§ 7-5.702. Hydrostatic loads.

(a)

Hydrostatic loads are those caused by water above or below surface, free or confined, which is either stagnant or moves at low velocities less than five (5) feet per second.

The pressure at any point is equal to the unit weight of water (62.4 pounds per cubic foot) multiplied by the height of water above the point to which confined water would rise if free to do so.

Hydrostatic loads consist of vertical loads, lateral loads, and uplift.

(1)

Vertical loads. These are loads acting vertically downward on horizontal or inclined surfaces of buildings or structures, such as roofs, decks or floors, and walls, caused by the weight of flood waters above them.

(2)

Lateral loads. Lateral hydrostatic loads are those which act in a horizontal direction, against vertical or inclined surfaces, both above and below the ground surface and tend to cause lateral displacement overturning of the building, structure, or parts thereof.

(3)

Uplift. Uplift loads are those which act in a vertically upward direction on the underside of horizontal or sloping surfaces of buildings or structures, such as basement slabs, footings, floors, decks, roofs and overhangs. Hydrostatic loads acting on inclined, rounded or irregular surfaces may be resolved into vertical or uplift loads and lateral loads based on the geometry of the surfaces and the distribution of hydrostatic pressures.

(§ 1 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1268, eff. April 20, 2017)