What ASCE 7-22 Means for Important Facilities in the Carolinas

ASCE 7-22 is the most recent edition of the Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures, a standard developed by the American Society of Civil Engineers. As a nationally recognized standard, it establishes how buildings must be designed to withstand forces such as seismic activity, wind, floods, snow, and other natural hazards. As a part of the 2024 International Building Code (IBC), ASCE 7-22’s provisions will soon be implemented in the Carolinas.

For owners, developers, and project managers throughout the Carolinas, ASCE 7-22 carries significant implications. The region continues to experience increased seismic awareness, more frequent heavy rainfall events, and tornado activity, all of which affect the updates introduced in the 2022 edition.

Staying current with these changes is important for both new construction and upgrades to existing facilities, especially facilities that must remain operational during and after hazard events. BLE’s team is actively engaged with the latest versions of ASCE design standards and helps guide clients from initial site characterization through code-compliant design and construction.

What is ASCE 7-22?

ASCE 7-22 outlines the minimum loads that buildings must be able to withstand based on a variety of natural hazards. These regulations protect the people who use ASCE 7-22-compliant buildings and help confirm that compliant structures function safely throughout their intended lifespans.

The standard includes criteria for:

• Seismic events

• Wind and tornado loads

• Snow and rain loads

• Flood and tsunami hazards

• Soil and foundation demands

Buildings across the United States use ASCE 7-22 as the basis for their design. It also serves as a key referenced standard within the International Building Code (IBC), making it foundational for most developments.

What’s New in ASCE 7-22?

The 2022 edition features several notable updates, including:

• Revised ground motion maps and seismic hazard values based on the USGS’s 2018 National Seismic Hazard Model
  
• More explicit rules regarding site-specific seismic ground motion analysis for certain conditions
  
• Expansion on Seismic Site Class determination methods
  
• Major changes to the national tornado load provisions
  
• Updated flood, snow, and rain load criteria
  
• Refined structural requirements for materials such as reinforced concrete ductile walls, ductile coupled walls, and cross-laminated timber (CLT) shear walls

These revisions reflect new research, improved hazard modeling, and lessons learned from the performance of structures across the country.

What Are the Key Seismic Changes in ASCE 7-22?

The seismic standards updates in ASCE 7-22 are particularly important for buildings in the Carolinas. Here’s a more detailed overview of these changes and what they mean.

Updated Seismic Hazard Values

ASCE 7-22 uses updated ground motion data that affects how structures are designed across the Carolinas. These adjustments influence the spectral response values used by structural engineers and can affect the size and detailing of load-bearing elements. Note that for many facilities, even modest changes in design ground motions can alter foundation type, drainage strategy, or the choice of lateral force-resisting system necessary for the project.

Revised Seismic Site Classification Requirements

Accurate site classification has always been key for safe seismic design, and ASCE 7-22 reinforces its importance. Site class is determined based on soil stiffness and geotechnical properties, which can significantly affect the way a building responds to seismic events.

Small differences in soil density or depth to bedrock can shift the site’s seismic site classification, and thus necessitate a change in a structure’s design detailing, especially in regions with variable subsurface conditions like the Piedmont and Blue Ridge provinces.

Structural Systems and Material Updates

ASCE 7-22 also includes changes affecting:

• Reinforced concrete ductile shear walls and coupled walls
  
• Cross-laminated timber (CLT) shear walls
  
• Design criteria for nonstructural components and equipment

These updates help buildings maintain strength, ductility, and safety during seismic events.

Other Hazard Updates That Matter in the Carolinas

As a comprehensive standard, ASCE 7-22 also includes updated regulations, guidelines, and hazard profiles for other potential risks and loads. Here are some examples.

Significant Tornado Load Provisions

For the first time, ASCE 7-22 incorporates detailed, nationally recognized tornado-resistant design requirements. These provisions apply to Risk Category III and IV buildings such as hospitals, emergency centers, and core utilities. The Carolinas routinely experience severe weather and tornado-producing storms, making these requirements particularly relevant.

Updated Flood, Rain, and Snow Loads

ASCE 7-22 also refines multiple provisions that influence structural and site planning for flood, rain, and snow loads.

Flood Load Updates

• Revised flood hazard mapping inputs improve accuracy for coastal and inland regions.
  
• Updates to base flood elevation considerations influence foundation height and enclosure requirements.
  
• More detailed criteria for hydrostatic and hydrodynamic forces help support buildings in the face of fast-moving water events.

Rain Load Updates

• Modified rain-on-snow and ponding calculations help reduce the risk of structural overloading.
  
• Updated drainage performance assumptions influence roof design and overflow requirements, reducing the potential for localized failures.

Snow Load Updates

• Revised ground snow load maps reflect updated weather data and regional snowfall patterns.
  
• Adjusted drift and unbalanced load guidelines help promote safer design for roof systems with varying geometries.

For facilities across the Carolinas – where heavy rainfall, flooding, and occasional winter storms can create complex loading conditions – these changes help support long-term resilience and safety.

What Does ASCE 7-22 Mean for Essential Facilities in the Carolinas?

Before looking at specific impacts, it’s helpful to understand that critical facilities are held to a higher performance standard. ASCE 7-22 increases the regulated reliability of structures that must function during and after major hazard events, and many of these have meaningful design implications.

Stricter Requirements for High-Risk Structures

Critical facilities – such as hospitals, emergency operations centers, water treatment plants, and power infrastructure – fall under Risk Category IV, the highest risk category defined by ASCE. Under ASCE 7-22:

• These structures face higher seismic, wind, and tornado load factors than typical buildings.
  
• Foundations and lateral systems must demonstrate enhanced ductility and energy dissipation.
  
• Designers must consider additional redundancy and robustness for uninterrupted functionality.

These requirements help reduce operational disruptions, protect life safety, and safeguard key infrastructure during hazard events.

Planning, Budgeting, and Constructability

ASCE 7-22’s updates can influence multiple design and construction decisions, including:

• Geotechnical evaluation requirements, such as additional and deeper borings, more detailed lab testing, or supplemental geophysical explorations
  
• Foundation design, which may require alternative systems or ground improvement in areas with soft soils or high seismic site coefficients
  
• Material selection, such as reinforced concrete ductile walls or CLT shear walls, for improved lateral performance
  
• Structural modeling assumptions, including updated load combinations and hazard values
  

Understanding these changes early helps reduce permitting delays, change orders, and downstream construction challenges.

Long-Term Value and Safety

ASCE 7-22 supports the full lifecycle of critical facility design and operation. Buildings designed under this standard demonstrate:

• Enhanced resilience to rare but high-impact hazard events
  
• Lower probability of catastrophic failure
  
• Fewer long-term maintenance risks
  
• More predictable operational performance during emergencies

For municipalities, utilities, and private operators, this translates to safer buildings and improved continuity of service when it matters most.

How Does BLE Help Clients Achieve ASCE 7-22 Compliance?

Understanding and applying ASCE 7-22 can be a complex process. BLE’s multidisciplinary team supports clients at every project phase, from early evaluations to final construction, and approaches each project with safety, compliance, and performance in mind.

Geotechnical Evaluations and Site Classification

BLE conducts subsurface evaluations that identify soil stiffness, layering, groundwater levels, and other properties that influence seismic site classification. Our in-house laboratory provides advanced soil testing to accurately reflect site conditions in design. This information directly supports structural design and helps prevent under-designed foundations or unexpected construction challenges.

Seismic Hazard Evaluation and Ground Motion Parameters

BLE evaluates regional hazard levels and site-specific ground motion characteristics. We are capable of providing engineers with parameters that align with ASCE 7-22 requirements, including spectral accelerations and soil-response-modified values. Armed with these insights, structural engineers can select appropriate lateral systems and detail components to withstand seismic loading.

Lifecycle Partnership from Planning Through Construction

BLE remains engaged throughout the lifespan of every project. From initial due diligence to construction materials testing and special inspections, our team supports safe execution and code compliance every step of the way. Depending on project needs, our team can help reduce delays and support long-term structural performance.

FAQ: Common Questions About ASCE 7-22

1. Is ASCE 7-22 mandatory for buildings?

ASCE 7-22 becomes mandatory when adopted through local or state building codes, typically via the latest 2024 edition of the International Building Code (IBC). Many new projects across the Carolinas begin to use ASCE 7-22 as their governing standard.

Currently, South Carolina is scheduled to fully implement IBC 2024 as part of the SC Building Codes in January 2027.

North Carolina does not currently have a scheduled date for implementation, but it is likely to be in the next several years.

2. How does ASCE 7-22 differ from ASCE 7-16?

The 2022 edition incorporates updated seismic hazard maps accounting for expanded seismic site classification definitions, expanded tornado requirements, and revised criteria for seismic, flood, and snow loads. These changes can materially affect building design and construction planning.

3. Do existing buildings need to be updated for ASCE 7-22?

Existing structures are typically evaluated under the standard in force when they were built. However, renovations, expansions, or changes in occupancy may trigger updated design requirements.

4. How does site classification affect seismic design under ASCE 7-22?

Site classification determines how much seismic energy a structure must be designed to withstand. With the adoption of ASCE 7-22, there are significant changes to Seismic Site Classification categories as well as accepted methods to determine the Seismic Site Classification. Accurate geotechnical data is vital, as misclassification can under- or over-estimate the necessary structural capacity.

5. Which facilities are most affected by ASCE 7-22?

Emergency infrastructure – such as hospitals, operations centers, water treatment facilities, and telecommunications hubs – is especially impacted because it must meet higher reliability standards.

Trust BLE to Help You Achieve Compliance with ASCE 7-22

ASCE 7-22 plays a vital role in shaping safe, resilient buildings across the United States. For facilities in the Carolinas – especially important structures – its updates carry meaningful implications for design, budgeting, and long-term reliability. BLE’s multidisciplinary team helps clients understand these evolving requirements and helps maintain project compliance from the ground up.

To learn how ASCE 7-22 affects your facility – or to make sure your next project meets the latest code requirements – contact BLE today.