Building codes exist for a reason: to keep people safe. But as structural engineers, we sometimes face a contradiction – the same codes that make structures safer can also prevent new, more efficient solutions from being implemented.
Take seismic design, for example: modern buildings are safer than ever, but do all projects need the same prescriptive approach, or should we allow for more performance-based flexibility?
Should building codes set the minimum bar, or should they dictate every step of the process? More importantly – who gets to decide?
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