Modification of existing structures to make them more resistant to seismic activity
For broader coverage of this topic, see Earthquake engineering.
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Seismic retrofit" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR(May 2010) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Seismic retrofitting is the modification of existing structures to make them more resistant to seismic activity, ground motion, or soil failure due to earthquakes. With better understanding of seismic demand on structures and with recent experiences with large earthquakes near urban centers, the need of seismic retrofitting is well acknowledged. Prior to the introduction of modern seismic codes in the late 1960s for developed countries (US, Japan etc.) and late 1970s for many other parts of the world (Turkey, China etc.),[1] many structures were designed without adequate detailing and reinforcement for seismic protection. In view of the imminent problem, various research work has been carried out. State-of-the-art technical guidelines for seismic assessment, retrofit and rehabilitation have been published around the world – such as the ASCE-SEI 41[2] and the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering (NZSEE)'s guidelines.[3] These codes must be regularly updated; the 1994 Northridge earthquake brought to light the brittleness of welded steel frames, for example.[4]
The retrofit techniques outlined here are also applicable for other natural hazards such as tropical cyclones, tornadoes, and severe winds from thunderstorms. Whilst current practice of seismic retrofitting is predominantly concerned with structural improvements to reduce the seismic hazard of using the structures, it is similarly essential to reduce the hazards and losses from non-structural elements. It is also important to keep in mind that there is no such thing as an earthquake-proof structure, although seismic performance can be greatly enhanced through proper initial design or subsequent modifications.
Infill shear trusses — University of California dormitory, BerkeleyExternal bracing of an existing reinforced concrete parking garage (Berkeley)Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City
^NZSEE Bulletin 39(2)-June 2006
^ASCE-SEI 41 Archived 2013-03-03 at the Wayback Machine
^NZSEE 2006 Archived 2008-11-20 at the Wayback Machine
^Reitherman, Robert (2012). Earthquakes and Engineers: An International History. Reston, VA: ASCE Press. pp. 486–487. ISBN 9780784410714. Archived from the original on 2012-07-26.
for seismic retrofitting has been experimentally tested for seismicretrofit of California bridges under a Caltrans research project and for seismic retrofit...
may retrofit in order to reduce the need to replace a system entirely. Other retrofits may be due to changing codes or requirements, such as seismic retrofit...
Hall. City Hall retrofit project photos and description of Pasadena City Hall Project Engineers' diagrams explaining the seismicretrofit of Pasadena City...
technology can be used for both new structural design and seismicretrofit. In process of seismicretrofit, some of the most prominent U.S. monuments, e.g. Pasadena...
damage from earthquakes is known as seismicretrofit. However, the changes generally do not immediately improve seismic risk in a community since existing...
eventually acquired by local and federal government agencies. A $20 million seismicretrofit was completed in 1996, although its 24-foot (7.3 m) width does not...
Electric Headquarters seismicretrofit San Francisco Museum of Modern Art structural design Berkeley Civic Center seismicretrofit W. M. Keck Observatory...
projects mandated by Regional Measure 1 (RM 1) and the Toll Bridge SeismicRetrofit Program. Although it operates all the other toll bridges in the Bay...
without causing any major structural damage. More recently, Beca's seismicretrofit work has been recognised with major international structural engineering...
event of an earthquake in the Franklin Hills area. As part of the seismicretrofit, the deck, sidewalks and railings were removed and reconstructed using...
initially constructed as a series of five simple truss spans. In 2001, a seismicretrofit project connected the five spans into a single continuous truss bridge...
for the seismicretrofit of the Theme Building, an iconic Space Age structure at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The innovative retrofit consisted...
disasters, or geotechnical and structural safety (e.g. hurricane or seismicretrofit). Interventions and additions to increase home safety from other hazards...
marked the completion of a renovation of the lagoons and walkways and a seismicretrofit. The Palace of Fine Arts was one of ten palaces at the heart of the...
such buildings in the area had undergone the relatively inexpensive seismicretrofit to correct the condition. In 2013, San Francisco mandated screening...
Machine, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, December 22, 2006 "San Pablo Dam Seismic Upgrade | East Bay Municipal Utility District - EBMUD". Archived from the...
the then-century-old building, which was determined to need a costly seismicretrofit, the county board of commissioners decided in 2013 to launch plans...
announced that included a new control tower, the use of green materials, a seismicretrofit, and an expansion from ten to fourteen gates. The terminal reopened...
analysis of ground-based, elevated, buried and submerged tanks; seismic response and retrofit of bridge structures including pier walls, pinned columns, and...
Global Information
