Significant changes to the 2018 International Building Code

The 2018 Significant Changes guides are available for the International Building, Residential, Fire, Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes. This valuable series can help any code user save time by zeroing in on the most critical changes in the 2018 International Codes (I-Codes). The Code Council’s technical experts provide summaries, analysis and graphics for these changes making them clear and easy to understand.

2018 International Building Code

A modification to Section 1807.2 (Retaining Walls) states that the requirement for consideration of a keyway in the sliding analysis of retaining walls has been deleted from Section 1807.2.

The application of soil pressure on both sides of a keyway is a recent addition to the model codes, and has caused concern and opposition from the geotechnical engineering community. The keyway concept is in conflict with accepted engineering practice and the principles of soil mechanics. 2015 IBC language was vague and ambiguous with respect to lateral soil pressures on the keyway.

As there has been ongoing confusion over the intent of consideration of lateral earth pressure on both sides of the keyway and confusion about the purpose of the keyway, in the 2018 IBC the requirement for a keyway is deleted. A keyway may still be used when designed using the principles of soil mechanics and accepted engineering practice.

Click here to read the full significant change.