPECIAL MOMENT-RESISTING FRAME (SMRF)
Is a moment-resisting frame specially detailed to provide ductile behavior and
comply with the requirements given in chapter 4 or 5
SPECIAL TRUSS-MOMMENT FRAME (STMF)
Is a moment-resisting frame specially detailed to provide ductile behavior and
comply with the provisions of section 525.
STORY
Is the space between levels. Story x is the story below level x.
STORY DRIFF RATIO
Is the story drift divided by the story height.
STORY SHEAR, VX
Is the summation of design lateral forces above the story under consideration.
STRENGTH
Is the capacity of an element or a member to resist factored load.
STRUCTURE
Is an assemblage of framing members designed to support gravity loads and
resist lateral forces. Structures may be categorized as building structures or nonbuilding.
STRENGTH DESIGN
Is a method of proportioning and designing structural members such that the
computed forces produced in the member design strength. The term strength
design is used in the design of concrete structures.
TOWERS AND OTHER STRUCTURES

Are non-building structures including poles, masts, and billboards that are not
typically occupied by persons but are also covered by this code.
TREATED WOOD
Is wood treated with an approved preservative under treating and quality control
procedures.
VERTICAL LOAD-CARRYING FRAME
Is a space frame designed to carry vertical gravity loads.
WALL ANCHORAGE SYSTEM
Is the system of elements anchoring the wall to the diaphragm and those
elements within the diaphragm required to develop the anchorage forces,
including subdiaphragms and continuous ties, as specified in sections 208.7.2.7
and 208.7.2.8
WALL BEARING
Is any wall meeting either of the following classifications:
1. Any metal or wood stud wall that supports more than 1.45 kN/m of vertical
load in addition to its own weight.
2. Any masonry or concrete wall that supports more than 2.90 kN/m of
vertical load in addition to its own weight.
WALL, EXTERIOIR
Is any wall or element of a wall or any member or group of members, that defines
the exterior boundaries or courts of a building and that has a slope of 60 degrees
or greater with the horizontal plane.
WALL, NONBEARING
Is any wall that is not bearing wall.
WALL, PARAPET
Is that part of any wall entirely above the roof line.
WALL, RETAINING
Is a wall designed to resist the lateral displacement of soil or other materials.
WEAK STORY
Is one in which the story strength is less than 80 percent of the story above.

WIND-BORNE DEBRIS REGIONS

Are areas within typhoon prone regions located at:

1. Within 1.6 km of the coastal mean high water line where the basic wind
speed is equal to or greater than 200 kph, or
2. In areas where the basic wind speed is equal to or greater than 250
kph.
WOOD OF NATURAL RESISTANCE TO DECAY OR TERMITES
Is the heartwood of the species set fourth below. Corner sapwood is permitted on
5 percent of the pieces provided 90 percent or more of the width of each side on
which it occurs is heartwood. Recognized species are:
Decay resistant: narra, kamagong, dao, tangile
Termite resistant: narra, kamagong
WOOD STRUCTURAL PANEL
Is a structural panel product composed primarily of wood and meeting the UC
standard 23-2 and 23-3 or equivalent requirements of the Philippine national
standards (PNS). Wood structural panels include all veneer plywood, composite
panels containing a combination of veneer and wood-based material, and matformed panel such as oriented stranded board and waferboard.
WYTHE
Is the portion of a wall which is one masonry unit is thickness. A collar joint is not
considered a wythe.

TIMBER
DEFINITIONS AND TEMINOLOGIES