Confirm that the general notes cite the 2024 IBC and ASCE 7-22 as modified by UFC 3-301-01 and UFC 1-200-01, and that the risk category comes from the UFC’s own table rather than the IBC’s. Then check the earthquake design data, the Statement and Schedule of Special Inspections, the delegated design list, and, where the building is assigned one, the collapse resistant design category under the UFC’s ASCE 76-23 chapter. AI can flag conflicts; the structural engineer of record and the DoD authority decide compliance.
What does UFC 3-301-01 cover?
WBDG describes UFC 3-301-01 as the requirements for structures designed and constructed for the DoD, for use by structural engineers preparing calculations, specifications, plans, and design-build RFPs. The digital text has seven chapters: modifications to the IBC, modifications to ASCE 7, evaluation and retrofit of existing buildings, nonbuilding structures, modifications to the IBC and to ASCE 7-16 for critical healthcare facilities, and modifications to ASCE 76-23.
WBDG’s UFC 3-301-01 page lists the criteria as active digital UFC content, first published July 2, 2026, and tells teams to refer to UFC 1-200-01 for project applicability. The digital criteria viewer labels the latest version July 2, 2026. Checked October 16, 2026. WBDG’s summary says the criteria are based on the 2024 IBC as modified by UFC 1-200-01 and on ASCE/SEI 7-22, and its superseded versions run through the 2023 edition with Change 6. WBDG’s change summary says the reissue removed many DoD-specific provisions, deferred foundation criteria to the geotechnical UFC, and added a chapter adopting ASCE 76-23 for disproportionate collapse. Contracts awarded before the reissue may invoke a superseded PDF version; record the version and date the task order names.
The UFC replaces the IBC risk category table with its own, which adds Risk Category V for national strategic military assets designed under UFC 3-301-02. For existing buildings, Chapter 3 adopts ICSSC RP 10 for seismic evaluation and retrofit, which uses ASCE 41-17, and the 2024 IEBC for nonseismic work. The critical healthcare chapters draw on the 2022 California Building Code, so they cite the 2021 IBC and ASCE 7-16, and a hospital set may carry both bases. See the ASCE 7 guide, the ASCE 41 guide (which describes the newer 41-23 edition), the IEBC guide, and the UFC 1-200-01 guide.
Gather the structural basis and inspection documents
Collect the design criteria naming the UFC versions, the structural general notes with design loads and earthquake design data, the structural drawings and a calculation summary, the Statement and Schedule of Special Inspections (WBDG posts templates for both under the UFC’s related materials), the delegated design and submittal list, the geotechnical report, and the specifications, including the special inspection section. For collapse resistance, add the risk assessment that assigned the collapse resistant design category.
For work on an existing building, add the RP 10 evaluation, the performance objectives it used, and the existing conditions drawings.
Trace the structural criteria through the notes and drawings
| Review question | Sources to compare | Decision to record |
|---|---|---|
| Code and standard editions | General notes, design criteria, specifications | Confirm the 2024 IBC, ASCE 7-22, and UFC versions match across documents, and note any critical healthcare chapter that uses older editions. |
| Risk category | General notes, code analysis, geotechnical report | Check that the risk category comes from the UFC table and matches what the geotechnical evaluation used. |
| Earthquake design data | General notes, geotechnical report, site-specific study | Confirm the spectral parameters are stated and that a site-specific source says whether response spectrum or time-history analysis was used. |
| Special inspections | Statement and Schedule of Special Inspections, general notes, specifications | Check that the SER’s statement covers designated seismic systems, marks critical adhesive anchors for testing, and names the special inspector of record. |
| Delegated designs | General notes, specifications, submittal register | List delegated components and confirm primary lateral force-resisting connections stay with the SER. |
| Disproportionate collapse | Risk assessment, general notes, special inspection schedule | Record the collapse resistant design category and check that primary elements and any required peer review are carried into the documents. |
Inspection programs continue in the special inspections corrections guide, calculations in the structural calculations checklist, materials in the ACI 318 and AISC 360 guides, and blast and standoff in the UFC 4-010-01 guide.
Example: a collapse category missing from the inspection schedule
Hypothetical example. The design narrative for a new multistory headquarters building assigns it a collapse resistant design category above CRDC A under the UFC’s ASCE 76-23 chapter and describes an alternative load path approach. The structural general notes do not state any collapse resistant design category, and the Schedule of Special Inspections lists inspection only for the lateral force-resisting system, leaving the gravity framing out.
The design narrative assigns the building a collapse resistant design category above CRDC A, but the general notes do not record it and the Schedule of Special Inspections omits the primary gravity elements. Confirm the category and coordinate the general notes and the special inspection schedule.
The structural engineer of record confirms the category with the DoD authority and revises the notes and schedule. The finding compares documents. It is not a collapse analysis.
Review DoD structural documents with Groundbook
Upload the current drawings and specifications to Groundbook, and state the edition, amendments, and review scope in your instructions. Add UFC 3-301-01 and the other UFCs the task order names from WBDG, which publishes them free, plus the model codes and standards the project uses from copies you are licensed to upload.
Compare the design criteria, structural general notes, structural drawings, calculation summary, Statement and Schedule of Special Inspections, delegated design list, geotechnical report, and specifications. Flag code or standard editions that differ from those the UFC cites, a risk category that differs between documents, missing earthquake design data, special inspection gaps for designated seismic systems or collapse-resistant elements, and lateral connections delegated away from the SER. Use the supplied UFC 3-301-01 and cite both sources.
Groundbook links each potential finding to the sheets and documents involved. It does not perform structural, seismic, wind, or collapse calculations or check member capacity.
Document review does not certify compliance with DoD criteria or replace the structural engineer of record, the special inspector, or the DoD authority having jurisdiction.