Seismic Assessment
The behaviour of Earthquakes and the forces they generate is an extremely complex subject and one that is not easily incorporated into simplified design methods.
And … New Zealand takes a different and unique approach!
Let our experienced professional talk you through the Seismic Assessment and Seismic Strengthening processes.
01
Earthquake-Prone Buildings
A building or a part of a building is earthquake prone (EPB) if, having regard to the condition of the building or part and to the ground on which the building is built, and because of the construction of the building or part,—
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the building or part will have its ultimate capacity exceeded in a moderate earthquake; and
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if the building or part were to collapse, the collapse would be likely to cause—
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injury or death to persons in or near the building or on any other property; or
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damage to any other property.
02
Initial Seismic Assessments
Many seismic assessments start with an (Initial Evaluation Procedure (IEP). The IEP:
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Assigns a percentage of New Building Standard (%NBS) rating and associated grade to a building
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Enables building owners and managers to review their building stock as part of an overall risk management process.
The IEP becomes part of the Initial Seismic Assessment (ISA). The ISA is a qualitative assessment based on a visual non-intrusive survey.
03
Detailed Seismic Assessments
A Detailed Seismic Assessment (DSA) is a quantitative assessment based on intrusive investigation and testing.
A DSA would:
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Establish a more precise NBS% rating for the building,
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Identify weak structural elements, and
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Provide a strengthening concept to increase the building capacity
04
Seismic Strengthening
Strengthening buildings to improve their seismic resistance is a complex and risky business.
Remediation of existing buildings requires a specific approach, and not that of the usual design and build process applied to new buildings
Learn More
In the first of 2 seminars on the Seismic Assessment of Existing Buildings in accordance with the ‘Technical Guidelines for Engineering Assessments’ from the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering, Andrew looks at the IEP, ISA, & DSA processes as well as the legal requirements and what advice we can give to building owners.
