Post-Earthquake Safety Evaluations€¦ · • Earthquake • Hurricane • Tornado • Flood • Tsunami • Land Instability • Volcano • Snow/hail/ice •Fire • Explosion

KEEP SAFE Seismic Safety Webinar April 29, 2020

Post-Earthquake Safety Evaluations

Applied Technology Council Ayse Hortacsu

Applied Technology CouncilRedwood City, California

Edwin Huston Huston Structural Engineering

Shoreline, Washington


FEMA P-530

Available for free download on FEMA website


FEMA P-2055Disasters:• Earthquake• Hurricane• Tornado• Flood• Tsunami• Land

Instability• Volcano• Snow/hail/ice• Fire• Explosion

Scope:• Building safety evaluations• Habitability evaluations• Program management

• Pre-disaster• Post-disaster

• Possible temporary habitability standards

Available for free download on FEMA website


Pre-planning Resource Typing Certification and Training Mutual aid resources and

agreements Volunteers, liability, Good

Samaritan laws, Workers’ Compensation

Laws and Policies

Pre-Disaster Post-Disaster Implementation of Evaluation

Plans Safety of Evaluators, tools Evaluation Prioritization Deployment Resources Data Collection and Reporting Quality Assurance Reevaluation, Changing a

Placard Cordoning and Barricading Communication


ATC-20 Procedures

Guanica


ATC-20 training

Basic: 5-hour in-person training Recommended for building inspectors, civil and

structural engineers, architects, and disaster workers “ATC-20 SAP” training: (6 hours) incorporates

requirements of the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) Safety Assessment Program (SAP)– Participants who are registered engineers, architects, and

building inspectors can obtain SAP card from CalOES


Purpose

Goal is to post every building reviewed as either– INSPECTED– RESTRICTED USE– UNSAFE

Buildings posted RESTRICTED USE or UNSAFE will normally require repair or demolition


Evaluation Type Conducted by Duration (typ) Outcome

Windshield Survey Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ)

Extent of damage is determined

Rapid Evaluation

AHJ or deputized evaluator

30 minutes

Detailed Evaluation

AHJ or deputized evaluator

1‐4 hours

Engineering Evaluation

Engineer retained by owner

Several days, analytical studiesFEMA 306FEMA 352

Engineering report, may include repair solutions


Essential Facilities

Includes emergency operations centers, hospitals, shelters, fire and police stations, etc.– The buildings being used for recovery

Exception to the sequence of evaluations Should be given a Detailed Evaluation by engineers

as soon as possible Do not normally receive a Rapid Evaluation


INSPECTED (GREEN) PLACARD Inspected does not mean safe:

– Lawful use and entry are permitted– No apparent hazards found, no apparent

loss of strength, stiffness or stability– Does not mean that the building is equivalent to a newly built

building constructed to the latest code– Magnitude, duration, and frequency content of aftershocks

may cause new damage, or even collapse– This was only a moderately large earthquake for Puerto Rico

(not “the big one”)


RESTRICTED USE (YELLOW) PLACARD

Restrictions due to risk from damage in all, or part of, the building Restrictions are placed on the:

– Duration of occupancy– Areas of occupancy– Usage

Entry and use are restricted as indicated on the placard


UNSAFE (RED) PLACARD

Extreme hazard is present Unsafe due to falling, collapse, or other

hazards Imminent risk of further damage or collapse Unsafe for occupancy or entry, except as authorized by the

Authority Having Jurisdiction An UNSAFE posting does not mean structure has significant

damage Owner must mitigate hazards to satisfaction of AHJ to gain entry


UNSAFE Building


Building Safety Evaluations after Puerto Rico EQs




2 Yellow Tags on Side Entrance Around Corner

Red TagDue to Damage

Over Front Entrance

Only one type of Placard per Building

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Photo Credits: Bret Lizundia, 2010 Eureka, CA Earthquake

KEEP SAFE Seismic Safety Webinar April 29, 2020 17

Changing and Removing a PlacardAccording to ATC-20 and 45: only the Authority Having Jurisdiction can authorize the reevaluation of a building and changing of a placard. A private contractor cannot.

Placard needs to match the evaluation forms which are in the AHJ database.


ATC-45 for Windstorms and Floods For wind, flood, hurricane, tornado hazards The placarding process is similar, you may

see placards again if your AHJ implements ATC-45 evaluations after a hurricane The meaning for owners and occupants, and

the reasons for placing placard are the same, but the criteria ATC-45 are different than for ATC-20 5-hour in-person trainings are available


Contact us atwww.ATCouncil.org

Thank you for your attention


Things we are NOT addressing

Who conducted assessments How many assessments were conducted When can people return to their homes Who will pay for assessments/repairs



Ponce



Ponce


Photo Credits: Bret Lizundia2014 Napa, CA Earthquake

Outdoor seating restricted, “except during the following times: (1) Monday – Friday, 4:30pm to closing, (2) Saturday to Sunday –All Day.”

Quality Assurance Issues

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Documents

Post-Earthquake Safety Evaluations€¦ · • Earthquake • Hurricane • Tornado • Flood • Tsunami • Land Instability • Volcano • Snow/hail/ice •Fire • Explosion