NEHRP Clearinghouse
- Title
- Assessment of Geotechnical Issues in Acute Care Facilities in California.
- File
- PB2005104893.pdf
- Author(s)
- Lew, M.; O'Rourke, T. D.; Dobry, R.; Koch, M. M.
- Source
- Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research, Buffalo, NY.; National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA. Earthquake Engineering Research Centers Program., September 15, 2004, 150 p.
- Abstract
- This report summarizes the findings from an evaluation of geotechnical reports submitted as part of the compliance reports required by Senate Bill 1953 (SB 1953) for all hospitals in California. The geotechnical reports from 153 of the 470 licensed hospitals in California were reviewed with the cooperation of the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. Most the reports were from hospital facilities in the major population centers around San Francisco Bay and in Southern California. Review of this data indicates that less than half of the hospital buildings in California in 2001 were considered to be structurally compliant with the requirements of SB 1953. Almost 40% of the hospital buildings were determined to have significant risk for structural collapse and danger to public safety in the event of a strong earthquake. Over 70% had basic nonstructural systems essential to life safety and patient care that were inadequately anchored to resist earthquake forces. The survey of the geotechnical evaluations indicated that about 20% of the hospital sites had a potential for liquefaction based on the SB 1953 design ground motions. About one-half of these hospital facilities would experience total vertical liquefaction settlement of more than one inch. Much fewer sites were reported to have seismically-induced landsliding or surface fault rupture hazard.
- Keywords
- ; Geology; California; Geotechnical engineering; Acute care; Safety engineering; Hazards; Health facilities; Hospitals; Health care facilities; Compliance; Medical facilities; Structural analysis