Introduction: Overview of the

Seismic Design Process

• A quick look at the overall Functional
Requirements
Site Evaluation

design process.
• Must keep various Select
Structural
System
aspects in balance
• Then look at some basic Engineering

reasons for using

nonlinear response to Quality
Control /
Assurance
help us achieve
performance objectives

CEE 227 - Earthquake Engineering

U.C. Berkeley 3-1
 Functional /Operational Requirements
• Loading - Dead, live, etc.
• Restrictions on settlement
Functional • Spatial requirements (minimum area,
Site Evaluation
Requirements
height limits, interior open space, etc.)
• Operating restrictions (deflection,
Select vibration limits)
Structural
System • Expected life of structure
• Time available for construction
Engineering • Local cost of materials/labor
• Value of money
• Aversion to risk
Quality
Control /
Assurance
• Establish performance levels and
key response parameters for
frequent, rare and very rare seismic
events and wind storms.

CEE 227 - Earthquake Engineering

U.C. Berkeley 3-2
 Site Evaluation
• Settlement potential
Functional Site
• Thermal setting
Requirements Evaluation
• Wind
• Mechanical vibration (trains, etc.)
Select
Structural
System
• Seismic
• Fault rupture
Engineering • Differential ground movement
• Liquefaction potential
Quality
Control / • Slope instability
Assurance
• Tsunami and seiche
• Fire and flood
• Ground shaking
CEE 227 - Earthquake Engineering
U.C. Berkeley 3-3
 Selection of Structural System
Typically, several types of structures are
picked and investigated at least through
Functional
Site Evaluation the preliminary or schematic design stage.
Requirements
Consideration to alternative:
• Materials for structural and non-
Select
Structural
structural elements
System
• Connection types (fixed, partially
restrained, etc.)
Engineering • Configuration (regular or not?)
• Load carrying system (complete
Quality vertical and horizontal load systems)
Control /
Assurance • Type of foundation
Assess seismic and functional
performance, and economic costs.

CEE 227 - Earthquake Engineering

U.C. Berkeley 3-4
 Engineering
Performance-Based Format: establish that
design satisfies performance criteria set for
Functional
very rare, rare and frequent earthquakes.
Site Evaluation
Requirements
Preliminary Design - Simple methods to
develop structure that performs well.
Select
Structural
Detailing - Detail elements, connections of
System structural elements, attachments of non-
structural elements to achieve desired
Engineering capacities and performance.
Final Design - More refined methods used
Quality
to fine tune building design to achieve
Control / performance goals (physical and economic).
Assurance
Probablistic Performance Evaluation -
Assess sensitivity of final structure to various
sources of uncertaintyand randomness.

CEE 227 - Earthquake Engineering

U.C. Berkeley 3-5
 Preliminary Design
Generally most important design stage.
Focus on simple methods to develop structure
Functional
Site Evaluation that performs well (proportions, load path
Requirements
completion, stiffness, strength, etc.)
Iterative Process:
Select
Structural ➔ Immediate Occupancy Goal: Elastic Analysis,
System very simple models and elastic spectrum
➔ “Life Safe” Goal: Elastic analysis, and “equiv.
Engineering elastic” spectrum.
➔ Collapse Prevention Goal: Simplified
nonlinear analysis, nonlinear design response
Quality
Control / spectrum.
Assurance
•Integrate design requirements
•Evaluate designs
•Re-do if needed

CEE 227 - Earthquake Engineering

U.C. Berkeley 3-6
 Engineering - Detailing
Current codes do not attempt to relate details
quantitatively to predicted deformation capacities.
Nominal “ductile” details typically used that are
Functional
Requirements
Site Evaluation relatively non-deteriorative and insensitive to loading
history effects.
PBE format: Iterate using estimated demands.
Select
Structural ➔ Immediate Occupancy Goal: Focus on strength
System (good stiffness estimates needed to predict
demands) but maybe some damage.
Engineering ➔ Life Safe Goal: Focus on triggers for
expensive/dangerous behavior (spalling,
buckling, etc.)
Quality
➔ Collapse Prevention Goal: Focus on ultimate
Control /
Assurance deformation capacity of member, connection or
system. SMF and OMF details provided in SAC
have different deformation capacities.
➔Integrate and evaluate details

CEE 227 - Earthquake Engineering

U.C. Berkeley 3-7
 Final Design
Generally most analysis-oriented design stage
Focus on refined methods to predict/evaluate
Functional
Site Evaluation demands on nearly complete structural design.
Requirements
•Iterative Process:
➔ Immediate Occupancy Goal: Elastic Analysis,
Select
Structural refined models and elastic spectrum, 2D vs 3D
System
➔ “Life Safe” Goal: Elastic analysis, and “equiv.
elastic” or nonlinear spectrum.
Engineering ➔ Collapse Prevention Goal: Nonlinear analysis
(static push-over with nonlinear design response
spectrum, or dynamic time history analysis).
Quality
Control / ➔Integrate design requirements
Assurance
➔Evaluate designs (details, goals)
➔Re-do if needed

CEE 227 - Earthquake Engineering

U.C. Berkeley 3-8
 Probablistic Performance Evaluation
Currently, only infrequently done.
Focus on refined methods to assess reliability
Functional
Site Evaluation of structure being able to achieve perform-ance
Requirements
objectives (seismic losses and life cycle costs
can be assessed).
Select
Structural •Iterative Process: (see FEMA 350-352)
System
➔ Immediate OccupancyGoal: Elastic Analysis,
refined models and elastic spectrum, 2D vs 3D
Engineering ➔ “Life Safe” Goal: Elastic analyses, and “equiv.
elastic” or nonlinear spectrum (+1σ).
➔ Collapse Prevention Goal: Nonlinear analysis
Quality
Control / (static push-over with nonlinear response
Assurance
spectrum, dynamic time history analyses, etc.).
➔Integrate performance information
➔Evaluate confidence in achieving objectives

CEE 227 - Earthquake Engineering

U.C. Berkeley 3-9
 Quality Control/Assurance
Vision 2000 Recommends
Engineering Peer Review
Functional
Site Evaluation
Requirements ➔ Safety Critical and
Essential/Hazardous performance
Select
objectives.
Structural
System
➔ Advanced or unusual technologies
➔ Rehabilitation projects involving
Engineering
untested details
➔ Complex or important structures

Quality
Should include all stages of design:
Control /
Assurance
establishment of project goals and
procedures, Schematic Design Phase,
Design Development Phase, and
Construction Document Phase
CEE 227 - Earthquake Engineering
U.C. Berkeley 3-10
 Construction Quality QC/QA
QC/QA critical to achievement of performance goals
• Contractor should have in-house quality control program.
• Owner should have independent quality assurance program,
➔ Includes on-site and shop inspection.
➔ Preconstruction conference with engineer, contractor and
inspectorsLocal building departments are not set up to do this.

See FEMA 353 for steel construction

Similarly, maintenance is a problem for many types of structure

(corrosion, defeat of base isolation systems, etc.)

CEE 227 - Earthquake Engineering

U.C. Berkeley 3-11