In California, there are still hundreds of concrete buildings that need reinforcement to bring them up to the new seismic code. As many as 50 of the more than 1,000 concrete buildings in Los Angeles would be in danger of collapsing during an earthquake, according to conservative estimates.
Some owners have done retrofits, but the cost of adding reinforcement is beyond the reach of many. The city is looking for ways to help mitigate the costs, while some City Council members are calling for verification that the problem is as widespread as reports indicate.
(http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-earthquake-concrete-20131016,0,4839363.story#axzz2iZvGoYGU)
Related Stories
Seismic Design | Oct 22, 2015
Taipei 101 tower named 'world's toughest' building by Popular Mechanics
Popular Mechanics named the 10 structures that best withstand floods, winds, storms, and earthquakes.
Seismic Design | Oct 16, 2015
L.A. City Council votes for seismic retrofits for older buildings
Thousands of wood, concrete apartments subject to costly renovations.
Codes and Standards | Jul 16, 2015
Oregon to spend $300 million for seismic updates on public buildings
A survey found that more than 1,000 Oregon school buildings face a high risk of collapse during earthquakes.
Seismic Design | Jun 9, 2015
First building-specific earthquake warning system installed in North Portland, Ore.
The ShakeAlarm system recognizes and quantifies the faster but lower-energy seismic P-wave, which is the precursor to the more damaging S-wave.
Codes and Standards | Apr 12, 2015
Virginia surpasses Florida for strictest hurricane building codes
Virginia has edged out Florida as the state with the most stringent hurricane building codes, according to the Institute for Business and Home Safety’s “2015 Rating the States” report.
| Feb 20, 2014
5 myths about cross laminated timber
A CLT expert clears up several common misconceptions and myths surrounding the use of wood as a building material.
| Feb 5, 2014
7 towers that define the 'skinny skyscraper' boom [slideshow]
Recent advancements in structural design, combined with the loosening of density and zoning requirements, has opened the door for the so-called "superslim skyscraper."
| Jan 28, 2014
2014 predictions for skyscraper construction: More twisting towers, mega-tall projects, and 'superslim' designs
Experts from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat release their 2014 construction forecast for the worldwide high-rise industry.
| Jan 21, 2014
2013: The year of the super-tall skyscraper
Last year was the second-busiest ever in terms of 200-meter-plus building completions, with 73 towers, according to a report by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.
| Aug 23, 2013
Simpson Strong-Tie sponsors final phase of cold-formed steel seismic tests
Simpson Strong-Tie donated product and provided technical expertise for the CFS-NEES project, a series of earthquake tests for cold-formed steel-framed buildings. As part of the final phase of a three-year, National Science Foundation-funded research project led by Johns Hopkins University, the purpose of the tests is to better understand the overall system performance of cold-formed steel-framed buildings and to develop performance-based design methodology for seismic resistance.
