Deck and balcony collapses injure occupants every year. It is estimated that over 40 million decks in the US are more than 20 years old, meaning they were constructed before today’s building codes and established best practices. This article highlights certain engineering topics related to DCA 6 and provides some background for those issues.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the scope and limitations of DCA 6
2. Become familiar with the types of decks covered by DCA 6 and their differences
3. Become familiar with minimum sizing requirements for various deck structural elements
4. Understand the types of loads residential decks are designed to resist