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WEB-BASED HANDBOOK (Legacy Edition). CLICK HERE to submit comments.
Because of staff changes and Randolph Langenbach's retirement from FEMA, these handbooks were never published on the FEMA website.  These are the only copies available.

 FEMA HAZARD MITIGATION
 HANDBOOK SERIES

-----HOME PAGE-----

 

 EARTHQUAKE HANDBOOK
________________________________ 
 
    Introduction
 
     Symbols and Keywords
 
 I.       BUILDING STRUCTURES
     A.    Introduction

    B.    Intro to Seismic Upgrading

    C.    Structural Concepts  

        C1. Technical Commentary (1)

        C2. Technical Commentary (2)

    D.    Step 1: Risk Assessment

        D1. Upgrade Priority

        D2. Geographical Risk

        D3. Building Structural Types

        D4. Year of Construction

        D5. Load-path Assets+Debits

        D6. Rapid Visual Survey Sheet
     E.    Step 2: Mitigation Measures

 

II.      UTILITY SYSTEMS

    A.     Introduction

    B.     Utility Mitigation Measures

 

 Appendices
     A.      Regulations
     B.      Glossary
     C.      Acronyms
     D.      References
     E.      List of Contributors

Brace Long Walls With Crosswalls 

Long wall sections bend more than shorter walls, making them more vulnerable to earthquake damage. Crosswalls can be added to act as dampers, absorbing energy and limiting displacements from ground motion. Unlike shear walls, crosswalls are designed to tie two diaphragms together, and thus partitions that are not necessarily lined up above one another can qualify as crosswalls.

Effectiveness:

  • Somewhat to very effective, depending on pre-disaster building condition. 

Limitations:

  • Crosswalls should be tied to the roof framing as well as the floor system to reduce the risk of parapet failure and damage to the upper walls.
  • Crosswalls should be anchored with the sill plate and bolted to a new, reinforced concrete footing. 

 

 

NOTE:  None of the mitigation measures in these Handbooks should be considered ‘pre-approved’ or otherwise automatically eligible for FEMA funding. Only FEMA staff can determine eligibility, once they have determined that an applicant is eligible and they have reviewed a project proposal.

FEMA HAZARD MITIGATION HANDBOOKS                                                                        Updated: June 13, 2002