How to visually screen buildings for potential seismic hazard

Credit: 16 PDH
Course Fee: $257.00

Course topics

1. Introduction
2. Planning and Managing Rapid Visual Screening
   2.1 Screening Implementation Sequence
   2.2 Budget Development and Cost Estimation
   2.3 Pre-Field Planning
   2.4 Selection and Review of the Data Collection Form
   2.4.1 Determination of Seismicity Region
   2.4.2 Determination of Key Seismic Code Adoption Dates and Other Considerations
   2.4.3 Determination of Cut-Off Score
   2.5 Qualifications and Training for Screeners
   2.6 Acquisition and Review of Pre-Field Data
   2.6.1 Assessor’s Files
   2.6.2 Building Department Files
   2.6.3 Sanborn Maps
   2.6.4 Municipal Databases
   2.6.5 Previous Studies 15
   2.6.6 Soils Information
   2.7 Review of Construction Documents
   2.8 Field Screening of Buildings
   2.9 Checking the Quality and Filing the Field Data in the Record-Keeping System
3. Completing the Data Collection Form
   3.1 Introduction
   3.2 Verifying and Updating the Building Identification Information
   3.2.1 Number of Stories
   3.2.2 Year Built
   3.2.3 Screener Identification
   3.2.4 Total Floor Area
   3.3 Sketching the Plan and Elevation Views
   3.4 Determining Soil Type
   3.5 Determining and Documenting Occupancy
   3.5.1 Occupancy
   3.5.2 Occupancy Load
   3.6 Identifying Potential Nonstructural Falling Hazards
   3.7 Identifying the Lateral-Load-Resisting System and Documenting the Related Basic Structural Score
   3.7.1 Fifteen Building Types Considered by the RVS Procedure and Related Basic Structural Scores
   3.7.2 Identifying the Lateral-Force-Resisting System
   3.7.3 Interior Inspections
   3.7.4 Screening Buildings with More Than One Lateral-Force Resisting System
   3.8 Identifying Seismic Performance Attributes and Recording Score Modifiers
   3.8.1 Mid-Rise Buildings
   3.8.2 High-Rise Buildings
   3.8.3 Vertical Irregularity
   3.8.4 Plan Irregularity 40
   3.8.5 Pre-Code
   3.8.6 Post-Benchmark
   3.8.7 Soil Type C, D, or E
   3.9 Determining the Final Score
   3.10 Photographing the Building
   3.11 Comments Section
4. Using the RVS Procedure Results
   4.1 Interpretation of RVS Score
   4.2 Selection of RVS “Cut-Off” Score
   4.3 Prior Uses of the RVS Procedure
   4.4 Other Possible Uses of the RVS Procedure
   4.4.1 Using RVS Scores as a Basis for Hazardous Building Mitigation Programs
   4.4.2 Using RVS Data in Community Building Inventory Development
   4.4.3 Using RVS Data to Plan Post earthquake Building-Safety-Evaluation Efforts
   4.4.4 Resources Needed for the Various Uses of the RVS Procedure
5. Example Application of Rapid Visual Screening
   5.1 Step 1: Budget and Cost Estimation
   5.2 Step 2: Pre-Field Planning
   5.3 Step 3: Selection and Review of the Data Collection Form
   5.4 Step 4: Qualifications and Training for Screeners
   5.5 Step 5: Acquisition and Review of Pre-Field Data
   5.6 Step 6: Review of Construction Documents
   5.7 Step 7: Field Screening of Buildings
   5.8 Step 8: Transferring the RVS Field Data to the Electronic Building RVS Database