PEER Testbed Study on a Laboratory Building: Exercising Seismic Performance Assessment

From 2002 to 2004 (years five and six of a ten-year funding cycle), the PEER Center organized the majority of its research around six testbeds. Two buildings and two bridges, a campus, and a transportation network were selected as case studies to “exercise” the PEER performance-based earthquake engineering methodology. All projects involved interdisciplinary teams of researchers, each producing data to be used by other colleagues in their research. The testbeds demonstrated that it is possible to create the data necessary to populate the PEER performancebased framing equation, linking the hazard analysis, the structural analysis, the development of damage measures, loss analysis, and decision variables. This report describes one of the building testbeds—the UC Science Building. The project was chosen to focus attention on the consequences of losses of laboratory contents, particularly downtime. The UC Science testbed evaluated the earthquake hazard and the structural performance of a well-designed recently built reinforced concrete laboratory building using the OpenSees platform. Researchers conducted shake table tests on samples of critical laboratory contents in order to develop fragility curves used to analyze the probability of losses based on equipment failure. The UC Science testbed undertook an extreme case in performance assessment—linking performance of contents to operational failure. The research shows the interdependence of building structure, systems, and contents in performance assessment, and highlights where further research is needed. The Executive Summary provides a short description of the overall testbed research program, while the main body of the report includes summary chapters from individual researchers. More extensive research reports are cited in the reference section of each chapter

Seismic Protection of Laboratory Contents: The UC Berkeley Science Building Case Study

The research described in this report is a part of the Disaster Resistant University (DRU) initiative funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the University of California, Berkeley. The first phase of the Disaster Resistant University initiative produced a study of potential earthquake losses at UC Berkeley together with an analysis of the economic impacts. In that report, Comerio (2000) found that despite the extraordinary building retrofit program, the UC Berkeley campus remained vulnerable to losses from nonstructural failures and losses in highly concentrated research facilities.This report is focused on strategies for improving seismic performance for laboratory furnishings and equipment. The report describes a case study of a biology laboratory building and its contents, used as a basis for developing damage mitigation strategies and cost estimates. The data developed here were also used by researchers at the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research (PEER) Center for the development of loss estimates and for the development of models for performance-based engineering (UC Science Testbed Committee, 2002), as well as for a technical manual on retrofitting laboratory contents (Holmes and Comerio, 2003)

University of California Press eScholarship editions

Whenever a major earthquake strikes or a hurricane unleashes its fury, the devastating results fill our television screens and newspapers. Mary C. Comerio is interested in what happens in the weeks and months after such disasters, particularly in the recovery of damaged housing.Through case studies of six recent urban disasters - Hurricane Hugo in South Carolina, Hurricane Andrew in Florida, the Loma Prieta and Northridge earthquakes in California, as well as earthquakes in Mexico City and Kobe, Japan - Comerio demonstrates that several fundamental factors have changed in contemporary urban disasters. The foremost change is in scale, and as more Americans move to the two coasts, future losses will continue to be formidable because of increased development in these high-hazard areas. Moreover, the visibility of disasters in the news media will assure that response efforts remain highly politicized. And finally, the federal government is now expected to be on the scene with personnel, programs, and financial assistance even as private insurance companies are withdrawing disaster coverage from homeowners in earthquake- and hurricane-prone regions.Demonstrating ways that existing recovery systems are inadequate, Comerio proposes a rethinking of what recovery means, a comprehensive revision of the government's role, and more equitable programs for construction financing. She offers new criteria for a housing recovery policy as well as real financial incentives for preparedness, for limiting damage before disasters occur, and for providing a climate where private insurance can work. Her careful analysis makes this book important reading for policymakers, property owners, and anyone involved in disaster mitigation

The Economic Benefits of a Disaster Resistant University: Earthquake Loss Estimation for UC Berkeley

Disasters affect universities across the country. In the past decade, Stanford University and California State University, Northridge, were severely damaged by earthquakes; the University of Miami, Tulane University and East Carolina University were closed by hurricanes; the University of North Dakota, Colorado State University, Syracuse University, and many others have faced damage and business interruption from flooding. Not only are universities unique organizations that serve their communities and states, but the federal government also has a significant economic and social investment in them. Annually, federal agencies fund about $15 billion in university research. Much of the research is multi-year, and the value of ongoing research is obviously higher. Much American progress is fueled by academic research results.The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), together with the University of California, Berkeley, has funded the research and development component of the Disaster Resistant Universities Initiative as the pilot for a national program. The Disaster Resistant Universities Initiative is intended to motivate and enable the nation’s universities to manage their vulnerability to local hazards and reduce their losses in foreseeable disasters. Beyond the primary need to protect students, staff, and faculty, the Disaster Resistant Universities Initiative is designed to help universities safeguard their research capacity as well as the human capital associated with the academic environment.This study of earthquake hazards and the economic consequences of potential losses at the University of California, Berkeley, grows out of a long-term commitment to understanding and addressing seismic safety issues on the part of the campus and the systemwide administration.This research advances our understanding of potential earthquake losses by assembling data on soil conditions, infrastructure, nonstructural building conditions, contents, numbers of occupants, and the location of critical functions. Taken together, the data are used to assess the potential financial loss, and the University’s capacity to recover after a damaging earthquake. The findings of this study, in combination with the ongoing SAFER program, serve as the basis for an effective seismic risk-management program.Although no other campus in the United States has done more than the University of California, Berkeley, in addressing its natural hazards risks, the university needs to minimize the impact of potential losses through wide-ranging hazard mitigation programs and post-disaster business resumption planning

Paying for the Big One

Economics

Housing Recovery Lessons From Chile

Problem, research strategy and findings: The 8.8 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck south-central Chile on February 27, 2010, affected 75% of the country's population and damaged or destroyed 370,000 housing units (about 10% of the housing in six regions). Within six months, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development published a plan to repair or rebuild 220,000 units of low- and middle-income housing with government assistance within four years. By February 2014, 94% of the housing was complete. The successful rebuilding effort had strong leadership at the national and local levels and used existing programs and institutions. The management staff adapted programs over time to meet the needs of local conditions. When compared with housing recovery programs in other countries, Chile's program stands out, combining national government management with local citizen input. The reconstruction plan also included updated zoning plans, road and infrastructure improvements, heritage recovery, and new master plans for affected cities. Going forward, the earthquake created an opportunity for Chile to use the recovery planning to expand national urban policy and to develop a framework for citizen participation at the local level.Takeaway for practice: Successful planning in disaster recovery involves strong government leadership and coordination together with the engagement of local government and the participation of citizens