International Seismic Zone Tabulation Proposed by the 1997 UBC Code: Observations for Mexico

1999 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 331-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arturo Tena-Colunga
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Seismic Design ◽  
The United States ◽  
Building Code ◽  
Seismic Zone ◽  
Seismic Zoning ◽  
Structural Elements ◽  
Division Iii ◽  
Civil Structures ◽  
Entire World

The Uniform Building Code (UBC) is perhaps one of the most advanced seismic codes worldwide. The 1997 version of the Uniform Building Code (UBC-97) has important modifications with respect to previous versions, among other changes, the introduction of structural overstrength, redundancy and reliability factors for the design of structural elements. In addition, the UBC-97 code revises seismic zoning for areas outside the United States under Division III, Section 1653. In fact, practically the entire world is zoned by the UBC-97 under this section, and many practicing engineers worldwide may feel confident to use the UBC code for the design of civil structures in countries other than the United States, particularly because it is written in this section that “Note: This division has been revised in its entirety”. This paper discusses whether or not Section 1653 of the UBC-97 code has any justification for Mexico, by comparing the UBC design criteria with the criteria established by ruling Mexican codes. According to Mexican authorities, only the referenced Mexican building codes should be used for the design of civil structures in Mexico, so the UBC-97 cannot be used for the seismic design of civil structures in Mexico legally.

scholarly journals United States building code approach to variations in regional seismicity

2000 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles A. Kircher
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Seismic Design ◽  
Model Building ◽  
Building Design ◽  
The United States ◽  
Building Codes ◽  
Building Code ◽  
Design Criteria ◽  
Narrow Strip ◽  
Moderate Seismicity

The United States contains regions of greatly varying seismicity ranging from a relatively narrow strip of very high seismicity along coastal California in the West to broad areas of low or moderate seismicity typical of the Central and Eastern United States. The United States currently has three major regional model building codes. While all three codes have traditionally used the concept of seismic zones to identify and distinguish between regions of different seismicity, they have not had a consistent basis for their seismic criteria. Beginning in the year 2000, the three model building codes will merge and become the new International Building Code (IBC) applicable to the whole United States. New seismic design criteria have been developed for the 2000 IBC that now define ground shaking for building design by spectral acceleration contours. This paper describes the background and basis for the new seismic design criteria of the 2000 IBC, and how these criteria address the large variation in seismic hazard across the United States.

Comparative analysis of the trade policy of Barack Obama and Donald Trump

2020 ◽  
pp. 59-71
Author(s):  
V. Iordanova ◽  
A. Ananev
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Trade Policy ◽  
World Economy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Barack Obama ◽  
Scientific Article ◽  
Donald Trump ◽  
Entire World

The authors of this scientific article conducted a comparative analysis of the trade policy of US presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump. The article states that the tightening of trade policy by the current President is counterproductive and has a serious impact not only on the economic development of the United States, but also on the entire world economy as a whole.

Convective Storms and the Insurance Industry: Challenges and Opportunities

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirsten D. Orwig
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Tropical Cyclones ◽  
Insurance Industry ◽  
Property Values ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
The United States ◽  
Building Code ◽  
Convective Storms ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Insured Loss

Convective storms affect countries worldwide, with billions in losses and dozens of fatalities every year. They are now the key insured loss driver in the United States, even after considering the losses sustained by tropical cyclones in 2017. Since 2008, total insured losses from convective storms have exceeded $10 billion per year. Additionally, these losses continue to increase year over year. Key loss drivers include increased population, buildings, vehicles, and property values. However, other loss drivers relate to construction materials and practices, as well as building code adoption and enforcement. The increasing loss trends pose a number of challenges for the insurance industry and broader society. These challenges are discussed, and some recommendations are presented.

Seismic Design of Highway Bridges in the United States

1980 ◽  
Vol 106 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-27
Author(s):  
Roland L. Sharpe ◽  
Ronald L. Mayes ◽  
James D. Cooper
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Seismic Design ◽  
Highway Bridges ◽  
The United States

Seismic Design Requirements for Regions of Moderate Seismicity

2000 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 205-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guy J. P. Nordenson ◽  
Glenn R. Bell
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Seismic Design ◽  
Soft Soil ◽  
The United States ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Quarter Century ◽  
Seismic Codes ◽  
The Past ◽  
Moderate Seismicity ◽  
High Seismicity

The need for earthquake-resistant construction in areas of low-to-moderate seismicity has been recognized through the adoption of code requirements in the United States and other countries only in the past quarter century. This is largely a result of improved assessment of seismic hazard and examples of recent moderate earthquakes in regions of both moderate and high seismicity, including the San Fernando (1971), Mexico City (1985), Loma Prieta (1989), and Northridge (1994) earthquakes. In addition, improved understanding and estimates of older earthquakes in the eastern United States such as Cape Ann (1755), La Malbaie, Quebec (1925), and Ossippe, New Hampshire (1940), as well as monitoring of micro-activity in source areas such as La Malbaie, have increased awareness of the earthquake potential in areas of low-to-moderate seismicity. Both the hazard and the risk in moderate seismic zones (MSZs) differ in scale and kind from those of the zones of high seismicity. Earthquake hazards mitigation measures for new and existing construction need to be adapted from those prevailing in regions of high seismicity in recognition of these differences. Site effects are likely to dominate the damage patterns from earthquakes, with some sites suffering no damage not far from others, on soft soil, suffering near collapse. A number of new seismic codes have been developed in the past quarter century in response to these differences, including the New York City (1995) and the Massachusetts State (1975) seismic codes. Over the same period, the national model building codes that apply to most areas of low-to-moderate seismicity in the United States, the Building Officials and Code Administrators (BOCA) Code and the Southern Standard Building Code (SSBC), have incorporated up-to-date seismic provisions. The seismic provisions of these codes have been largely inspired by the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program (NEHRP) recommendations. Through adoption of these national codes, many state and local authorities in areas of low-to-moderate seismicity now have reasonably comprehensive seismic design provisions. This paper will review the background and history leading up to the MSZ codes, discuss their content, and propose directions for future development.

Performance Goal-Based Seismic Design Standards for Critical Facilities in the United States

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Quazi A. Hossain
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Seismic Design ◽  
Functional Performance ◽  
Design Method ◽  
The United States ◽  
Department Of Energy ◽  
Performance Goals ◽  
United States Department ◽  
Active Member ◽  
Performance Goal

For more than the last fifteen years, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) has been using a probabilistic performance goal-based seismic design method for structures, systems, and components (SSCs) in its nuclear and hazardous facilities. Using a graded approach, the method permits the selection of probabilistic performance goals or acceptable failure rates for SSCs based on the severity level of SSC failure consequences. The method uses a site-specific probabilistic seismic hazard curve as the basic seismic input motion definition, but utilizes the existing national industry consensus design codes for specifying load combination and design acceptance criteria in such a way that the target probabilistic performance goals are met. Recently, the American Nuclear Society (ANS) and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) have undertaken the development of a number of national consensus standards that will utilize the performance goal-based seismic design experience base in the DOE complex. These standards are presently in various stages of development, some nearing completion. Once completed, these standards are likely to be adopted by various agencies and organizations in the United States. In addition to the graded approach of DOE’s method, these standards incorporate design provisions that permit seismic design of SSCs to several levels of functional performance. This flexibility of choosing a functional performance level in the design process results in an optimum, but risk-consistent design. The paper will provide an outline of two of these standards-in-progress and will present the author’s understanding of their basic philosophies and technical bases. Even though the author is an active member of the development committees for these two standards, the technical opinions expressed in this paper are author’s own, and does not reflect the views of any of the committees or the views of the organizations with which any member of the committees are affiliated.

Design of single-angle compression members according to the Canadian standards

1996 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 632-638 ◽  
Author(s):  
Murray C. Temple
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Key Words ◽  
Failure Modes ◽  
The United States ◽  
Building Codes ◽  
Flow Chart ◽  
Structural Elements ◽  
Compression Members ◽  
Principal Axes ◽  
The Many

Although single-angle compression members, attached by one leg, appear to be very simple structural elements, they are amongst the most complex of structural elements to analyze and design. This is due to the end eccentricities and the fact that the principal axes of the angle do not coincide with the axis of the structure. The design of single-angle compression members, according to the Canadian standards, is not as straightforward as might be expected. There are numerous clauses to be considered in two standards. In some cases, all failure modes are not covered explicitly. The Canadian standards are examined and applied to the two generally accepted design approaches used in Canada and the United States. These approaches are (i) to ignore the end eccentricities and to treat the angle as a concentrically loaded member and (ii) to account for the end eccentricities by treating the angle as a beam–column. A flow chart is presented which will guide the designer through the many clauses that have to be considered in the two standards. Some suggestions are made which should help a practicing engineer design single-angle compression members that are attached by one leg. Key words: angles, buckling, building (codes), design.

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