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Long Span steel roof trusses
Egress Stairs: Earthquake checks needed for some
Unstiffened eccentric cleat connections in compression
Grade 500E reinforcing steel
Design guidance for barriers
New loading standards
Don’t be undone – anchor your spiral
Use with care
Achieve best practice - every step of the way
Allow for movement
Do sweat the 'small' stuff
Beware of limitations
Pay attention to the basics
Bend the bar but not the rules

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Practice Advisories

Practice Advisories are published under section 175 of the Building Act 2004.

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Practice Advisory 14: Long span steel roof trusses

What sort of publications they are: Colour information sheet.
Who it's for: Building owners, territorial Authorities and practising structural engineers
What it contains: Advice to structural engineers regarding concerns about the collapse on 18 September 2010 of the Southland Stadium roof in Invercargill, during a snow storm. The main points covered are:

purpose and scope of advisory
actions to be taken
roof truss inspection (including flowchart)
main points
further advice and information
references
Read the Practice Advisory 14: Long span steel roof trusses »
Download the Practice Advisory 14: Long span steel roof trusses [PDF 195 KB, 6 pages]

Practice Advisory 13: Egress stairs - Earthquake checks needed for some
		What sort of publications they are:Colour information sheet. Who it's for: Structural engineers, building consent authorities and builders What it contains: advise to structural engineers regarding concerns about stair failure in Christchurch CBD in the 22 February 2011 Aftershock. The main points covered are: purpose and scope of advisory key concerns checks to undertake actions to be taken references Read the Practice Advisory 13: Egress stairs - Earthquake checks needed for some » Download the Practice Advisory 13: Egress stairs - Earthquake checks needed for some [PDF 74.1 KB, 5 pages]

Practice Advisory 12: Unstiffened eccentric cleat connections in compression

What sort of publications they are:Colour information sheet.
Who it's for: Structural steel design engineers
What it contains: advise to structural steel design engineers regarding problems with the use of unstiffened eccentric cleats used to connect compression members. Also to alert engineers to a flawed design method. The main points covered are:

design concern
flawed method
design method
recommended limited use
combined tension and compression connections
other design considerations
existing installations
references

Practice Advisory 11: Grade 500E reinforcing steel – good practice

Market Update: Grade 500E and 300E reinforcing steel

What sort of publications they are: A seven-page colour information online booklet plus a two-page online colour supplement.
Who they are for: Structural engineers, building consent authorities, builders and fabricators
What they contain: Practice Advisory 11 has guidance on the use of 300E and 500E reinforcing steel. The main topics covered are:

properties and characteristics of reinforcing steel
minimum bend diameters
advice on fabrication processes
a good practice guide
references
supplier notes
quality assurances
bar identification

The market update has the latest information on the supply of Grade 500E and 300E reinforcing steel and should be read in conjunction with Practice Advisory 11.

Read the Practice Advisory 11: Grade 500E reinforcing steel online »
Download the Practice Advisory 11: Grade 500E reinforcing steel [PDF 534 KB, 8 pages]
Download the Market update: Grade 500E and 300E reinforcing steel [PDF 568 KB, 2 pages]

Practice Advisory 10: Design guidance for barriers

What sort of publication it is: Eight-page colour information booklet
Who it's for: Building consent authorities, structural engineers, building designers, and manufacturers
What it contains: Guidance to design barriers for the loads defined in AS/NZS 1170.1:2002 as revised by Amendment 8 of Verification Method B1/VM1. The main topics it covers are:

safety from falling – Building Code requirements
general design requirements
line loads
infill loads
concentrated loads
barrier stiffness
references

Read Practice Advisory 10: Design guidance for barriers online »
Practice Advisory 10: Design guidance for barriers [PDF 411 KB, 8 pages]

Practice Advisory 9: Significant changes in structural design - New Loadings Standards have been cited with substantial modifications
		What sort of publication it is: Colour information sheet Who it's for: Structural engineers, manufacturers of proprietary structural components and building consent authorities. What it contains: Information about the B1 Compliance Document including Amendment 8 that becomes effective on 1 December 2008. The main topics it covers are: citing the AS/NZS 1170 suite of Structural Design Action Standards deleting NZS 4203 as part of the Verification Method involving an experienced structural engineer such as a CPEng when using B1/VM1 modifying some of the AS/NZS 1170 requirements limiting the scope of B1/VM1 deleting obsolete Standards from the VM including NZS 1900: Ch 11.2, AS/NZS 1664: Part 2, NZS 3106, NZS 4219 and NZS 4230:1990. citing NZS 4230: 2004 for masonry design citing SNZ HB 8630 for tramping track structure loads reducing roof loads of AS/NZS 1170.1 to be comparable with NZS 4203 loads clarifying scope and application of barrier loads of AS/NZS 1170.1 and reducing them in some cases reinstating the face load of 0.5 kPa following a fire – not required by AS/NZS 1170 allowing territorial authorities to specify wind and snow loads raising the minimum ground snow load in Canterbury, Otago and Southland above that given by AS/NZS 1170.3 Read Practice Advisory 9: New loading standards online » Practice Advisory 9: New loading standards [PDF 91 KB, 6 pages]
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Practice Advisory 8: Don’t be undone – anchor your spiral
		What sort of publication it is: Colour information sheet Who it's for: Building designers and construction contractors What it contains: Information about anchoring and splicing spiral reinforcing in circular columns. The main topics it covers are: what happens when spiral reinforcing isn’t anchored or spliced correctly do’s and don’ts acceptable practice 135-degree hooks welded laps mechanical connectors references. Read the Practice Advisory 8: Don’t be undone – anchor your spiral online » Download the Practice Advisory 8: Don’t be undone – anchor your spiral [PDF 151 KB, 2 pages]
Back to top Practice Advisory 7: Use with care
		What sort of publication it is: Colour information sheet Who it's for: Building designers and construction contractors What it contains: Information about using Grade 500E steel in new buildings. The main topics it covers are: source of supply, method of manufacture and identification bending Grade 500E redending Grade 500E welding Grade 500E do's and don’ts background information where to find further information. This Practice Advisory is no longer available. An update is in preparation.
Back to top Practice Advisory 6: Achieve best practice – every step of the way
		What sort of publication it is: Colour information sheet Who it's for: Building designers, building officials and construction contractors What it contains: Information about general design and construction practice. The main topics it covers are: diaphragm load paths and detailing new methods and forms of construction detailing requirements for reinforcement anchoring spiral reinforcement columns rebending reinforcement reinforcement for lateral bursting Grade 8.8 bolts shear design of beams uneven loading precast concrete saw cuts in diaphragms buckling restraint composite steel beams serviceability. Read the Practice Advisory 6: Achieve best practice – every step of the way online » Download the Practice Advisory 6: Achieve best practice – every step of the way [PDF 85 KB, 4 pages]
Back to top Practice Advisory 5: Allow for movement
		What sort of publication it is: Colour information sheet Who it's for: Building designers and building officials What it contains: Information about using precast hollow-core floor assemblies in new buildings. The main topics it covers are: issues of concern about the design of precast hollow-core floor assemblies, particularly for earthquake shaking do's and don’ts background information hollow-core flooring details where to find further information. Read the Practice Advisory 5: Allow for movement revision August 2010 online » Download the Practice Advisory 5: Allow for movement revision August 2010 [PDF 217 KB, 2 pages]
Back to top Practice Advisory 4: Do sweat the 'small' stuff
		What sort of publication it is: Colour information sheet Who it's for: Building designers and construction contractors What it contains: Information about design and detailing of structural steel connections. The main topics it covers are: issues of concern about structural steel connection design and detailing do's and don’ts background information where to find further information. Read the Practice Advisory 4: Do sweat the 'small' stuff online Practice Advisory 4: Do sweat the 'small' stuff [PDF 250 KB, 12 pages]
Back to top Practice Advisory 3: Beware of limitations
		What sort of publication it is: Colour information sheet Who it's for: Building designers and construction contractors What it contains: Information about using cold-worked wire mesh in new buildings. The main topics it covers are: issues of concern about using cold-worked wire mesh in situations where ductility in an earthquake is needed do's and don’ts background information where to find further information. Read the Practice Advisory 3: Beware of limitations online Practice Advisory 3: Beware of limitations [PDF 56 KB, 1 page]
Back to top Practice Advisory 2: Pay attention to the basics!
		What sort of publication it is: Colour information sheet Who it's for: Building designers What it contains: Information about showing structural concepts and load paths on documents submitted with building consent applications. The main topics it covers are: issues of concern about structural concepts and load paths do's and don’ts background information. Read the Practice Advisory 2: Pay attention to the basics! online Practice Advisory 2: Pay attention to the basics! [PDF 58 KB, 1 page]
Back to top Practice Advisory 1: Bend the bar but not the rules
		What sort of publication it is: Colour information sheet Who it's for: Builders and building site supervisors using reinforcing steel What it contains: Information about how to bend reinforcing steel properly to avoid fracturing and weakening it. The main topics it covers are: issues of concern about bending and rebending reinforcing steel do's and don’ts background information where to find further information. Read the Practice Advisory 1: Bend the bar but not the rules online Practice Advisory 1: Bend the bar but not the rules [PDF 58 KB, 2 pages]