FAQs

The calculator is set up to receive specific inputs for building plan dimension and Band identification, based on your design. These inputs are entered in a specific organised way to allow the calculator to perform the calculations. The calculator will not function properly if the inputs are not entered in the specific way. Please review this video, and image, for clarity on how each input in the calculator relates to your design.

Note: The tool is currently set up with Bands oriented vertically, labelled along the horizontal axis, as 1, 2, 3 etc. Bands oriented horizontally, labelled along the vertical axis, as A, B, C etc. This decision was made based on feedback from designers on standard drawing conventions. Please recognize that this labelling setup is different to the BC Housing Illustrated Guide. A future version will include functionality for a user to select their preference before identifying their Bands in the (I-3) Design & Feedback sheet.

This means that your location is not listed in the Appendix C of the BCBC. To use the calculator, please review this video on entering a Custom Location. By navigating through to the (A-2) C-2 & C-3 Generator sheet, users can recall site specific seismic and climate data for any any location in the Province. For those interested, this functionality will soon be available for any location nationally.

Occasionally, when navigating from sheet to sheet, Google Sheets incorrectly locates the Buttons in the user interface - and they can be misplaced and look like this instead of this. Try navigating to another sheet and back again, to give the sheet an opportunity to reset correctly.

In the context of the Part 9 Bracing Calculator, a Braced Storey is a building storey that requires calculation of bracing lengths through BCBC 9.23.13.7.(3) and (4). In a Slab-on-Grade construction building, all storeys will be Braced Storeys.

A Relaxed Braced Storey relates to a Basement/Crawlspace that is permitted to use a code Relaxation of BCBC9.23.13.5.(2), 9.23.13.8, or 9.23.13.9. to reduce the amount of bracing length required in that storey. The amount of bracing length in a Relaxed Braced Storey is dependent on the amount of bracing length in the Braced Storey above (the tool automatically make these calculations). Note that, in some situations these Relaxation clauses are quite restrictive, and if a Basement/Crawlspace does not meet the permissions, the Basement/Crawlspace is required to be designed as a Braced Storey. 

The determination of Braced Storeys and Relaxed Braced Storey is made by the calculator automatically in the responses to questions on the (I-1) General sheet.