Soft Story Retrofit
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Soft Story Retrofitting In Earthquake Prone L.A
Under the mandatory City of Los Angeles Retrofit Ordinance 183893 and Ordinance 184081, property owners who own soft story buildings (buildings with "tuck under" parking spaces) are required to retrofit these seismically compromised parts of these buildings.
Soft Story Retrofit or Brace and Bolt?
Soft Story Retrofit
Soft Story Retrofit
Soft Story Retrofit
Soft story retrofitting refers to structural improvement of multi-story buildings. A soft story is the lower level of a structure that is compromised due to large amounts of open space such as with a parking garage. There is now a grant similar to the EBB that provides money for soft story retrofits.
Brace and Bolt
Soft Story Retrofit
Soft Story Retrofit
Brace and bolt is the preparation of single family homes for earthquakes and other structural compromises. The earthquake brace and bolt program provides grants to homeowners. We provide assistance in acquiring these funds. Contact us today for consultation.
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A Glimpse Back at History
The 1994 Northridge Earthquake
With a force of 6.7 on the Richter scale this earthquake hit major parts of the San Fernando valley. This destroyed homes, apartment buildings, and even freeways. Soft story buildings at ground level have less wall (such as perimeter wall), interior wall, or other bracing to resist the lateral forces that might be imposed by an earthquake. When an earthquake comes and hits, it moves the ground horizontally and vertically, but it is the horizontal motion that is most concerning. The movement tries to push the ground floor over and there is not much to keep it from moving or degrading. It might consequently collapse due to lack of support. It is important to prevent further tragedies like the one that echoes so strongly in our hearts to this day. If we can do our part in making our communities safer by retrofitting these compromised buildings, that will mean there will be less casualties in the future.
Engineering Solutions for Soft Story Buildings
Engineering Solutions for Soft Story Buildings
Engineering Solutions for Soft Story Buildings
There are a handful of ways to retrofit your building.
They each have their unique approach but all methods have the same goal.
To seismically secure your building some of the approaches commonly used are special moment frames, wood frame shear walls, prefabricated shear walls, steel beams, and steel cantilever columns.
Special Moment Frames
Engineering Solutions for Soft Story Buildings
Engineering Solutions for Soft Story Buildings
Special Moment Frames are used to reinforce larger soft story buildings. This method consists of installing the frame and connecting it to new foundation footings. Moment frames are easier to repair if damaged during an earthquake. Its ability to absorb seismic shock during an earthquake is quite impressive. However, moment frames are not the most cost friendly solutions and should be avoided unless absolutely necessary.
Wood Frame Shear Walls
Engineering Solutions for Soft Story Buildings
Pre Fabricated Shear Walls
Shear walls are the most cost-effective engineering solutions. The walls have resistance to lateral forces during an earthquake as they do not bend so easily. The shear walls prevent the walls from separating and causing the building to collapse. The walls are anchored and installed to existing wall segments to the foundation thus taking weight off the building.
Pre Fabricated Shear Walls
Pre Fabricated Shear Walls
Pre Fabricated Shear Walls
Steel Shear walls are a similar reinforcing method to wood framed shear walls. Simpson Strong-Tie and MiTek Industries manufacture these types of walls. They are more resistant to lateral forces than regular wood framed walls and is a good solution for parking areas that have a low clearance. This solution will make sure that tenant parking is not compromised.
Steel Beams
Pre Fabricated Shear Walls
Steel Cantilever Columns
Steel or grade beams behave similarly to shear walls. The weight of the building falls onto the beams supported by the foundation. This may be a costly way to go about retrofitting your property since high quality steel is used to create the beam.
Steel Cantilever Columns
Pre Fabricated Shear Walls
Steel Cantilever Columns
Cantilever I-Beams are one of the most popular retrofitting methods these days. Cantilever beams are more suitable for smaller buildings. The existing wood frame of the building has to be in good standing. During an earthquake, the wood components will be pushed up against the steel columns which may cause them to break or get damaged.
Looking to upgrade your home or business? Look no further than Omega Structural Inc. Building Contractors. Our team of skilled professionals specializes in everything from custom home building to commercial renovations. We're committed to delivering outstanding results that exceed your expectations. Contact us today to get started on your next project.
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