Environmental Loading on Temporary Structures Based on the 2014 NYC Building Code

Scaffolds and other temporary structures are subjected to environmental forces throughout the duration of construction and demolition that must be safely transferred to or diverted away from the existing structure. Recently, New York City implemented stricter wind code provisions that have significant implications for the design of temporary structures. This paper looks at changes in the 2014 New York City Building Code as well as two projects that would have been implemented differently as a result of the new prescription. The first case is the major restoration of a cathedral in New York City that required a complex scaffold system at the interior and exterior of the cathedral. The second case is a 9-story building where the lateral force resisting system was removed prior to the full building demolition. Designs based on the 2008 New York City Building Code and the 2014 New York City Building Code are compared.