In the following video clip, engineers test a soft-story building with a 6.7 magnitude simulated earthquake to determine the effects of a large earthquake on buildings with a soft-story condition. The results are quite dramatic, as the bottom floor of the building collapses, and the building topples sideways. Click on the link below to watch […]
All posts in category Soft-Story Buildings
Video of Simulated Soft-Story Building Collapse due to Earthquake
Posted by admin on February 14, 2014
https://enginious-structures.com/softstoryblog/?p=337
Experts estimate that earthquake strengthening installations WILL FAIL to perform as expected in as many as 90% of retrofitted houses.
In December, 2011, the New York Times published an article estimating that one-third to two-thirds of non-engineered earthquake retrofits in the San Francisco Bay Area are installed incorrectly. (See the article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/23/us/seismic-retrofits-offer-shaky-assurance-in-california.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0) In 2006, the Contra Costa Times estimated that 69% of retrofits would not function as expected. The Golden Gate Chapter of the American […]
Posted by admin on February 6, 2014
https://enginious-structures.com/softstoryblog/?p=168
Details and Cost of Retrofitting SF’s Soft Story Buildings (old post)
San Francisco recently signed into law an ordinance making retrofitting of thousands of seismically unsafe buildings mandatory. This ordinance applies to wood-frame buildings built before 1978, which are at least three stories tall and have at least five residential units. These apartments are unsafe because an earthquake shakes the bottom floor that supports the weight of […]
Posted by admin on February 6, 2014
https://enginious-structures.com/softstoryblog/?p=188
Public Financing option for Soft Story Retrofits – hurry the deadline for applications is 4/18/14
GreenFinanceSF may be the financial resource you need! GreenFinanceSF is a program through the city of SF Department of the Environment. It’s a publicly administered alternative to traditional financing and is a 100% voluntary program. The city will issue bonds to provide financing to the participating properties that that are interested in financing their soft […]
Posted by admin on February 5, 2014
https://enginious-structures.com/softstoryblog/?p=422
Common Misconception: My Building Survived 1989 Earthquake So I Don’t Need A Retrofit
Building owners commonly believe good performance of their building during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake validates a building as being safe to withstand a major earthquake. However, the Loma Prieta earthquake registered a magnitude 6.9 with an epicenter located approximately 60 miles from San Francisco. For comparison, the Great Earthquake of 1906 registered a magnitude of […]
Posted by admin on January 24, 2014
https://enginious-structures.com/softstoryblog/?p=415
Berkeley passes its own mandatory Soft Story ordinance
On December 3, 2013 City Council adopted Ordinance No. 7,318-N.S. amending Berkeley Municipal Code Chapter 19.39 to require property owners of soft, weak or open front (“SWOF”) buildings with five or more dwelling units to retrofit their buildings within the next five years. Owners have three years to apply for a building permit and two […]
Posted by admin on January 20, 2014
https://enginious-structures.com/softstoryblog/?p=411
New Method of evaluating and strengthening of Soft Story Buildings
A small investment in engineering will potentially save on overall project construction costs.
Posted by admin on January 20, 2014
https://enginious-structures.com/softstoryblog/?p=409
Come visit our table at the Earthquake Retrofit Fair!
SAVE THE DATE!! I will have a table set up at the Earthquake Retrofit Fair and can answer any questions or concerns you may have. In addition to the Enginious Structures booth you will find lender and contractor information. This fair will be a great source of information for your seismic retrofit needs. January […]
Posted by admin on December 13, 2013
https://enginious-structures.com/softstoryblog/?p=402
El Cerrito Now Requires Mandatory Retrofit
Inside the Bay Area reported that El Cerrito has adopted a mandatory retrofit ordinance twenty years after the Loma Prieta earthquake. This program had supporters including an earthquake geologist who expressed that URM’s are a definitive factor on who survives in the event of an earthquake. He also stated that in April a moderate earthquake […]
Posted by admin on November 22, 2013
https://enginious-structures.com/softstoryblog/?p=388
LA To Inspect 29,000 buildings built before 1978.
The Los Angeles Times reported that city housing officials have provided addresses to 29,000 apartment buildings in Los Angeles built before 1978 to city inspectors. City inspectors will have to access which are soft-story and vulnerable to collapse in the event of a major earthquake. This will most likely require building officials to visit to […]
Posted by admin on November 22, 2013
https://enginious-structures.com/softstoryblog/?p=382