ASCE 24-14: Flood Resistant Design and Construction

This standard provides minimum requirements for flood resistant design and construction of structures that are subject to building code requirements and that are located, in whole or in part, in Flood Hazard Areas. This standard applies to the following:

• (1) new construction, including subsequent work to such structures, and
• (2) work classified as substantial improvement of an existing structure that is not an historic structure.

Standard ASCE/SEI 24-14 introduces a new concept, Flood Design Class, that bases requirements for a structure on the risk associated with unacceptable performance.

This standard includes requirements for the following:

• basic siting and design and construction requirements for structures in flood hazard areas
• minimum elevations for the lowest floor, flood damage-resistant materials, and floodproofing measures, each tied to a structure’s Flood Design Class
• structures in high risk flood hazard areas subject to flooding associated with alluvial fans, flash floods, mudslides, erosion, high velocity flow, coastal wave action, or ice jams and debris
• structures in coastal high hazard areas (V Zones) and Coastal A Zones
• flood damage-resistant materials
• dry floodproofing and wet floodproofing
• attendant utilities and equipment, including electrical service, plumbing systems, mechanical/HVAC systems, and elevators
• building access
• miscellaneous construction, including decks and porches, concrete slabs, garages and carports, accessory storage structures, chimneys and fireplaces, pools, and tanks