Earthquake Architecture

[BIGMIKE09281946]

I hate to have to take advantage of the Haitian's misfortune, but I'm thinking that there should be a lot of work in store for us CAD Drafters. Is anyone familiar with Architectural firms that specialize in earthquake yatta, yatta, yatta?

[Tankman]

Perhaps plenty, particularly in California.

 

Seismic Zone 4, UBC (Universal Building Code), was the standard.

Then the IBC, International Building Code.

Standards are changing, California now has CBC (California Building Code).

Most any state would accept CA seismic certification, the most stringent in the USA.

 

Idaho asked me for Idaho PE certification for seismic. I told 'em good luck I don't know any PE's in Idaho. Idaho accepted my California certified drawings 'n spec's.

 

In California the code is specific to the zip code, a location which can determined (over any fault lines).

 

I've dealt with a lot of seismic "stuff", designing chemical storage tanks worldwide.

Tank foundations, seismic, tank tiedowns, seismic, hurricane winds, seismic.

 

Seismic requirements also relate to wind speed, Florida is very interested, hurricanes.

More than interested, demanding seismic certifications. Don't want a roof blowin' off.

 

I bet every architectural firm has their UBC and IBC specialist.

 

I am in Eastern Pennsylvania, north of Philly, south of Allentown.

[Noahma]

The problem as I see it in Hati, is lack of funding for such designs. The work required to bring a building within a "earthquake" resistant design is pretty extensive. One of the problems that made this tragedy much worse was the way the buildings were built. Of course shelter comes above all else when it comes to building in an impoverished area of the world. They were using what they could find or afford to build. I do not happen to do designs to be quake resistant, although depending on what part of the state the project is on, we deal with Tornado codes, heavy clay soils, heavy snow loads ect.

[ReMark]

I think that for simple 1-story masonary structures (houses) just using rebar in the construction would significantly improve the chances of the occupants surviving an earthquake (at least getting out alive without their house collapsing on them). It would also benefit from the addition of fiber reinforcement to the concrete as demonstrated by tests conducted at the University of Michigan.

[Tankman]

Most engineering firms can do the basic math, depending on location.

Building codes change many times in any areas in the USA.

 

Florida, one example, rancher home, cabled from the foundation up thru walls, thru the roof trusses, anchored with Hilti's to the foundation. Keeps the roof on at least.

 

I worked on a project in LA that had, and get this, 24' deep masonry columns x 3' Ø, steel reinforced, to keep the building (one story) from sinking in the great swamp. I was designing tanks for bulk olive oil for Muffalata sandwiches, olive salad. Better known as "poorboy" sandwiches.