Seismic Codes and

Guidelines
An Overview of US Practice
By

Saif M. Hussain*, PE, SE

EERI
California, USA
NWFP UET Earthquake Engineering Seminar
Islamabad, Pakistan
November 2005
*Principal, Coffman Engineers, Inc., Encino, CA, USA
11/14/2005 7:43:58 AM

Summary of Presentation
1. Overview of US seismic codes
development process and history
2. Key players and documents
3. Basic approach to seismic design
4. Special classes of buildings
5. Performance Based Seismic
Engineering
6. Credits, conclusions, questions
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Strength of US Developed Codes

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Risks posed by earthquakes have long been

recognized
Tremendous resources have been expended in
mitigation efforts, including development and
advancement of codes and standards
Practicing professionals, academics, researchers,
government agencies, industry groups participate as
stakeholders
US codes and guidelines are comprehensive, covering
new and existing construction
Empirical experience and research underpins
sustained advancement
Most countries prone to seismic risks use Uniform
Building Code (UBC) based code provisions

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Model Code
Organizations
ICBO
(Intl Conference of
Building Officials)
Whittier, CA
Uniform Building
Code

SBCCI
(Southern Building
Code
Congress Intl)
Birmingham, AL
Standard Building
Code

BOCA
(Building Officials and
Code Adm. Intl)
Country Club Hills, IL
National Building
Code

ICC
(International Code Council)
Chairman Rotates
2000 International Building
Code
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Building Code Development

1950-1997

SEAOSD

SEAOCC
SEAOC
Seismology Committee

SEAOSC

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Recommended
Lateral Force
Requirements
and Commentary

SEAONC

Saif M.

SEAOC & The Building Code

National
Design
Specification

ACI

Recommended
Lateral Force
Requirements
and Commentary

Load
&
Resistanc
e
Factor
Design

1997
UNIFORM
BUILDING
CODE
VOLUME 2

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SEAOC and ATC

ATC 3.06

Tentative
Recommended
Provisions for
Seismic Regulation
of Buildings

SEAOSD

SEAOCC
SEAOC
Seismology Committee

SEAOSC

Watershed event: 1971 San

Fernando, CA Earthquake

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SEAONC

Recommended
Lateral Force
Requirements
and Commentary

Saif M.

NEHRP Provisions
ATC 3.06
1997 EDITION

Tentative
Recommended
Provisions for
Seismic Regulation
of Buildings

NEHRP RECOMMENDED PROVISIONS

FOR SEISMIC REGULATIONS
FOR NEW BUILDINGS
AND OTHER STRUCTURES

PART 1 - PROVISIONS

NEHRP First published by Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC) in 1985

Updated on 3-year cycle (1988, 91, 94, 97 ,2000, 2003)
1992 - Adopted by BOCA, SBCCI
1995 - IBC resolves to adopt as basis for IBC and later adopts in IBC 2000
1998 - Adopted by ASCE-7

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BSSC NEHRP Provisions

1997 EDITION
NEHRP RECOMMENDED PROVISIONS
FOR SEISMIC REGULATIONS
FOR NEW BUILDINGS
AND OTHER STRUCTURES

PART 1 - PROVISIONS

Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC)

Under National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
FEMA funded effort for National vs. State/Model Code approach
Stakeholder membership; Professional Associations,
Academic/Research Institution groupings, Building Officials,
Industry

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BSSC & The Building Code

National
Design
Specification

Load
&
Resistance
Factor
Design

ACI

Recommended
1997 EDITION
Lateral
Force
NEHRP RECOMMENDED PROVISIONS
FORRequirements
SEISMIC REGULATIONS
FOR NEW BUILDINGS
AND OTHER STRUCTURES
and Commentary

1997
UNIFORM
BUILDING
CODE
VOLUME 2

PART 1 - PROVISIONS

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The Building Code and NFPA

National
Design
Specification

Load
&
Resistance
Factor
Design

ACI

1997 EDITION
NEHRP RECOMMENDED PROVISIONS
FOR SEISMIC REGULATIONS
FOR NEW BUILDINGS
AND OTHER STRUCTURES

ASCE-7
Minimum
Design Loads
for Buildings
and Other
Structures
PART 1 - PROVISIONS

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NFPA 5000
Building Code

Saif M.

Building Codes of the Future

ASCE-7
Minimum
Design Loads
for Buildings
and Other
Structures

National
Design
Specification

Load
&
Resistance
Factor
Design

ACI

NFPA 5000
Building Code

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NEHRP & ASCE-7

1997 EDITION
NEHRP RECOMMENDED PROVISIONS
FOR SEISMIC REGULATIONS
FOR NEW BUILDINGS
AND OTHER STRUCTURES

ASCE-7
Minimum
Design Loads
for Buildings
and Other
Structures

PART 1 - PROVISIONS

Developmental Technology
new systems
new approaches
lessons learned from
earthquakes

Guidelines format
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Standardization of
approach
adoption of new
technology only when
ready
national consensus and
approval

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Basic Code Approach

Elastic Strength Low, Moderate EQ
Prescriptive Static Base Shear Equations

Elastic Stiffness Low to Moderate EQ

Derives from Elastic Strength, manageable drifts

Inelastic deformation capacity (Ductility)

Infrequent and Rare Large EQs (DBE,
MCE)
R (Elastic Force Reduction factors) reflect overstrength (Omega) and ductility
Cd factor (0.7R) to calculate inelastic displacement
Inelastic Drift Limits (2%, 2.5%)
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Basis for Seismic Design Criteria in Model Codes and

Standards
Seismic
Seismic
Seismic
Model Code
or Standard

UBC 1997

BOCA 1993,
1996, 1999
SBC 1994,
1997, 1999
ASCE 7-93

Resource
Document

SEAOC Blue
Book
1996 App. C
or 1999

1991 NEHRP

ASCE 7-95

1994 NEHRP

IBC 2000
ASCE 7-98

1997 NEHRP

IBC 2003
ASCE 7-02
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2000 NEHRP

Design
Criteria
Determined
by

Design
Criteria
Considered

Seismic
Zones
0,1,2,3,4

Location*

Seismic
Performance
Categories(S
PC) A, B, C,
D, E

1. Location*
2. Building
Use

* Expected
ground
motion
based on
solid rock

Seismic
1.Location*
Design
2.Building Use
Categories 3.Site Soil
(SDC) A, B, C,
Characteristi
D, E, F
c

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Foundation of
Seismic
Design Codes:
Definition of
Seismic
Hazard
Ground
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Motion

Saif M.

Special classes of buildings

Vulnerable occupants
Schools
Hospitals

Essential services facilities

Emergency operations centers
Fire, Police, Transportation management

Command/communication facilities
Trauma care centers

Irreplaceable historical buildings

Hazardous contents
High cost/value contents
Uninterruptible operations

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Dealing with special classes of

buildings
Conventional Code Approach
Higher design forces, reduced ductility
demand
Higher Importance factor UBC
Higher SDC IBC, ASCE (better detailing too)

Special design review, inspection

Performance Based Approach

Higher Performance Objective
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What is the State of California

Doing?

Field Act (after the devastating 1933 Long Beach

Earthquake) mandating seismic evaluations of
all public school buildings. Eventually sets up
DSA (special State agency for plan review and
permitting)
Hospitals (OSHPD, SB 1953 followed 1994
Northridge EQ)
Community Colleges
State Owned Essential Services Bldgs. (Prop
122)
UC and CSU Seismic Initiatives
K-12 Public Schools: AB 300

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But Most Building Code

Provisions are not Performancebased

No direct evaluation of
performance capability

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E
OD
GC

believed capable of attaining

desired performance
largely based on past poor
performance and experience

IN
ILD
BU

Codes typically prescribe

design and construction rules

Saif M.

Performance-based Design
Design specifically
intended to limit the
consequences of one or
more perils to defined
acceptable levels
Perils addressed:
Fire
Wind
Snow
EARTHQUAKES
Live Loads
Blast

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Designers following such

codes . . .
Learn to follow the
rules, but often..
dont know why the rules
require certain things
dont understand the
performance intended
dont know how to adjust
the rules to get different
performance

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Codes are Intended for

Universal Application

BU

Prescriptive building
codes are developed with
a one size fits all
mentality . . ..
But often end up as a
one size fits none very
well document

ILD

I NG

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CO
DE

Saif M.

Performance-based Design
allows the designer to understand:
intended performance
relationship between design
features and performance
how to achieve
performance when
the rules dont apply
how to achieve
different
performance
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Basic Resource Documents

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Vision 2000
A Framework for Performance
Based Structural Engineering

FEMA 356

NEHRP Guidelines for

Seismic Rehabilitation for
Buildings
A Pre-standard

ASCE 7-98

ASCE
Standard
American Society of Civil Engineers

Minimum Design Loads for

Buildings and Other Structures

Structural Engineers Association

of California

Vision 2000
FEMA 356
ASCE-7

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Seismic design

Saif M.

Common Seismic Hazard

Levels
Probability of Exceedance
50% - fifty years

Return Period
72 years

10% - fifty years

475 years (DBE or BSE-1)

10% - hundred years

950 years (UBE/MCE)

2% - fifty years

2,500 years (MCE)

DBE = Design Basis Earthquake (ATC, UBC)

BSE = Basic Safety Earthquake (FEMA 273/356)
UBE = Upper Bound Earthquake in California Building Code
MCE = Maximum Considered/Capable Earthquake (NEHRP, IBC)
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Performance Level
the permissible
amount of damage,
given that design
loading occurs

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Standard Structural
Performance Levels
Joes

Joes
Great
Food!

Serviceability

0%
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Great
Food!

Immediate
Occupancy

Collapse
Prevention

Damage

99%
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Serviceability Level

Joes
Great
Food!

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Negligible structural
and nonstructural
damage
Utilities are available
Facility is available
for immediate re-use
Repair costs are
minimal to nil
Saif M.

Immediate Occupancy Level

Joes
Great
Food!

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Negligible structural
damage
Minor nonstructural
damage
Building is safe to
occupy but may not
function
Limited interruption of
operations
Repair Cost < 15%
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Immediate Occupancy

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Life-Safety

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Collapse Prevention Level

Extensive structural
and non-structural
damage
Extended loss of
use
Repair may not be
practical
Repair costs >>
30%
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Collapse Prevention

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Collapsed

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Global Response & Performance

Joes

Loading Severity

Great
Food!

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Joes
Great
Food!

Structural Displacement

Saif M.

4- Determine
5- Determine
Drift & Component Performance
Demands

1- Select Hazard
Level

Joes

10-1

10-2

10-3

10-4

10-5

Beer!
Food!

Lateral Force - V

Annual Probability of Exceedance

Evaluation Approach

Collapse
margin > 1.0
Joes

0
0

.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

Immediate
Occupancy

Life Safety
margin = 1.33
to 1.5

Collapse Prevention
margin = 1.0

Great
Food!

LS

CP

Lateral Displacement -

Spectral Acceleration at Period T

2- Determine ground
Motion Sa

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3- Run Analysis 6- Pass or Fail Criterion

evaluated on component
by component basis

Saif M.

Conclusions
Seismic code provisions in the US have undergone rapid
advancement over the last 10 years, building on the
development of codes since the 1971 San Fernando Eq.
Professional societies (volunteers), building officials and
academia have worked together to advance these efforts
with financial support from the Govt.
PBSE is taking hold and will become more commonly utilized
The challenge is for practitioners to keep up with all these
developments
US Seismic codes merit serious consideration in the hazard
mitigation policies of any region of the world
Complete and proper development and definition of seismic
hazard is critical for any seismic code
Pakistan clearly needs a coherent and comprehensive
seismic design code that relies on state-of-the-art knowledge
but also takes into account local conditions and practices

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Acknowledgments
Teddy Boen,
Indonesia

President, Teddy Boen Consultant, Jakarta,

Ronald Hamburger,
Oakland, CA, USA

Principal, Simpson, Gumpertz & Heger,

Andrew Whittaker,

Professor of Structural Engineering,

State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA

David Bonneville,
San Francisco, CA, USA

Principal Engineer, Degenkolb Associates,

Hossein Mozaffarian, Consultant, Los Angeles, CA, USA

S.K. Ghosh, S.K Ghosh Associates Inc., Chicago, IL, USA
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Thank You

Questions?
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Saif M.