Performance-Based Seismic Design of Tall Buildings in the Western United States

Abstract

Performance-based seismic design methods in the United States originated as a practical and effective means to permit the identification and mitigation of hazardous existing buildings and the development of new buildings capable of superior seismic performance. However, these methods quickly evolved into a tool to justify the development of new buildings that do not conform to building code requirements, and are not necessarily capable of superior performance, but which can be demonstrated to provide acceptable levels of safety and serviceability. This practice has become particularly prevalent in the design of very tall buildings in the Western United States. The Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center, working with the tall building design community, has developed a methodology for designing tall buildings that encompasses and improves upon the procedures developed during the past 10 years of practice.