LibGuides: Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction: Finding Standards & Building Codes

Locating engineering standards

Not sure which standards apply to your project? Try browsing the International Classification for Standards using the link below.

Identifying applicable standards
The Document Center provides a search tool that uses the International Classification for Standards system. Browse the classification system to identify several standards that may apply to your project.
Learn How To Find Standards - from the National Institute of Standards and Technology
Locating relevant standards documents can be more challenging than a regular search for literature and information. NIST provides some good tips for how to get started on this webpage.

The below databases and webpages provide access to standards documents in Engineering and other fields.

Techstreet This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Search over 500,000 standards and code documents from hundreds of organizations in a variety of fields.
UNLV employees, students, faculty, and staff can view full text and redlined views of historic changes to subscribed documents, and request full text of unsubscribed items through Interlibrary Loan. Sign up for a personal user account to receive notifications of updates and save annotations

ANS American Nuclear Society Standards
This set and other standards/codes/manuals are available within UNLV's Techstreet subscription. Often these will include redlines showing changes from prior versions, and copies of historic versions.
ANSI Read-Only access to selected standards
"The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Incorporated by Reference (IBR) Portal provides a one-stop mechanism for access to standards that have been incorporated by reference in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). These standards incorporated by the U.S. government in rulemakings are offered at no cost in “read only” format and are presented for online reading. There are no print or download options."
ASHRAE Read-Only versions of selected standards
ASHRAE provides online, read-only access to popular standards and many standards that are incorporated by reference into laws or code.
ASSIST U.S. Department of Defense Standards Quick Search
Search for and access .pdf files for Department of Defense standards and specification documents that have been cleared for public access.
more...less...
ASSIST stands for Acquisition Streamlining and Standardization Information System. See http://www.dsp.dla.mil/Specs-Standards/ for more information.

ASTM Compass/Digital Library This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
ASTM (formerly American Society for Testing and Materials) database contains the full text of standards, journal articles, handbooks, manuals and other e-books published by ASTM. You can also see many historical versions of ASTM standards with redlines showing changes.
IEEE Xplore This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Locate IEEE standards documents, articles and conference papers published by the IEEE societies.
Provides access to almost a third of the world's current electrical engineering, telecommunications, power, and computer science literature. Full-text access to all IEEE journals, transactions, magazines, conference proceedings, and all current IEEE standards.

International Codes for building safety and fire prevention
The non-profit International Code Council (ICC) provides free access to building safety and fire prevention codes and standards that are used by many government agencies.
ISO International Standards Organization Read Only Standards Incorporated by Reference
"In accordance with ISO/IEC JTC 1 and the ISO and IEC Councils, these International Standards are publicly available for Standardization purposes."
NATO Standardization Document Database (NSDD)
Publically available, current, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) standards documents may be downloaded from this website. Available in English and French.
NFPA National Fire Protection Association - Read Only Standards Access
"As part of its commitment to enhancing public safety, NFPA makes its codes and standards available online to the public for free. Online access to NFPA's consensus documents conveniently places important safety information on the desktops of traditional users as well as others who have a keen interest. NFPA is committed to serving the public's increasing interest in technical information, and online access to these key codes is a valuable resource."

SAE MOBILUS This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Search within SAE International publications and media including the complete sets of SAE Automotive and Aerospace standards documents, 13 scholarly journals, over 140,000 additional peer-reviewed technical papers, industry magazines, e-books, and more.

SUDAS, the Iowa Statewide Urban Design and Specifications
"SUDAS (pronounced “soo’dahs”) is short for Statewide Urban Design and Specifications. The Institute for Transportation at Iowa State University maintains Iowa’s SUDAS manuals for public improvements. Developing and maintaining Iowa’s unique SUDAS manuals is the result of a lengthy and painstaking effort by more than 300 stakeholders across the state." This resource is helpful for learning about the constraints for many public works and construction projects.
U.S. Department of Defense ASSIST Standards Quick Search
Search for and access .pdf files for Department of Defense standards and specification documents that have been cleared for public access.
more...less...
ASSIST stands for Acquisition Streamlining and Standardization Information System. See http://www.dsp.dla.mil/Specs-Standards/ for more information.

Locating standards for topics beyond engineering

Accounting Standards
This guide provides information about standards in the field of Accounting.
Education Standards
This webpage provides information about U.S. K-12 educational / curriculum standards.
Metadata Standards
This webpage provides a searchable directory of metadata standards for research data sets, in a wide variety of disciplines.

Standards developing organizations

Directory of standards developing organizations, by ANSI
The American National Standards Institute provides a searchable directory of standards developing organizations (SDOs) that meet basic qualifications. This directory can assist you in selecting an organization to search for committees that may be drafting or updating standards that are relevant to your project.

ANSI offers a variety of educational resources about standards. Includes resources for K-12+ and professional development.

IEEE offers Learn about the standards development lifecycle.

International Classification for Standards
Learn about the International Classification for Standards documents, used to organize international, regional, and national standards within libraries and search tools.

Additional standards in the library collection, print and e-formats

AASHTO GDHS-7 Green Book - A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, 7th Edition, Includes October 2019 Errata by American Association of State and Highway Transportation Officials
Call Number: online
ISBN: 9781560516767
Publication Date: 2017
This and other standards/codes/manuals are available within the UNLV Techstreet database subscriptions. Often these will include redlines showing changes from prior versions, and copies of historic versions.
AASHTO LRFDBDS-9 Bridge Design Specifications, 9th Edition by American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
Call Number: online
ISBN: 9781560517382
Publication Date: 2020
This and other standards/codes/manuals are available within the UNLV Techstreet database subscriptions. Often these will include redlines showing changes from prior versions, and copies of historic versions.
ACI 318-19 Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and Commentary (ACI 318R-19) by American Concrete Institute
Call Number: online and at Architecture Studies Library, Reference TA683.24 .A25 2011
ISBN: 9781641950565
Publication Date: 2019
This and other standards/codes/manuals are available within the UNLV Techstreet database subscriptions. Often these will include redlines showing changes from prior versions, and copies of historic versions.
ACI CODE-350-20 Code Requirements for Environmental Engineering Concrete Structures (ACI 350-20) and Commentary (ACI 350R-20), Includes Errata (2022) by American Concrete Institute
Call Number: online
Publication Date: 2020 and historical versions
This and other standards/codes/manuals are available within the UNLV Techstreet database subscriptions. Often these will include redlines showing changes from prior versions, and copies of historic versions.
ASCE /COS 73-23 Standard Practice for Sustainable Infrastructure by American Society of Civil Engineers
Call Number: online
ISBN: 9780784483350
Publication Date: 2023
ASCE/SEI 7-05 Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures by Structural Engineering Institute Staff (Contribution by); American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Staff
Call Number: online and TH851 .M56 2006 Architecture Studies Library
ISBN: 0784408092
Publication Date: 2006-01-01
ASCE/SEI 7-16 Minimum design loads and associated criteria for buildings and other structures by American Society of Civil Engineers
Call Number: online
ISBN: 9780784479964
Publication Date: 2017
ASME B36.10-2022 Welded and Seamless Wrought Steel Pipe by ASME The American Society of Mechanical Engineers
Call Number: online
Publication Date: 2022
This and several other standards/codes/manuals are available within the UNLV Techstreet database subscriptions. Often these will include redlines showing changes from prior versions, and copies of historic versions.
ASME B36.19-2022 Welded and Seamless Wrought Stainless Steel Pipe, Includes Errata (2023) by ASME The American Society of Mechanical Engineers
Call Number: online
Publication Date: 2022
This and several other standards/codes/manuals are available within the UNLV Techstreet database subscriptions. Often these will include redlines showing changes from prior versions, and copies of historic versions.
ASME boiler and pressure vessel code
Call Number: Lied Library 5th Floor Oversize TJ290 .A83x
Publication Date: 1995 ed. updated through 1997
More recent edition sections may be requested through Interlibrary Loan: https://guides.library.unlv.edu/interlibraryloan/illiad
ASTM Annual book of standards
Call Number: Lied Library 5th floor TA401 .A653
Publication Date: 2002, 2004
This historic set of ASTM standards is available in printed book format.
ASTM Annual book of standards
Call Number: Architecture Studies Library Architecture Reference TA401 .A653
Publication Date: 2004
This historic set of ASTM standards is available in printed book format.
ICC 1200-2021 Standard for Off-site Construction: Planning, Design, Fabrication and Assembly by International Code Council
Call Number: online
Publication Date: 2021
This and several other standards/codes/manuals are available within the UNLV Techstreet database subscriptions. Often these will include redlines showing changes from prior versions, and copies of historic versions.
ICC 1205-2021 Standard for Off-site Construction: Inspection and Regulatory Compliance by International Code Council
Call Number: online
Publication Date: 2021
This and several other standards/codes/manuals are available within the UNLV Techstreet database subscriptions. Often these will include redlines showing changes from prior versions, and copies of historic versions.
ISO 9241-11:2018 Ergonomics of human-system interaction - Part 11: Usability: Definitions and concepts by ISO
Call Number: online
Publication Date: 2018
This and other standards/codes/manuals are available within the UNLV Techstreet database subscriptions. Often these will include redlines showing changes from prior versions, and copies of historic versions.
NFPA (Fire) 70 : National Electrical Code by National Fire Protection Association
Call Number: online
ISBN: 9781455912773
Publication Date: 2017
This and other standards/codes/manuals are available within the UNLV Techstreet database subscriptions. Often these will include redlines showing changes from prior versions, and copies of historic versions. NFPA 70 National Electrical Code (NEC) sets the foundation for electrical safety in residential, commercial, and industrial occupancies. The 2017 edition of this trusted Code presents the latest comprehensive regulations for electrical wiring, overcurrent protection, grounding, and installation of equipment.

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction

Locating engineering standards

Locating standards for topics beyond engineering

Standards developing organizations

Additional standards in the library collection, print and e-formats

Locations

Contact