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Engineering: How-to, Methods and Standards

Ask our Engineering, Math & Physics Librarians

Engineering, Science and Design Librarian

How-To

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Standards

What are Technical Standards?

  • Guidelines for processes, materials and products that ensure quality, safety and interchangeability of parts
  • Usually written by industrial/professional organizations, business groups, and government bodies
  • There are both national and international standards

How to Find Standards?

Find a standard for a topic:

1: The first step is to figure out what standard you need, getting a title and a standard number to check our catalog and subscriptions with. Strategies for figuring out what standard you need include searching the internet for standards on your topic, and/or review our list of Standards Issuing Organizations for organization(s) that publish standards relevant to your topic, then searching the website of that issuing organization. If you'd like assistance figuring out what standard is relevant to your topic please send us an email.

Note, if you only have a standard number, go to the website of that issuing organization to find the standard title.

Accessing the standard when you have a standard number and title:

2: Once you have the standard number and title, search for the standard in one or two places. CU Boulder Libraries subscribe to standards on the following four database platforms. If the standard you are looking for is an ISO, ASTM, AIAA, ASCE, or IEEE standard search the title or number in the relevant database. If your standard is not in published by one of those organizations, please search for it by title in the Library Catalog:

Find Standards pt. 2

Logos for ASTM and ISO

ASTM Digital Library and ISO Standards

ASTM Standards and ISO Standards (International Organization for Standardization). 
Access note: Does not work well in Firefox. 

AIAA Logo

ARC: Aerospace Research Central

AIAA Standards (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics)

ASCE Logo

ASCE Research Library

ASCE Standards (American Society of Civil Engineers).

IEEE Logo

IEEE Electronic Library

IEEE Standards (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers).

Logo for CU Boulder Library Catalog

CU Boulder Libraries Catalog

All other standards.

3. If you cannot find the standard you need, visit:

or

Building Codes

What are Building Codes?

  • Rules for the construction of buildings and structures to protect safety and health
  • Address fire, safety, structure, plumbing, electrical and mechanical aspects of buildings
  • Codes are established by local municipalities but are often based on national recommendations

 

Find Building Codes

1. Search Local Municipality for Building Codes

  • Building codes are generally based on the International Code Council’s (ICC) model codes, but every state and municipality has its own code adoption process and may choose to modify codes to meet local needs. 
  • Conduct an internet search of local and state building codes and related information for your building site. 

2. Search for International Code Council (ICC) codes in MADCAD.

 

3. Search for municipal codes for thousands of U.S. Cities in Municode Library.

 

4. Other Important Guidelines for Building Design and Construction

  • Some important codes--such as fire and plumbing codes--are often not addressed specifically in building codes and may not be checked for when building plans are submitted for review. They may be discovered during physical inspection, so it is important to incorporate them into planning and design.

 

Colorado and Boulder Building Codes