Although they are classified and constructed as buildings, parking structures are unique because they are loaded primarily by moving vehicles and are exposed directly to the environment. In cold climates, they are often exposed to snow, ice and water, and to the corrosive action of deicing salts. Since they are frequently very large in plan, they experience greater volume changes (temperature, shrinkage and creep) than enclosed structures. Functional and traffic requirements requirements dictate open floor spans, lateral barriers, and consideration of ramp slopes and turning radii. All these factors make the parking structures different from the other types of building structures, and the assessment of the condition of parking structures has to take these factors into account.
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