Case Study: Cost Delta for Achieving Higher Structural Performance Levels

摘要

Major cities in California are now mandating that existing buildings with the highest seismic risks be retrofitted in conformance with local ordinances. As a consequence to the recent engineering community's push for cities and building owners to become more resilient against seismic events, many owners are now more conscious about their buildings' anticipated seismic performance. Owners are now beginning to ask engineers what it means to design above the minimum code standards. For an owner to make an educated decision on building design, engineers need to convey the increased cost of a higher structural performance in simple terms. This paper covers a scenario in which an existing Pre-Northridge Steel Moment Frame building was evaluated for three different performance objectives under California's hospital building standards. This paper highlights the differences in structural scope between each performance level as well as the expected percent increase in construction costs. Engineers can use this case study as an example when speaking to their clients about relative costs between different seismic performance levels.