Seismic Upgrading of Building Structures

Seismic Upgrading of existing Building is the ultimate sustainable and green construction:

 

In the past, outmoded and functionally obsolete buildings or unsafe, due to seismic vulnerability, buildings were routinely demolished. Today, they are often remodeled and restored. Because owners and the public often share an ethos of conservation and adaptive reuse and recycle, the volume of renovation work in has been greatly increased. Functionally inadequate and underutilized buildings are commonly rehabilitated and seismically upgraded and converted into office space, apartment complexes and other more useful buildings.

In fact, as zoning and environmental regulation make it ever more difficult to construct new buildings, especially in cities, renovation may be the most practical course of action. Also, as the concept of recycling now extends beyond collection glass bottles and old newspapers, recycling of buildings become more important and don’t need any energy to produce the existing elements and so more sustainable and green than any new construction

 

Lateral-load upgrading involves more than installation of new shear walls or frames. Seismic upgrading involves bracing and anchoring nonstructural elements, such as partitions, lights, HVAC equipments, parapets and ornamentation and even file cabinets, bookshelves and storage racks.

• PSE provides the engineering, drafting and design services necessary for the seismic upgrading of existing buildings that do not meet the current code or are unsafe for occupants.

Working with local building departments, we help clients become familiar with the basic need for retrofitting certain structures to protect against potential earthquake damage while meeting code requirements and improving the efficiency of the building.

Homes and other structures are built to handle a certain amount of up and down force, or gravity. However, seismic upgrading protects against the lateral failure that typically results in the most damage during a seismic event. There are several categories of failure, which is why it is in your best interest to work with a knowledgeable professional to design and implement this type of project.

Structural engineers often fret about renovation projects. They complain about owners and architects who are proposing to converting old buildings to other uses without having the original construction drawings.

Whenever an existing building is modified, strengthened, seismically upgraded or repaired, it presents a challenge. What kind of columns and beams lie behind its wall and floor finishes? And what kind of condition is it in?

Whether you are planning a new building and want to make sure you are protected, particularly in areas where seismic activity is more common, or you are uncertain about the construction of an older building, you can contact PSE for a consultation. We can assess the structure and make recommendations for upgrades that may be necessary.

Contact us for a free consultation, and take a moment to view some of the seismic upgrading of building projects we have completed.

Seismic Upgrade Projects

 

 Additional information:

• Definitions for Seismic Upgrading of Existing Buildings

• Why and when to do seismic upgrading to an existing building

• Evaluation of Existing Buildings

• Seismic Evaluation of Existing Buildings, ASCE/SEI 31-03, by the American Society of Civil Engineers, ASCE

• Repair, Strengthen and seismic upgrading

• Summary of The International Existing Building code, IEBC

• SFO Seismic Requirements for New and Existing Buildings

• Standards of Seismic Safety for Existing Federally Owned and Leased Buildings, ICSSC RP 6, NISTIR 6762

• GSA, U.S. General Service Administration criteria

• Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC), Department of Defense, UFC 3-30101

• Department of Veterans Affairs, Seismic Design Requirements

• Concrete Repair Manual, Published by International Concrete Repair Institute, ICRI, and the American Concrete Institute International, ACI

• Evaluation, Maintenance and Upgrading of Wood Structures, A Guide and commentary, American Society of Civil Engineers, ASCE

• Notes on Seismic Upgrading of Unreinforced Masonry Existing Buildings

• FEMA 178 NEHRP Handbook for the Seismic Evaluation of Existing Buildings
  1. Wood Light Frame
  2. Wood, Commercial and Industrial
  3. Steel Moment Frame
  4. Steel Braced Frame
  5. Steel Light Frame
  6. Steel Frame with Concrete Shear Wall
  7. Steel Frame with Masonry Shear Wall
  8. Concrete Moment Frame
  9. Concrete Shear Wall
  10. Concrete Frame with Infill Shear Walls
  11. Precast Tilt-Up Concrete Walls with Lightweight Flexible Diaphragms
  12. Precast Concrete Frames without Shear Walls
  13. Reinforced Masonry Bearing Wall Buildings with Flexible Diaphragms
  14. Unreinforced Masonry Bearing Wall Buildings
  15. Diaphragm
  16. FEMA 15 Common Building Types
  17. Nonstructural Deficiencies
  18. Unreinforced Modern Masonry
  19. Wood, Commercial with Brick Veneer and Slab-on-Grade
  20. Wood, Commercial, Gymnasium
  

• The common categories of seismic failure

• Seismic Safety commissions, State of California

• Sample projects of Seismic Upgrading of Existing Buildings

• Sample reports of Seismic Upgrading of Existing Buildings

• References for Seismic Upgrading of Existing Buildings

 

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Precision Structural Engineering, Inc.
250-A Main Street, Klamath Falls, OR 97601
Telephone: (541) 850-6300
Fax: (541) 850-6233
info@structure1.com