Operational Resilience vs. Survival: Why ASCE 7-22 is the New Standard for High-Value Projects?
The Difference Between Surviving and Operating
The concept of earthquake-resistant design has evolved. For decades, the primary objective of building codes has been Minimum Safety: saving lives by ensuring that the structure does not collapse during a design earthquake. However, for owners of high-profile projects, this objective is no longer sufficient.
As CEO of Riera Engineering, our mission is to protect our clients' investments. This leads us to focus on Post-Earthquake Functionality.
Key Definition: A building that "survives" is one that does not collapse but is structurally unusable, requiring months or years for repair or demolition. A resilient building is one that can maintain or resume operations within days or weeks after a seismic event.
The Problem Analysis: Lack of Operational Performance
Most codes focus on the level of damage for Life Safety. This level, while crucial, implies considerable damage to both non-structural and structural elements that, while safe, render the building economically unviable post-earthquake.
High-investment projects (data centers, hospitals, shopping malls, industrial production) cannot afford this downtime. The cost of business interruption far outweighs the extra cost of designing for resilience.
The Solution: The ASCE 7-22 Performance Requirement
This is where the international standard ASCE/SEI 7-22 (Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures) sets the new standard.
ASCE 7-22, through its performance-based design methodologies, allows us to establish clear performance objectives that go beyond mere survival:
Life Safety: Minimum level of damage to prevent collapse.
Immediate Occupancy: The building is safe and functional immediately after the earthquake.
Continuous Operation: The building maintains all its critical functions without interruption.
Authority Citation (ASCE 7-22): For certain types of structures, the code requires a clear assessment of Post-Earthquake Function, obligating the structural engineer to model not only strength, but also deformation and the level of damage to key elements.
Riera Engineering's Conclusion: The ROI of Resilience
At Riera Engineering, we apply Nonlinear Structural Analysis and the criteria of ASCE 7-22 to design structures with a predictable level of damage that minimizes business interruption.
Investing in resilience is not an additional cost; it is the best insurance policy and the key to guaranteeing the Return on Investment of your capital in seismic zones.
If your project requires not only surviving, but operating the next day, Riera Engineering's resilient design is the only viable option.
Contact us for an initial seismic performance assessment for your next project.
