USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Milton > Town of Milton 79th annual report > Part 3
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Whoever violates any provisions of Sections 26 and 27 shall in cases not otherwise provided for, forfeit and pay for each offence a fine not exceeding twenty dollars.
SECT. 28. The Selectmen may order numbers to be affixed to or painted on the buildings on any street in their discretion. The owner of every house shall comply with such order within thirty days thereafter.
PROSECUTIONS AND PENALTIES
Except when otherwise provided by law, prosecutions for offences under the By-Laws of the Town may be made by any constable or police officer of the Town.
CHAPTER 7
THE CONSTRUCTION AND INSPECTION OF BUILDINGS
SECTION 1. This Chapter shall constitute and be known as the Building Code and may be cited as such. It provides, in conjunction with Chapter 635, Acts of 1912, known as the "Tenement House Act," for all matters concerning the construction, equipment, alter- ation, repair, demolition or moving of buildings or struc- tures erected or to be erected in the Town of Milton.
SECT. 2. Whenever the word "Inspector" occurs in this Chapter it means the Inspector of Buildings.
SECT. 3. The Inspector may, so far as is necessary for the performance of his duties, enter any building or premises within the Town at any reasonable hour.
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REVISED BY-LAWS
SECT. 4. In this Chapter the following terms shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them:
First Class Buildings: A first class building shall con- sist of fireproof material throughout, with floors con- structed of iron, steel or reinforced concrete beams, filled in between with terra cotta or other masonry arches or with concrete or reinforced concrete slabs. Wood may be used only for under and upper floors, window and door frames, sashes, doors, interior finish, hand rails for stairs, necessary sleepers bedded in cement, and for isolated furrings bedded in mortar. There shall be no air space between the top of any floor arches and the floor boarding.
Second Class Buildings: Second class buildings shall include all buildings not of the first class, the external and party walls of which are of brick, stone, iron, steel, concrete, reinforced concrete, concrete blocks or other equally substantial and fireproof material.
Third Class Buildings: Third class buildings shall include all buildings not of the first or second class.
Thickness of Wall: The minimum thickness of such wall.
Grade: Average grade of the ground immediately adjoining a building.
Cellar: A story more than one-half below the aver- age grade of the ground immediately adjoining a build- ing.
Wooden Frame Building: Any building of which an external wall is constructed wholly or partly of wood. Wood frames covered with metal, wire lath and plaster or brick shall be deemed to be wood structures.
Reinforced Concrete: By the term "reinforced con- crete" is meant an approved concrete mixture reinforced by steel of any shape so combined that the steel takes up the tensile stress and assists in the resistance to shear.
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REVISED BY-LAWS
Story: That part of a building between the top of any floor beams and the top of the floor or roof beams next above.
PERMITS
SECT. 5. Before the erection, construction or alter- ation of any building or part of any building, structure or part of any structure, wall, or any platform or floor- ing to be used for standing or seating purposes, is com- menced, the owner or lessee, or agent of either, or the architect or builder employed by such owner or lessee in connection with the proposed erection or alteration shall, except for ordinary repairs, submit to the Inspector a detailed description of the location, purpose and con- struction of the proposed structure or work on proper blanks to be furnished by the Inspector, and full and complete copies of the plans of such proposed work, and such structural detailed drawings as the Inspector may require.
Such plans and detailed drawings shall be furnished in duplicate and, if approved by the Inspector, one set shall be kept at the building during the progress of the work, open to the inspection of the Inspector or his rep- resentative. The other shall be kept on file in the office of the Inspector.
The Inspector may require an applicant for a permit to submit with the plans of a building or other structure detailed drawings and calculations of any portions thereof subjected to unusual stresses, or of complicated construc- tion, or for a steel frame or reinforced concrete construc- tion, or of any type of construction not particularly described in this chapter.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the Inspector from granting his approval of the erection of any part of a building or structure where the general
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plans and detailed descriptions have been filed for the same, before the entire detailed plans have been sub- mitted.
SECT. 6. It shall be the duty of the Inspector to ap- prove or reject any plans filed with him pursuant to the provisions of this chapter within a reasonable time and within ten (10) days in any event, and no work shall be commenced until a permit is issued.
SECT. 7. Upon approval of plans the Inspector shall issue a permit. The permit shall be void unless work is commenced within three (3) months from the date thereof.
SECT. 8. No building shall be lathed nor shall any metal ceiling, plaster board or other covering be put on until the Inspector has been notified that the building is ready for such work, and until he has given written consent thereto.
SECT. 9. If a proposed building or structure is of a size or character not provided for by this chapter, plans and specifications of such building or structure shall be submitted to the Inspector and referred by him, with his recommendations thereon, to the Board of Selectmen for approval.
CONSTRUCTION
SECT. 10. The Inspector shall examine all buildings in the course of erection or alteration as frequently as is necessary, to see that the Law and the By-Laws of the Town are complied with.
SECT. 11. Every portion of every building or other structure in process of construction, alteration, repair or removal and every neighboring building or other structure or portion thereof affected by such process, or by any ex- cavation, shall be properly supported during such process or excavation.
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REVISED BY-LAWS
SECT. 12. All masonry below the finished grade shall be laid up in mortar no poorer than one part Portland cement and three parts sand.
All masonry above grade shall be laid up in mortar no poorer than one part Portland cement, one part lime, and six parts sand.
SECT. 13. Every building or structure hereafter erected shall have a masonry foundation resting upon the solid ground, piles, or other durable structure. Said foundation shall be securely and properly built, and shall be of such thickness as to properly sustain the weight it is intended to support; provided, however, that the In- spector may, in his discretion, permit the use of other materials for foundations of buildings not over one and one-half stories high.
SECT. 14. The underpinning above grade, if of con- crete, shall be not less than ten (10) inches in thickness; if of brick, not less than twelve (12) inches in thickness; if of stone, not less than sixteen (16) inches in thickness; and shall be laid in cement mortar, as prescribed in Sec- tion 12.
SECT. 15. All foundation walls and pier footings shall be laid at least three (3) inches below cellar bottom and not less than three (3) feet six (6) inches below any ad- joining surface exposed to frost.
SECT. 16. All piers shall be built of stone, good hard burnt brick laid in mortar, or reinforced concrete. Iso- lated brick piers shall not exceed in height ten (10) times their horizontal dimensions and, if of reinforced concrete, fifteen (15) times their least horizontal dimensions, which shall not be less than twelve (12) inches. Cement filled iron columns may be substituted for piers if of suit- able size to carry the superimposed load. Such columns shall have cast iron caps and bases and shall rest on foot-
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REVISED BY-LAWS
ings of masonry, stone, or concrete which shall be at least twelve (12) inches in each dimension.
SECT. 17. For buildings other than frame, where the walls are of brick or solid concrete, the minimum thick- ness in inches of all exterior and dividing walls carrying the loads of floors and roofs and including foundation walls for the same shall be not less than specified in the following table:
Stories
Height
Founda- tions
Base- ment
1
2
3
4
5 6
1 Story
16
12
S
2 Stories
16
12
12 S
3 Stories
20
16
12 12 8
4 Stories
20
16
16 12 12 8
5 Stories
20
16
16 16 12 12 8
6 Stories
24
20
16 16 16 12 12 8
The height of stories for the thickness of walls given shall not exceed:
First Story
17 feet
Second Story
15 feet
Third Story
13 feet
Fourth and Upper Stories
12 feet
and if any story exceeds the foregoing heights, it shall be counted as one additional story for each twelve feet in height or fraction thereof and the thickness of the walls not diminished from the thickness of the lower portion of such story.
If stone is used in place of brick or solid concrete, the thickness of walls shall be made four (4) inches thicker than above specified.
In external walls of the thickness specified in this sec- tion, the area of openings for windows, doors, flues, etc., shall not exceed 50 per cent of the gross sectional area.
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REVISED BY-LAWS
In case the width of such openings exceeds one-half the length of the wall, the thickness of piers between open- ings shall be increased so as to maintain an area of at least fifty (50) per cent of the gross area required by the specified thickness; provided, however, that in the upper half of any vertical portion of the wall required to be of constant thickness a smaller addition may be made to the thickness of piers, if the stresses allowed by this code are not exceeded. Curtain walls of brick or concrete between piers, where carried to the piers by arches or lintels at each story, shall be not less than eight (8) inches in thickness.
SECT. 18. Vaulted walls shall contain, exclusive of ties, the same amount of material as required for solid walls, and shall be securely tied together with headers in every sixth course at least.
SECT. 19. In reckoning the thickness of walls, no allowance for ashlar shall be made unless it is at least eight (8) inches thick, in which case the excess over four (4) inches shall be reckoned as part of the thickness of the wall. Ashlar shall be at least four (4) inches thick and properly held by metal clamps to the backing, or properly bonded to the same.
SECT. 20. Reinforced concrete construction will be accepted for buildings of the first class, and must be de- signed in accordance with the recommendations of the Joint Committee of the American Society of Civil Engi- neers, or American Society for Testing Materials, and all materials used in the construction must conform to the requirements of the standard specifications of the American Society for Testing Materials.
The Building Inspector shall have authority to require tests to be made of all materials used in the construction. Such tests shall conform to the requirements as approved by the American Society for Testing Materials.
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REVISED BY-LAWS
Only stone or gravel concrete shall be allowed in the construction of reinforced concrete buildings, except that slag or cinder concrete may be used for fireproofing pur- poses and for floors or roofs where the super-imposed load does not exceed fifty (50) pounds per square foot, and the spacing between supports does not exceed six (6) feet.
1988500
The allowable unit stresses shall not exceed those recommended by the Joint Committee above mentioned.
Before issuing permit for the construction of reinforced concrete buildings, the Inspector of Buildings shall re- quire the owner to submit a complete set of working drawings and details of the proposed construction with the approval of some well-known consulting engineer written upon each sheet of the drawing, and the cost of such approved drawings shall be paid by the owner.
SECT. 21. The studding in outside walls shall be at least two (2) by four (4) inches in size and spaced not over sixteen (16) inches on centers.
Studs next door and window openings shall be at least three (3) inches by four (4) inches and shall be mortised into sills and girts.
Openings in outside walls shall be trussed if the In- spector so requires.
SECT. 22. Every wooden building hereafter erected or altered shall have all parts of sufficient strength to carry the weight of the super-structure; shall be built with sills, posts, girts, studs and plates all properly framed, braced and secured together by mortising, strapping or halving, to the satisfaction of the Inspector.
The posts and girts shall be not less than four (4) inches in size except intermediate posts, which shall be not less than four (4) inches by eight (S) inches in size. Studs in interior partitions shall be placed not more than twenty (20) inches on centers. Plates shall be not less
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REVISED BY-LAWS
than four (4) inches by four (4) inches in size, but may be two (2) inches by four (4) inches doubled. Sills shall be not less than four (4) inches by six (6) inches in size.
SECT. 23. The studding of main or carrying parti- tions shall be not less than two (2) by four (4) inches in size, and shall rest on a sole piece of hard pine two (2) by four (4) inches. All openings in main partitions of more than thirty-six (36) inches shall be trussed and have studs doubled at sides. Every partition shall have a header extending the length of the partition, and carrying par- titions shall be bridged with stock the full width of stud- ding and two (2) inches thick, at least once in height.
Partitions over twelve (12) feet in height shall be bridged at least once in every six (6) feet.
When carrying partitions rest directly over each other, the studs shall run down between the floor beams and rest on the header of the partition below.
Headers of carrying partitions shall be at least two (2) inches by four (4) inches in size, doubled and of hard pine.
SECT. 23 A: All wooden header beams more than four (4) feet long used in any building shall be framed together and pinned or hung to the trimmer beams in stirrup-irons. When it is not practicable to frame or secure the ends of tail beams into header beams, the ends of the tail beams shall be hung to the header beams by stirrup-irons.
SECT. 24. All wooden beams of floors or flat roofs shall be properly bridged with cross bridging at least one (1) inch by three (3) inches in size, and the distance be- tween bridging or between bridging and walls shall not exceed eight (S) feet.
SECT. 25. No part of any floor timber shall be within two (2) inches of any chimney; no studding or furring shall be within one (1) inch of any chimney; and no
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REVISED BY-LAWS
timbers or woodwork shall be within two (2) inches of the back wall of any fireplace. The header beam, carry- ing the tail beams of a floor and supporting the trimmer arch in front of a fireplace, shall be not less than eighteen (1S) inches from the finished chimney breast.
SECT. 26. Every wooden beam, except header beams, shall rest four (4) inches in the wall at each end, or upon a girder or column as authorized by this chapter, unless the wall is properly corbelled out of four (4) inches, in which case the brickwork or corbelling shall extend to the top of the floor beams.
SECT. 27. The ends of all wooden beams of floors where they rest on brick walls, and the ends of all wooden roof beams in parapeted walls, shall be cut to a bevel of three (3) inches in their depth.
SECT. 28. . No cutting of timbers for any purpose shall be done so as to reduce the strength of the support- ing parts below that required by the provisions of this chapter. No floor timber, header or trimmer beam of any building shall be cut into more than two (2) inches in depth for piping without a permit from the Inspector. Holes for electric wires through wooden beams, girders or floor beams shall not be located more than one (1) inch from the neutral axis thereof.
SECT. 29. Every second and third class building here- after built shall have in each story all vertical space in the exterior walls, and carrying partitions thoroughly stopped with fireproof materials not less than four (4) inches in height. These steps may be omitted on ap- proval of the Inspector in cases where the studding is to remain open and uncovered. In every building used solely as a mill or factory there shall be a fireproof stop between the upper and under floor. This fire stop may, however, be omitted if the floor boards are at least two (2) inches
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REVISED BY-LAWS
thick and splined or tongued together and the space be- tween the timbers of the floor open and uncovered.
SECT. 30. All floors shall be of sufficient strength to bear the weight imposed thereon and of sufficient strength in all parts to safely bear (in addition to the weight of the material of which the floor is composed), upon every square foot of its surface not less than the weights named below for the specified purposes for which such floors are respectively used or designed to be used:
Dwelling houses and hotels [except public rooms having a floor area of over five hundred (500) square feet and corridors], fifty (50) pounds; unfinished attics used for storage purposes only, thirty (30) pounds; schoolhouses, except corridors and assembly halls, sixty (60) pounds; stairs, landings, platforms, fire escapes, office floors, places of public assembly and public buildings having permanent seats, seventy-five (75) pounds; stables, private garages and the portions of public garages not containing machinery, seventy-five (75) pounds; corri- dors of hotels, of public buildings and of schoolhouses and rooms in hotels exceeding five hundred (500) square feet in area, one hundred (100) pounds; retail stores and buildings for light manufacturing purposes, one hundred and twenty-five (125) pounds; places of public assembly and public buildings having movable seats, dance halls and gymnasiums, two hundred (200) pounds; warehouses and buildings for heavy manufacturing purposes, two hundred and fifty (250) pounds. Loads not included in the above classification shall be determined by the Inspector.
SECT. 31. The pressure upon brick masonry in walls or piers, of which the thickness or least dimension is more than one-sixth of the height, when lime mortar is used, shall not exceed eight (S) tons per square foot; with lime and cement mortar, twelve (12) tons per square
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REVISED BY-LAWS
foot; with cement mortar, eighteen (18) tons per square foot. When the thickness or least dimension is between one-sixth and one-twelfth the height, and lime mortar is used, the pressure shall not exceed seven (7) tons per square foot; lime and cement mortar, ten (10) tons per square foot; with cement mortar, fifteen (15) tons per square foot.
On first class stone work laid in cement, pressures shall not exceed: on sandstone, thirty (30) tons per square foot; on marble or limestone, forty (40) tons per square foot; on granite, sixty (60) tons per square foot.
Hollow blocks of terra cotta or concrete when used for bearing walls shall have not more than fifty (50) per cent of cellular space. Concrete blocks shall not be used in construction until they have attained the age of twenty- eight days, or developed the strength required in this section. All building blocks shall be laid in Portland cement mortar.
The compressive strength of building blocks shall in all cases be calculated upon the gross area of the bedding faces, no account being taken of the cellular spaces. The average ultimate compressive strength for terra cotta blocks laid with cells vertical shall be not less than twelve hundred (1200) pounds per square inch; the average for concrete blocks laid with cells vertical shall be not less than eight hundred (800) pounds per square inch. Concrete blocks shall be not less than thirty-six (36) days old when tested. The average strength of the blocks as here given shall be obtained by testing ten blocks of average quality.
The allowable working stress of hollow building blocks shall not exceed one hundred (100) pounds per square inch of gross area for terra cotta blocks, or seventy-five (75) pounds per square inch of gross area for concrete blocks. If a wall be built of blocks with the cells horizon-
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REVISED BY-LAWS
tal, the allowable working stress shall not exceed thirty (30) pounds per square inch of gross area.
The maximum stress in pounds per square inch in wood- work shall not exceed the following:
Long-leaved Yellow Pine Oak and Locust
Other Woods
Direct tension on compr. or fiber str.
1,500
1,000
Direct comp. side grain
500
300
Shear across fiber
1,200
800
with
150
100
Short columns
1,000
700
Columns may be used with a length not exceeding forty (40) times the least dimension. The unit strain for lengths up to ten (10) times the least dimensions shall be as given in the above table, with a reduction of one hundred (100) pounds per square inch for every increase of ten in the ratio of length to least dimension.
The maximum stress in tension in cast iron, or tensile fiber stress in case of beams, shall not exceed three thou- sand (3000) pounds per square inch. The maximum compression in short pieces or compressive fibre stresses in beams shall not exceed sixteen thousand (16,000) pounds per square inch. Cast iron columns may be used with a length not exceeding twenty (20) times their least external diameter. The unit stress for lengths up to three (3) times their least diameter shall not exceed eleven thousand (11,000) pounds per square inch, with a reduction of five hundred (500) pounds per square inch for every increase of 3 in the ratio of length to least diameter.
In rolled steel the maximum stresses shall not exceed the following:
Tension and fiber stress, 16,000 lbs. per square inch; compression in columns, 13,000 lbs. per square inch.
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REVISED BY-LAWS
Columns may be used with a ratio of length (1) to least radius of gyration (r) not exceeding 16, 1 being ex- pressed in feet and the r in inches. The unit stress al- lowed shall be 13,000 pounds per square inch for 1/r from 2 to 4; 12,000 from 4 to 6; with a decrease of 1000 pounds for each succeeding increase of 2 in the ratio of 1 to r.
Shear in rivets, 10,000 lbs. per square inch; shear in rough bolts, 9000 lbs. per square inch; shear in web (stiffened), 8000 lbs. per square inch; bearing on rivets, 18,000 lbs. per square inch; bearing on rough bolts, 15,000 lbs. per square inch.
The maximum stresses in wrought iron shall not exceed seventy-five (75) per cent of those allowed in rolled steel.
Materials not specifically mentioned above shall not be allowed to carry stresses exceeding one-quarter the stresses which would cause fracture or cracks in speci- mens of such materials of average quality under similar conditions of loading. In cases of doubt of the strength of such materials, the owner may be required to make such tests as the Inspector shall deem necessary to de- termine the strength, said tests to be made in the presence of the Inspector or his authorized representative.
SECT. 32. Frame buildings veneered on the outside with four (4) inches of brick or stone work shall have such brick or stone work supported on a foundation of masonry, and shall be properly anchored to the frame structure. The height of any such veneer shall not ex- ceed twenty-five (25) feet above the solid masonry.
SECT. 33. All hot air furnaces, low pressure boilers, and hot water heaters shall be placed at least two (2) feet from any wooden or combustible partition or ceiling, unless such partition or ceiling is properly protected by incombustible material, when the distance shall be not less than one (1) foot.
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REVISED BY-LAWS
SECT. 34. No wood shall be placed within one (1) inch of any smoke flue or metal pipe used to convey hot air. No smoke pipe shall pass through any wood floor. No smoke pipe shall be placed nearer than twelve (12) inches to any woodwork unless it is properly guarded by metal shields; if so guarded smoke pipes shall be not less than six (6) inches distant. Where smoke pipes pass through a lath and plaster partition they shall be guarded by galvanized iron ventilated thimbles at least twelve (12) inches larger in diameter than the pipes, or by galvanized iron thimbles surrounded by solid masonry extending through the partition and eight (8) inches larger than the pipe. No smoke pipe shall pass through the roof of any building unless a special permit be first obtained from the Inspector of Buildings.
SECT. 35. Steam or hot water heating pipe shall not be placed within two (2) inches of any timber or woodwork, unless the timber or woodwork is protected by a metal shield; then the distance shall be not less than one (1) inch. All steam or hot water heating pipes passing through floors and ceilings or lathed and plastered partitions shall be protected by a metal tube one (1) inch larger in diameter than the pipe having a metal cap at the floor.
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