Seismic Retrofitting More Accessible for California Residents
Seismic retrofitting will be more accessible and easier to understand for California residents thanks to the California Earthquake Authority and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The two entities created a new seismic retrofiring publication with the goal to decrease the time it takes to design and obtain permits for seismic retrofitting projects in California. The objective of the joint project is to generate more homes in California that will be livable after a large earthquake.
The pre-approved plans consist of several types of retrofits for at-risk structures that have been authorized by the Applied Technology Council.
The publication can be accessed and used for free by contractors, architects, engineers and skilled homeowners who are looking to retrofit specific types of at-risk structures in California, thus making it easier for retrofitting professionals to get approval and get started on the work.
The first volume of the publication details how to identify vulnerable structures such as light-frame wood buildings, soft story apartment buildings, and houses with weak crawl spaces and cripple walls. The second volume of FEMA’s seismic assessment details what types of seismic retrofits can be used to strengthen these structures, thus cutting down on expensive custom planning and design estimates.
“Our aim is to identify the best methods of assessing vulnerabilities commonly seen with these types of one- and two-family houses and establish ways of strengthening them that can be used as a template,” CEA Chief Mitigation Officer Janiele Maffei said about the Seismic Assessment and Retrofit publication.
“Houses with these types of vulnerabilities don’t perform very well in damaging earthquakes, and, in some cases, even modern building codes don’t properly address them,” Maffei explained.
The California Earthquake Authority and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are hoping that the publication will serve as a resource for homeowners and contractors alike, with a goal of getting vulnerable structures retrofitted in a more timely manner.
“Together, these publications are a great resource for owners who want to improve the seismic resilience of their homes. Seismic retrofitting may mean the difference between a homeowner being able to live in their home after an earthquake or forced to evacuate their home and live outside their community,” Michael Mahoney, Geophysicist for FEMA said.
If you live in California and own an older property, seismic retrofitting is a necessary safeguard for protecting those who reside there and for maintaining the value of your property.
At Julian Construction, we’ll help you find the best solution for your seismic retrofitting needs and foundation problems.
No matter what your foundation situation is, we’ll conduct a (free) inclusive home inspection, followed by a detailed consultation, and at the end of our discussion we’ll provide you with a quote for repair.
Julian De La Torre is an expert in Los Angeles foundation inspection, foundation contractors, earthquake retrofitting, foundation repair and foundation replacement. Julian’s company, Julian Construction, has inspected over 30,000 structures, working with engineering firms and local departments of building & safety. The company has done more foundation repair and earthquake retrofitting in Los Angeles than any other company in the area over the last five years.
For more information about FEMA’s Vulnerability-Based Seismic Assessment click here.
