# Car Ramp maximum slope



## RANDOM

*IBC 2015

406.2.5 Ramps.* Vehicle ramps shall not be considered as required exits unless pedestrian facilities are provided. Vehicle ramps that are utilized for vertical circulation as well as for parking shall not exceed a slope of 1:15 (6.67 percent).

I have a plan checker that insists to have my ramp no steeper than 1:15. The thing is that my carpark is flat. The ramps only serve the purpose of linking each level of the car park.

Is there another section of the IBC code that says something related to the maximum slope?


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## cda

RANDOM said:


> *IBC 2015
> 
> 406.2.5 Ramps.* Vehicle ramps shall not be considered as required exits unless pedestrian facilities are provided. Vehicle ramps that are utilized for vertical circulation as well as for parking shall not exceed a slope of 1:15 (6.67 percent).
> 
> I have a plan checker that insists to have my ramp no steeper than 1:15. The thing is that my carpark is flat. The ramps only serve the purpose of linking each level of the car park.
> 
> Is there another section of the IBC code that says something related to the maximum slope?




Did the nice plan reviewer give you a code section to require that max slope??


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## MtnArch

Are the ramps the only way for patrons/pedestrians to access the upper level(s)?  No stairs or elevators?


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## steveray

I don't think a strictly "vehicular way" would be regulated for slope by the building code....


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## RANDOM

cda said:


> Did the nice plan reviewer give you a code section to require that max slope??



Told me to use chapter 4 of IBC...


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## RANDOM

MtnArch said:


> Are the ramps the only way for patrons/pedestrians to access the upper level(s)?  No stairs or elevators?



Not at all. There are stairs and elevators.


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## RANDOM

steveray said:


> I don't think a strictly "vehicular way" would be regulated for slope by the building code....



Me neither, but in my office they don't want to piss him off and I do want to tell the plan checker he is very mistaken...


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## steveray

I don't know if vertical circulation is defined? Circulation of people (MOE) or maybe the intent is cars driving around......

 Vehicle ramps that are utilized for vertical circulation


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## steveray

406.4.4 Ramps. Vehicle ramps shall not be considered as
required exits unless pedestrian facilities are provided. Vehicle
ramps that are utilized for vertical circulation as well as
for parking shall not exceed a slope of 1:15 (6.67 percent).
 Since the vehicular ramps of parking garages are
open to all levels, they are directly exposed to the
effects of smoke and hot gases. In addition, the vehicle
ramps are often sloped at a rate greater than 1:12
(8-percent slope). These ramps, therefore, cannot be
counted as part of the required exits from each level
or tier. Certainly occupants can travel from their vehicles
on sloped parking levels to access the required
exit stairways; however, occupants cannot continuously
travel down the vehicle ramps to reach the exit
discharge unless the slope is 1:15 or less and sidewalks
or other protected walking surfaces are provided.


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## cda

Looks like the plan reviewer is Correct::

Why do you think it does not apply??

Provide code section 

*4 Public parking garages. *
Parking garages, other than _private garages_, shall be classified as public parking garages and shall comply with the provisions of Sections 406.4.2 through 406.4.8 and shall be classified as either an _open parking garage _or an enclosed parking garage. _Open parking garages _shall also comply with Section 406.5. Enclosed parking garages shall also comply with Section 406.6. See Section 510 for special provisions for parking garages. 


*406.4.4 Ramps. *
Vehicle ramps shall not be considered as required _exits _unless pedestrian facilities are provided. Vehicle ramps that are utilized for vertical circulation as well as for parking shall not exceed a slope of 1:15 (6.67 percent).


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## tmurray

cda said:


> Looks like the plan reviewer is Correct::
> 
> Why do you think it does not apply??
> 
> Provide code section
> 
> *4 Public parking garages. *
> Parking garages, other than _private garages_, shall be classified as public parking garages and shall comply with the provisions of Sections 406.4.2 through 406.4.8 and shall be classified as either an _open parking garage _or an enclosed parking garage. _Open parking garages _shall also comply with Section 406.5. Enclosed parking garages shall also comply with Section 406.6. See Section 510 for special provisions for parking garages.
> 
> 
> *406.4.4 Ramps. *
> Vehicle ramps shall not be considered as required _exits _unless pedestrian facilities are provided. Vehicle ramps that are utilized for vertical circulation as well as for parking shall not exceed a slope of 1:15 (6.67 percent).



Assuming that the stairwells the OP indicated is present are exits, This sentence appears to restrict the slope only when the vehicle ramps are part of the means of egress. 

*Vertical circulation* is the means by which building occupants access specific areas of a building, including: internal stairs. internal ramps. elevators.

My feeling is that the ramp is not for vertical circulation as there are elevators and stairwells. Since it is only used for parking, slope is not regulated by this section.


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## cda

If you do not have a commentary 


http://diberville.ms.us/home/wp-con...C-Code-And-Commentary-Volume-I_Compressed.pdf



http://diberville.ms.us/home/wp-con...-Code-And-Commentary-Volume-II_Compressed.pdf


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## cda

Ok agree if not used for exiting, the slope is not required

Maybe a statement back to the plan reviewer that ramps are not for exiting, code compliant   exiting provided, per chapter 4 slope not required to be met


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## my250r11

steveray said:


> 406.4.4 Ramps. Vehicle ramps shall not be considered as
> required exits unless pedestrian facilities are provided. Vehicle
> ramps that are utilized for vertical circulation as well as
> for parking shall not exceed a slope of 1:15 (6.67 percent).
>  Since the vehicular ramps of parking garages are
> open to all levels, they are directly exposed to the
> effects of smoke and hot gases. In addition, the vehicle
> ramps are often sloped at a rate greater than 1:12
> (8-percent slope). These ramps, therefore, cannot be
> counted as part of the required exits from each level
> or tier. Certainly occupants can travel from their vehicles
> on sloped parking levels to access the required
> exit stairways; however, occupants cannot continuously
> travel down the vehicle ramps to reach the exit
> discharge unless the slope is 1:15 or less and sidewalks
> or other protected walking surfaces are provided.





cda said:


> *406.4.4 Ramps. *
> Vehicle ramps shall not be considered as required _exits _unless pedestrian facilities are provided. Vehicle ramps that are utilized for vertical circulation as well as for parking shall not exceed a slope of 1:15 (6.67 percent).



If you provide MOE thru stairs or elevators the ramp slope isn't regulated, ONLY when it is used for pedestrian facilities are used ie walk ways from level to level IMO


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