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NEW SEISMIC DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS
The Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC) has announced the release of the 1996 Sixth Edition of its Recommended Lateral Force Requirements and Commentary. Known in the structural engineering community as the SEAOC “Blue Book”, this newly revised document presents over 700 pages of recommended provisions for earthquake resistant design of structures.
This 1996 Sixth Edition of the “Blue Book” is an entirely new document in a new format. It includes many changes and additions to the 1990 edition. The document references and corresponds with sections of the 1994 Uniform Building Code (UBC). It also looks forward to the adoption of the 1997 UBC and the ultimate creation of the International Building Code in the year 2000. Highlighted are SEAOC sponsored code changes including strength design requirements, new R-factors, and requirements for buildings located near faults.
Highlights
Chapter 1 “General Requirements” provides the basic force and seismic design requirements. It is parallel to, and in most instances repeats, the requirements of Chapter 16 “Structural Forces” of the 1994 UBC. There have been a number of changes and improvements made by the Seismology Committee. These are identified so the reader will easily be able to tell where the Blue Book recommendations and wording differ significantly from the UBC.
Chapters 2 through 9 deal with testing and inspection, foundations, and various materials. The 1994 UBC is adopted by reference, and the detailed requirements of the UBC are not repeated. Instead, only the specific changes and differences are indicated, greatly simplifying the task of finding out what exceptions and additions to UBC material requirements are recommended by the Seismology Committee.
Other changes and additions to the Blue Book include:
* Requirements for improved seismic design of steel, concrete, masonry, and wood buildings.
* Modernized and expanded commentary, including an all new section on seismic isolation.
* A new chapter on foundations dealing with piles, pile caps, and grade beams.
* A new chapter on structural testing and inspection also includes new recommendations for project peer review.
* Special commentary on shear wall boundary zones.
* Special commentary on verification of structural stability at deformations representing maximum earthquake response
* Concise summary of the implications of the Northridge earthquake on California building design practice.
* A summary of the conceptual framework for performance-based seismic design by SEAOC’s Vision 2000 Committee.
* SEAOC sponsored changes and commentary for the 1997 UBC, including strength design requirements, new R-factors, redundancy requirements, and recommendations for buildings located near faults.
This Blue Book is “User Friendly”
The Blue Book Committee has achieved one of its main goals of having a “user friendly” reference document. This has been accomplished by highlighting where the recommendations of the Blue Book differ from requirements of the UBC, and adding UBC paragraph numbers to the Commentary to help the reader move from a UBC paragraph to a Blue Book discussion of it.
The new Blue Book has been three hole punched for ease of use and to accommodate revisions and addendums. The Blue Book is intended to be a “living document” and will be updated regularly.
To order this publication please contact the International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO).
Telephone: 800/284-4406
FAX:
310/692-3853
Mail:
5360 Workman Mill Road
Whittier, CA 90601
Price w/binder $90.00 + applicable sales tax
Order No. 000F96
Shipping Additional 15% for all foreign orders
Note: All orders must be prepaid.
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