Title:
Elements of Good Parking Garage
Functional Design
Author(s):
James M. Hunnicutt
Publication:
Concrete International
Volume:
2
Issue:
3
Appears on pages(s):
10-15
Keywords:
building codes; columns (supports);
garages; parking facilities; spans; structural design.
DOI:
Date:
3/1/1980
Abstract:
This paper addresses the problem of designing a parking garage from a functional standpoint. Function includes the entering and exiting of the traffic, internal operation and flow of cars and pedestrians, and the efficient placement of the facility on the site. To design these elements of the garage correctly, ade-quate facts must be known of the garage’s individual characteristics. Garages at airports, hospitals, auditoriums, downtown shopping areas, office buildings, and apartment houses have widely differing characteristics, entry and exit times, and hours of peak activities. Different parking garages, by their use, have different parking dimensions. The place-ment of columns, particularly in garages located beneath major office buildings or apartment houses,. must receive special attention to produce a garage that works efficiently. Environmental problems, security, and psychological factors are also dis-cussed.