FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY FEMA 741 September 1994 
Supersedes 1985 Edition 
Reducing the Risks 
of Nonstructural 
Earthquake Damage 
A PRACTICAL GUIDE 
Issued by FEMA in furtherance of the Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction 
Reducing the Risks of
Nonstructural Earthquake Damage 
A Practical Guide 
Third Edition 
FEAIA 74/September 1994 
Supersedes 1985 Edition 
Originally developed by Robert Reitherman of Scientific Service, Inc., for the 
Southern California Earthquake Preparedness Project (SCEPP) 
Third Edition by 
WISS, JANNEY, ELSTNER ASSOCIATES, INC. 
For the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 
Under the National Earthquake Technical Assistance Contract (NETAC) EMW-92-C-3852 
Authors: Advisory Panel: 
Eduardo A. Fierro Christopher Arnold Richard Eisner 
Cynthia L. Perry William Holmes Robert Reitherman 
Sigmund A. Freeman 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
LIST OF FIGURES V 
PREFACE vi 
1. HOW TO USE mrs GUIDE 
PURPOSE 1 
INTENDED AUDIENCE 1 
LIMITATIONS 2 
CHAPTER CONTENTS 2 
2. OVERVIEW 
DEFINITIONS 4 
SIGNIFICANCE OF NONSTRUCTURAL DAMAGE 4 
CAUSES OF NONSTRUCTURAL DAMAGE 12 
METHODS FOR REDUCING NONSTRUCTURAL HAZARDS 15 
BUILDING CODE REQUIREMENT FOR NONSTRUCTURAL COMPONENTS 16 
SEISMIC HAZARD 18 
3. NONSTRUCTURAL SURVEY PROCEDURES 
TYPICAL NONSTRUCTURAL COMPONENTS 21 
FACILITY SURVEY 21 
ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES 22 
COMPARISON OF ALTERNATIVES 25 
4. NONSTRUCTURAL EXAMPLES: EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE 
AND UPGRADE DETAILS 
NONSTRUCTURAL EXAMPLES 26 
BUILDING UTILITY SYSTEMS 
Batteries and Battery Rack 30 
Diesel Fuel Tank 31 
Electrical Bus Ducts and Primary Cable System 32 
Fire Extinguisher 33 
Propane Tank 34 
Water Heater: Corner Installation 35 
Water Heater: WallInstallation 36 
Piping 37 
Chiller 38 
Air Compressor (or other WAC Equipment) 40 
Suspended Space Heater 41 
WAC Distribution Ducts 42 
Air Diffuser 43 
Residential Chimney 44 
Built-kn Partial-Height Partitions 45
Built-k Full-Height Partitions 46
Suspended T-Bar Ceilings 47 
Suspended Light Fixtures 48 
Pendant Light Fixtures 49
Stairways 50 
Windows 51
Unreinforced Brick Parapets 52 
Veneer 53
Freestanding Walls or Fences 54 
Exterior Signs 55
FURNITURE AND CONTENTS 
Large Computers and Access Floors 56 
Desktop Computers and Office Equipment 57
Tall Shelving: Freestanding 58
Library Stacks 59 
Tall Shelving: Wall Unit 60 
Tall File Cabinets 61
Flexible Connection for Gas or Fuel Lines 62 
Drawer and Cabinet Latches 63
Freestanding Wood Stove 64 
Compressed-Gas Cylinders 65 
Containers of Hazardous Materials 66
Fragile Artwork 67 
Freestanding Half-Height Partitions 68 
Miscellaneous Furniture 69
INSTALLATION NOTES 70
5. DEVELOPING EARTHQUAKE PROTECTION PROGRAMS 
SELF-HELP VS. USE OF CONSULTANTS 76
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES 77
EVALUATION 79
6. EMERGENCY PLANNING GUIDELINES 
IMPLICATIONS OF NONSTRUCTURAL DAMAGE 
FOR EMERGENCY PLANNING 81
EARTHQUAKE PLANS 82 
TRAINING 83
EXERCISES :84 
PERSONAL EMERGENCY KITS 84
MASTER EARTHQUAKE PLANNING CHECKLIST 84 
7. FACILITIES DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES 
NONSTRUCTURAL CONSTRUCTION GUIDELINES 87 
STRUCTURAL/NONSTRUCTURAL INTERACTION 89 
ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS 
FEES FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES 90
GLOSSARY 91
REFERENCES 93
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY 95
B: CHECKLIST OF NONSTRUCTURAL EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS B-1
C: NONSTRUCTURAL RISK RATINGS C-1
APPENDIXES 
A: NONSTRUCTURAL INVENTORY FORM A-i 
LIST OF FIGURES
Page1. Nonstructural and Structural Components of a Typical Building 5
2. Examples of Hazardous Nonstructural. Damage 6
3. Examples of Hazardous Nonstructural Damage 8
4. Examples of Property Loss Due to Nonstructural Damage 10
5. Examples of Loss of Function Due to Nonstructural Damage 11
6. Effects of Earthquakes on Nonstructural Components 14
7. Map of Probable Shaking Intensity for the United States 19
8. Nonstructural Examples 28-29 
9. Information Gathering Checklist: Organizational Characteristics 85
10. Master Nonstructural Earthquake Protection Checklist 86
PREFACE
The first edition of this guide was prepared 
under contract to the Southern California 
Earthquake Preparedness Project (SCEPP), a 
joint state-federal effort. It was prepared by 
Scientific Service, Inc., a firm specializing in 
engineering and emergency planning consulting 
related to natural and man-made hazards. It 
was written and researched by Robert 
Reitherman with the assistance of Dr. T. C. 
Zsutty; they provided architectural and 
structural engineering expertise, respectively, in 
the field of nonstructural earthquake damage. 
The second edition was published in 1985 by 
the Bay Area Regional Earthquake Preparedness 
Project, now part of the California Office of 
Emergency Services, Earthquake Program. 
Revisions were based on the suggestions of 
users and a peer review committee consisting of 
Christopher Arnold, president, Building Systems 
Development, Inc.; Richard Eisner, director of 
BAREPP; Eric Elsesser, vice president, 
Forell/Elsesser; William Holmes, structural 
engineer, Rutherford & Chekene; John Meehan, 
chief, structural safety, Office of the State 
Architect; and Gilbert Najera, Southern 
California Earthquake Preparedness Project. 
The revisions made in the second edition of the 
guide consisted primarily of modifying graphics, 
updating construction cost estimates, and 
identifying the need for engineering and 
architectural assistance in designing and 
carrying out the guide's recommendations. 
This third edition was prepared by Wiss, 
Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc., for the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under 
the National Earthquake Technical Assistance 
Contract (EMW-92-C-3852). The objective of 
this revision is to incorporate lessons learned 
from earthquakes that have occurred since the 
second edition was published, provide additional 
details, distinguish between do-it-yourself details 
and those for which there is additional 
engineering required, update the cost estimates 
presented, and incorporate new techniques and 
trends in earthquake engineering. The format of 
the document has been substantially revised. 
Review comments and suggestions were 
provided by the advisory panel, which was 
composed of Christopher Arnold, Richard 
Eisner, William Holmes, and Robert 
Reitherman. 
Individual photo credits are provided, both for 
photos carried over from previous editions and 
for those new to the third edition. Some new 
anchorage or bracing details have been adapted 
from other publications that are listed in the 
References (References 16 to 21). 
Disclaimer FEMA and Wiss, Janney, Elstner 
Associates have attempted to produce reliable 
and practical information in this publication, but 
neither they nor any consultants involved in 
preparing or reviewing material contained in 
this guide can guarantee that its application will 
safeguard people or property in case of an 
earthquake. The state of the art of earthquake 
engineering is not sufficiently developed to 
perfectly predict the performance of 
nonstructural elements or to guarantee adequate 
earthquake protection if these or other 
guidelines are followed. Professional expertise 
is recommended to increase the probability that 
intended levels of earthquake protection will be 
achieved. Liability for any losses that may 
occur in an earthquake or as a result of using 
this guidance is specifically disclaimed. 
HOW TO, USE THIS GUIDE 
PURPOSE 
This guide was developed to fulfill several 
different objectives and address a wide audience 
with varying needs. The primary intent is to 
explain the sources of nonstructural earthquake
damage in simple terms and to provide 
information on effective methods of reducing 
the potential risks. The recommendations 
contained in this guide are intended to reduce 
the potential hazards but cannot completely 
eliminate them. 
INTENDED AUDIENCE 
This guide is intended primarily for use by a lay 
audience: building owners, facilities managers, 
maintenance personnel, store or office 
managers, corporate/agency department heads, 
business proprietors, homeowners, etc. Some 
readers may be small-business owners with a 
small number of potential problems that could 
be addressed in a few days' time by having a 
handyman install some of the generic details 
presented in this guide. Other readers may be 
responsible for hundreds of facilities and may 
need a survey methodology to help them 
understand the magnitude of their potential 
problems. 
The purpose of this section is to help readers 
identify those portions of the guide that may be 
applicable to their particular situation and 
interests. The prospective audience can be 
subdivided into the four general categories 
described below. Each description contains a 
list of the chapters that may be the most useful 
for that group of readers. The chapter contents 
are also described below. 
General Interest The lay reader who wants 
an illustrated overview of the subject of 
nonstructural earthquake damage. 
Suggested reading for the 
genera interest reader: 
Chapters 1and 2 and the 
nonstructured examples in 
Chapter 4.
Do-It-Yourself The reader who wants a 
general overview of the subject, help in 
identifying potential hazards, and specific 
guidance with suggested upgrade derails that the 
reader can implement him-or herself. 
Suggested reading for the 
do-it-your self reader: 
Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4. 
Chapter 4 contains some 
generic details and 
installation guidelines. 
Facilities/Planning Personnel Facilities 
or planning personnel who need an overview of 
the subject as well as a survey methodology 
applicable to an organizational setting. This 
guide contains forms and checklists that can be 
used to survey a facility to identify potential 
hazards, estimate seismic vulnerability and 
potential earthquake losses and repair costs, and 
estimate the costs in implementing hazard 
reduction methods. The guide differentiates 
between methods that can be readily 
implemented by a handyman and those that 
require professional assistance. The guide also 
contains a discussion of various implementation 
strategies and general guidance on earthquake 
preparedness and emergency planning. 
Architect/Engineer The A/E who has little 
or no knowledge of nonstructural earthquake 
damage and needs an introduction to the subject 
and a list of sources that will provide more 
detailed technical information. 
The categories and suggested reading above are 
intended to be helpful, not restrictive. Readers 
are encouraged to use this guide and/or adapt 
the forms and checklists herein in any way that 
is helpful to their particular circumstances. 
Self-diagnosis and self-implementation by the 
nonengineer may be adequate in many instances, 
and an attempt has been made to provide 
enough detail to allow for complete 
implementation of some of the simpler 
protective measures. However, there are limits 
to the self-help approach, as explicitly stated 
below. 
Limitations
If this were a guide that explained how a person 
could administer his or her own physical exam, 
diagnose any health problems, and prescribe and 
carry out the appropriate treatment, certain 
obvious questions would arise: How far along 
that path can an untrained person proceed before 
requiring the services of a physician? Wouldn't 
the layperson get into trouble trying to practice 
self-help medical care?
When in doubt, consult a civil or structural engineer. 
There are similar limitations 
And caveats that must be 
made explicit in this 
guide's attempt to 
instruct laypersons in self-help earthquake 
engineering. In addition to the individual notes 
found later, which point out specific areas 
where expertise is required, the general 
disclaimer should be made here that the use of 
earthquake engineering expertise is often 
desirable to improve the reliability of identifying 
and reducing earthquake risks. When in doubt 
about a health problem, consult a doctor. When 
in doubt about the "seismic health" of a facility, 
consult a civil or structural engineer, or an 
architect. On the other hand, many self-help 
techniques are commonly recommended by 
doctors, such as taking one's temperature, 
treating minor colds with commonsense 
measures rather than costly trips to the doctor, 
managing one's diet with only occasional 
professional advice, and so on. Similarly, this 
guide attempts to provide advice for self-help 
earthquake protection measures and presumes 
that the advice will be applied wisely and that 
expert assistance will be obtained where 
necessary. 
CHAPTER CONTENTS 
The material in this book is organized as 
follows. 
Chapter 1 -How to Use This Guide 
Information to help readers with different 
interests find the relevant portions of this guide. 
Chapter 2 Overiew
General discussion
of the problems associated with nonstructural 
earthquake damage. 
Chapter 3 -Survey and Assessment 
Procedures Guidelines on how to survey the 
nonstructural items in a facility and assess the 
vulnerability of these items to earthquake 
damage. The appendixes contain inventory 
forms and detailed checklists with information 
designed to help identify vulnerable items. 
Chapter 4 Nonstructural Examples: 
Earthquake Damage and Upgrade 
Details Examples for selected nonstructural 
items. -Each example typically includes a 
photograph showing earthquake damage to an 
unanchored or inadequately anchored item and 
suggested upgrade details that can be used to 
reduce the seismic vulnerability of such items. 
Some of the simpler details in this chapter are 
marked Do-It-Yourself and can be installed by a 
handyman following the installation guidelines 
contained in the text. The details marked 
Engineering Required are schematic only, and 
design professionals should be retained to 
evaluate these systems and develop appropriate 
upgrade details. The design of upgrade details 
to protect against earthquake damage to these 
items is complicated and requires specialized 
professional expertise. 
Chapter 5 -Developing an 
Earthquake Protection Program A 
discussion of various implementation strategies: 
whether to use existing staff or outside 
consultants; whether to embark on an ambitious 
upgrade program or combine the upgrades with 
ongoing maintenance or remodeling; how to 
evaluate the success of a program. 
Chapter 6 -Emergency Planning 
Guidelines A discussion of emergency 
response planning, that is, how to include 
potential damage to nonstructural components in 
an emergency plan. Have emergency exits been 
designated that do not have glass, veneer, or 
heavy canopies that are vulnerable to damage? 
Who is responsible for shutting off the water 
and gas if the pipes break, and is that person--
and an alternate--available 24 hours a day? 
Does the organization provide training for 
employees on what to do in an earthquake? 
Chapter 7 -Facilities Development 
Guidelines For essential facilities and/or 
large organizations. In these cases, it may be 
appropriate to develop formal construction 
guidelines or specifications for the installation of 
nonstructural components. Such guidelines 
might include a statement of the desired 
performance for particular equipment, 
requirements for inspection during construction, 
or specification of a particular design code or 
force level to be used in the design of 
equipment anchorage. 
Glossary Earthquake engineering terms used 
in this guide. 
References References cited in the text. 
Annotated Bibliography Additional 
references that may be useful to architects, 
engineers, or others seeking more detailed 
information about this topic. 
Appendix A -Nonstructural Inventory 
Form 
Appendix B -Checklist of 
Nonstructural Earthquake Hazards 
Appendix C -Nonstructural Risk 
Ratings 
2. OVERVIEW
The primary focus of this guide is to help the 
reader understand which nonstructural items are 
most vulnerable in an earthquake and most 
likely to cause personal injury, costly property 
damage, or loss of function if they are 
damaged. In addition, this guide contains 
recommendations on how to implement cost-
effective measures that can help to reduce the 
potential hazards. 
DEFINITIONS 
At the outset, two terms frequently used in the 
earthquake engineering field should be defined. 
Structural The structural portions of a 
building are those that resist gravity, 
earthquake, wind, and other types of loads. 
These are called structural components and 
include columns (posts, pillars); beams (girders, 
joists); braces; floor or roof sheathing, slabs, or 
decking; load-bearing walls (i.e., walls designed 
to support the building weight and/or provide 
lateral resistance); and foundations (mat, spread 
footings, piles). For buildings planned by 
design professionals, the structure is typically 
designed and analyzed in detail by a structural 
engineer. 
Nonstructural The nonstructural portions of 
a building include every part of the building and 
all its contents with the exception of the 
structure--in other words, everything except the 
columns, floors, beams, etc. Common 
nonstructural components include ceilings; 
windows; office equipment; computers; 
inventory stored on shelves; file cabinets; 
heating, ventilating, and air conditioning 
(HVAC) equipment; electrical equipment; 
furnishings; lights; etc. Typically, nonstructural 
items are not analyzed by engineers and may be 
specified by architects, mechanical engineers 
(who design HVAC systems and plumbing for 
larger buildings), electrical engineers, or 
interior designers; or they may be purchased 
without the involvement of any design 
professional by owners or tenants after 
construction of a building. Figure 1 identifies 
the structural and nonstructural components of 
a typical building. Note that most of the 
structural components of a typical building are 
concealed from view by nonstructural materials. 
SIGNIFICANCE OF 
NONSTRUCTURAL DAMAGE 
Why is nonstructural earthquake damage of 
concern? What are the direct effects of damage 
to nonstructural items? What are the secondary 
effects or potential consequences of damage? 
The following discussion covers three types of 
risk associated with earthquake damage to 
nonstructural components: life safety, property 
loss, and interruption or loss of essential 
functions. Damage to a particular nonstructural 
item may have differing degrees of risk in each 
of these three categories. In addition, damage 
to the item may result in direct injury or loss, 
or the injury or loss may be a secondary effect 
or consequence of the failure of the item. 
LS Life Safety 
The first type of risk is 
that people could be injured or killed by 
damaged or falling nonstructural components. 
Even seemingly innocuous items can be lethal if 
they fall on an unsuspecting victim. If a 
25-pound fluorescent light fixture not properly 
fastened to the ceiling breaks loose during an 
earthquake and falls on someone's head, the 
potential for injury is great. Examples of 
potentially hazardous nonstructural damage that 
AIR CONDITIONING 
ELECTRICAL 
DUCT. BEAM 
CONDUIT FOR 
WIRING. HAPNGER WIF AIR 
FIRE 
EXTERIOR 
SUSPENDED CURTAIN WALL, 
CEILING WINDOWS, 
ACOUSTICAL CLADDING. 
TILE. 
STEEL OR 
CONCRETE 
COLUMNS. 
KEY 
WALL.
PARTITION 
REINFORCED 
CONCRETE SLAB 
ON METAL DECK OR 
CONCRETE SLAB. 
COLUMN (STEEL 
COLUMN SHOWN... 
USUALLY ENCASED 
IN NONSTRUCTURAL 
FIREPROOFING). 
KEY
Figure 1  Nonstructural and Structural Components of a Typical Building
NONSTRUCTURAL ITEMS (STANDARD TEXT) 
STRUCTURAL ITEMS (ITALICS) 
Failure of office partitions, ceilings, and light fixtures 
Earthquake Damage: 1994, Northridge, California 
Photo Credit: Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. 
Shard of broken nontempered glass that fell several stories from a multistory building 
Earthquake Damage: 1994, Northridge, California 
Photo Credit: Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. 
Figure 2 -Examples of Hazardous Nonstructural Damage 
has occurred during past earthquakes include 
broken glass, overturned tall and heavy cabinets 
or shelves, falling ceilings or overhead light 
fixtures, ruptured gas lines or other piping 
containing hazardous materials, damaged friable 
asbestos materials, falling pieces of decorative 
brickwork or precast concrete panels, and 
collapsed masonry walls or fences. (Figures 2 
and 3). 
Several specific examples will help to illustrate 
the point. 
* More than 170 campuses in the Los Angeles 
Unified School District suffered damage--most 
of it nonstructural--during the 1994 Northridge 
earthquake. At Reseda High School, the ceiling 
in a classroom collapsed and covered the school 
desks with debris. The acoustic ceiling panels 
fell in relatively large pieces, approximately 3 
feet or 4 feet square, accompanied by pieces of 
the metal ceiling runners and funl-length sections 
of strip fluorescent light fixtures. Because the 
earthquake occurred at 4:31 a.m., when the 
building was unoccupied, none of the students 
were injured [1]. 
* A survey of elevator damage following the 
1989 Loma Prieta earthquake revealed 98 
instances where counterweights came out of the 
guide rails and 6 instances where the 
counterweight impacted the elevator cab, 
including one case where the counterweight 
came through the roof of the cab. Fortunately, 
no injuries were reported [2]. 
* One hospital patient on a life-support system 
died during the 1994 Northridge earthquake 
because of failure of the hospital's electrical 
supply [3]. 
* During the 1993 Guam earthquake, the fire-
rated nonstructural masonry partitions in the exit 
corridors of one resort hotel were extensively 
cracked, causing many of the metal fire doors in 
the corridors to jam. Hotel guests had to break 
through the gypsum wallboard partitions 
between rooms in order to get out of the 
building, a process that took as long as several 
hours. It was fortunate that the earthquake did 
not cause a fire in the building, and no serious 
injuries were reported. 
PL Property Loss For most 
commercial buildings, the foundation and 
superstructure account for approximately 2025 
% of the original construction cost, while the 
mechanical, electrical, and architectural 
elements account for the remaining 75-80%. 
Contents belonging to the building occupants, 
such as movable partitions, furniture, files, and 
office or medical equipment, represent a 
significant additional expense. Damage to the 
nonstructural elements and contents of a 
building can be costly, since these components 
account for the vast majority of building costs. 
Immediate property losses attributable to 
contents alone are often estimated to be one 
third of the total earthquake losses [4].. 
Property losses may be the result of direct 
damage to a nonstructural item or of 
consequential damage. As used here, the term 
property loss refers only to immediate, direct 
damage. If water pipes or fire sprinkler lines 
break, the overall property losses will include 
the cost to repair the piping plus the cost to 
repair water damage to the facility. If the gas 
line to a water heater ruptures and causes a fire, 
clearly the property loss will be much greater 
than the cost of a new pipe fitting. On the other 
hand, if many file cabinets overturn and all the 
contents end up on the floor, the direct damage 
to the cabinets and documents will probably be 
negligible (unless they are also affected by 
water damage), but employees may spend many 
hours or days refiling the documents. If a 
reserve water tank is situated on the roof of a 
building, the consequences of damage may be 
more severe than they would be if it were in the 
Failure of suspended ceiling and light fixtures in furniture store 
Earthquake Damage: 1994 Northridge California 
Photo Credit: William McKevitt
Failure of heavy stucco soffit at building entrance 
Earthquake Damage: 1994, Northridge, California 
Photo Credit: Robert Reitherman 
Figure 3 -Examples of Hazardous Nonstructural Damage 
basement or outside the building in the parking 
lot. 
A few individual cases may help illustrate the 
potential for property loss. (See Figure 4). 
* A survey of 25 commercial buildings 
following the 1971 San Fernando earthquake 
revealed the following breakdown of property 
losses: structural damage, 3%; electrical and 
mechanical, 7%; exterior finishes, 34%; and 
interior finishes, 56%. A similar survey of 50 
high-rise buildings, which were far enough 
away from the earthquake fault to experience 
only mild shaking, showed that none had major 
structural damage but 43 suffered damage to 
drywall or plaster partitions, 18 suffered 
damaged elevators, 15 had broken windows, 
and 8 incurred damage to air conditioning 
systems [5]. 
Many offices and small businesses suffer losses 
as a result of nonstructural earthquake damage 
but may not keep track of these losses unless 
they have earthquake insurance that will help 
cover the cleanup and repair costs. The next 
examples, which are more dramatic, involve 
library and museum facilities whose function is 
to store and maintain valuable contents, where 
the nonstructural losses are easy to identify. 
* Following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, 
two libraries in San Francisco each suffered 
over a million dollars in damage to building 
contents; the money was spent primarily on 
reconstructing the library stacks, rebinding 
damaged books, and sorting and reshelving 
books. At one of these facilities, $100,000 was 
spent rebinding a relatively small number of 
rare books [6, 7]. 
* A survey of eight museums in the San 
Francisco Bay Area following the 1989 Loma 
Prieta earthquake indicated that approximately 
150 out of more than 500,000 items had 
suffered some type of damage, resulting in 
losses on the order of $10 million. At the 
Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, with a 
collection estimated to, have a market value of 
$3 billion, damage to 26 items resulted in a total 
loss of $3 million, or roughly 1%. All eight of 
these facilities had implemented some form of 
seismic mitigation before the earthquake, and 
these measures prevented more serious losses 
[2, 8]. 
LF Loss of Function In addition to 
the life safety and property loss considerations, 
there is the additional possibility that 
nonstructural damage will make it difficult or 
impossible to carry out the functions normally 
accomplished in a facility. After the serious life 
safety threats have been dealt with, the potential 
for postearthquake downtime or reduced 
productivity is often the most important risk. 
Many external factors may affect postearthquake 
operations, including power and water outages, 
damage to transportation structures, civil 
disorder, police lines, curfews, etc. These 
effects are outside the control of building 
owners and tenants and hence outside the scope 
of this discussion. 
The following are examples of nonstructural 
damage that resulted in interruptions to 
postearthquake emergency operations or to 
business. 
* During the 1994 Northridge earthquake, 
nonstructural damage caused temporary closure, 
evacuation, or patient transfer at ten essential 
hospital facilities. These hospitals generally had 
little or no structural damage but were rendered 
temporarily inoperable, primarily because of 
water damage. At over a dozen of these 
facilities, water leaks occurred when fire 
sprinkler, chilled-water, or other pipelines 
broke. Hospital personnel were apparently 
unavailable or unable to shut off the water, and 
Complete loss of suspended ceiling and light fixtures 
Earthquake Damage: 1994, Northridge, California 
Photo Credit: Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. 
Damage to inventory on industrial storage racks 
Earthquake Damage: 1994, Northridge, California 
Photo Credit: Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. 
Figure 4 Examples of Property Loss Due to Nonstructural Damage 
Broken sprinkler pipe at Olive View Hospital in Sylmar-pipe ruptured at the elbow joint due to 
differential motion within the ceiling plenum. Water leakage from broken fire sprinklers and water lines 
forced the hospital to close for several days. 
Earthquake Damage: 1994, Northridge, California 
Photo Credit: Robert Reitherman 
HVAC damage at Holy Cross Medical Center in Sylmar-damage to signage and louvers caused when suspended fans in the mechanical penthouse swung and impacted the louver panels. HVAC service 
outage caused the temporary evacuation of all patients. 
Earthquake Damage: 1994, Northridge, California 
Photo Credit: Robert Reitherman 
Figure 5 -Examples of Loss of Function Due to Nonstructural Damage 
in some cases water was flowing for many 
hours. At one facility, water up to 2 feet deep 
was reported at some locations in the building 
as a result of damage to the domestic water 
supply tank on the roof. At another, the 
emergency generator was disabled when its 
cooling water line broke where it crossed a 
separation joint. Other damage at these 
facilities included broken glass, dangling light 
fixtures, elevator counterweight damage, and 
lack of emergency power due to failures in the 
distribution or control systems. Two of these 
facilities, Los Angeles County Olive View 
Medical Center and Holy Cross Medical Center, 
both in Sylmar, California, had suffered severe 
structural damage or collapse during the 1971 
San Fernando earthquake and had been 
demolished and entirely rebuilt [3]. (See Figure 
5). 
* Of 32 data processing facilities surveyed 
following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, at 
least 13 were temporarily out of operation for 
periods ranging from 4 to 56 hours. The 
primary cause of outage was loss of outside 
power; at least 3 facilities with Uninterruptible 
Power Supplies (UPS) or Emergency Power 
Systems (EPS) did not suffer any downtime. 
Reported damage included overturning of 
equipment (2 facilities); damage to access floors 
(4 facilities); movement of large pieces of 
computer equipment over distances ranging 
from a few inches to 4 feet (26 facilities); and 
dislodged ceiling panels (13 facilities). Twenty 
of these facilities reported having an earthquake 
preparedness program in place at the time of the 
earthquake, 3 reported no program, and 
information was unavailable for 9 facilities [2]. 
* The 1971 San Fernando earthquake caused 
extensive damage to elevators in the Los 
Angeles area, even in some structures where no 
other damage was reported. An elevator survey 
indicated 674 instances where counterweights 
came out of the guide rails, in addition to 
reports of other types of elevator damage. 
These elevators were inoperable until they could 
be inspected and repaired. Many thousands of 
businesses were temporarily affected by these 
elevator outages. The State of California 
instituted seismic elevator code provisions in 
1975, and while these provisions appear to have 
helped reduce the damage, there were still many 
instances of counterweight damage in the San 
Francisco area following the 1989 Loma Prieta 
earthquake [2], and 688 cases in the Northridge 
earthquake [3]. 
In some cases, cleanup costs or the value of lost 
employee labor are not the key measures of the 
postearthquake impact of an earthquake. For 
example, data processing facilities or financial 
institutions must remain operational on a 
minute-by-minute basis to maintain essential 
services and monitor transactions at distant 
locations. In such cases, spilled files or damage 
to communications and computer equipment 
may represent less tangible but more significant 
outage costs. Hospitals and fire and police 
stations are all facilities with essential functions 
that must remain operational after an 
earthquake; damage to their nonstructural 
elements can be a major cause of loss of 
functionality. 
CAUSES OF 
NONSTRUCTURAL DAMAGE 
Earthquake ground shaking has three primary 
effects on nonstructural elements in buildings. 
These are inertial or shaking effects on the 
nonstructural elements themselves, distortions 
imposed on nonstructural components when the 
building structure sways back and forth, and 
separation or pounding at the interface between 
adjacent structures (Figure 6). 
Inertial Forces When a building is shaken 
during an earthquake, the base of the building 
moves in unison with the ground, but the entire 
building and building contents above the base 
will experience inertial forces. These inertial 
forces can be explained by using the analogy of 
a passenger in a moving vehicle. As a 
passenger, you experience inertial forces 
whenever the vehicle is rapidly accelerating or 
decelerating. If the vehicle is accelerating, you 
may feel yourself pushed backward against the 
seat, since the inertial force on your body acts 
in the direction opposite that of the acceleration. 
If the vehicle is decelerating or braking, you 
may be thrown forward in your seat. Although 
the engineering aspects of earthquake inertial 
forces are more complex than a single principle 
of physics, the law first formulated by Sir Isaac 
Newton, F = ma, or force is equal to the mass 
times the acceleration, is the basic principle 
involved. In general, the earthquake inertial 
forces are greater if the mass is greater (if the 
building or object within the building weighs 
more) or if the acceleration or severity of the 
shaking is greater. 
File cabinets, emergency power-generating 
equipment, freestanding bookshelves, office 
equipment, and items stored on shelves or racks 
can all be damaged because of inertial forces. 
When unrestrained items are shaken by an 
earthquake, inertial forces may cause them to 
slide, swing, strike other objects, or overturn. 
Items may slide off shelves and fall to the floor. 
One common misconception is that large, heavy 
objects are stable and not as vulnerable to 
earthquake damage as lighter objects, perhaps 
because we may have difficulty moving them. 
In fact, many types of objects may be 
vulnerable to earthquake damage caused by 
inertial forces: since inertial forces during an 
earthquake are proportional to the mass or 
weight of an object, a -heavily loaded file 
cabinet requires much stronger restraints to keep 
it from sliding or overturning than a light one 
with the same dimensions. 
Building Distortion During an earthquake, 
building structures distort, or bend, from side to 
side in response to the earthquake forces. For 
example, the top of a tall office tower may lean 
over a few feet in each direction during an 
earthquake. The distortion over the height of 
each story, known as the story drift, might 
range from 14inch to several inches, depending 
on the size of the earthquake and the 
characteristics of the particular building 
structure. Windows, partitions, and other items 
that are tightly locked into the structure are 
forced to go along for the ride. As the columns 
or walls distort and become slightly out of 
square, if only for an instant, any tightly 
confined windows or partitions must also distort 
the same amount. The more space there is 
around a pane of glass where it is mounted 
between stops or molding strips, the more 
distortion the glazing assembly can 
accommodate before the glass itself is subjected 
to earthquake forces. Brittle materials like 
glass, plaster or drywall partitions, and masonry 
infill or veneer cannot tolerate any significant 
distortion and will crack when the perimeter 
gaps close and the building structure pushes 
directly on the brittle elements. Most 
architectural components such as glass panes, 
partitions, and veneer are damaged because of 
this type of building distortion, not because they 
themselves are shaken or damaged by inertial 
forces. 
There have also been notable cases of structural nonstructural 
interaction in past earthquakes, 
where rigid nonstructural components have been 
the cause of structural damage or collapse. 
These cases have generally involved rigid, 
strong architectural components, such as 
masonry infill or concrete spandrels, that inhibit 
the movement or distortion of the structural 
framing and cause premature failure of column 
or beam elements. While this is -a serious 
concern for structural designers, the focus of 
this guide is on earthquake damage to 
nonstructural components. 
Building Separations Another source of 
nonstructural damage involves pounding or 
movement across separation joints between 
OVERTURNING OF 
SLENDER OBJECTS 
SLIDING OF 
STOCKY OBJECTS 
UPLIFT 
SLIDING ANDO
OERTRNING 
BREAKAGE OF
GLASS OR
PARTITIONS 
IMPOSED DEFORMATION
DEFORMED SHAPE BREAKAGE OF PIPING OR DUCTS MAY OCCUR AT 
OF BUILDING SEISMIC JOINTS DUE TO DIFFERENTIAL 
DISPLACEMENTS (SEPARATION AND POUNDING) 
DEFORMED SHAPE 
OF BUILDING 
BUILDING SEPARATION 
Figure 6 -Effects of Earthquakes on Nonstructural Components
adjacent structures. A separation joint, is the 
distance between two different building 
structures, often two wings of the same facility, 
that allows the structures to move independently 
of one another. A seismic gap is a separation 
joint provided to accommodate relative lateral 
movement during an earthquake. In order to 
provide functional continuity between separate 
wings, building utilities must often extend 
across these building separations, and 
architectural finishes must be detailed to 
terminate on either side. For base-isolated 
buildings that are mounted on seismic shock 
absorbers, a seismic isolation gap occurs at the 
ground level, between the foundation and the 
base of the superstructure. The separation joint 
may be only an inch or two in older 
construction or as much as a foot in some newer 
buildings, depending on the expected horizontal 
movement, or seismic drift. Flashing, piping, 
fire sprinkler lines, HVAC ducts, partitions, and 
flooring all have to be detailed to accommodate 
the seismic movement expected at these 
locations when the two structures move closer 
together or further apart. Damage to items 
crossing seismic gaps is a common type of 
earthquake damage. If the size of the gap is 
insufficient, pounding between adjacent 
structures may result in damage to structural 
components but often causes damage to 
nonstructural components, such as parapets, 
veneer, or cornices on the facades of older 
buildings. 
METHODS FOR REDUCING 
NONSTRUCTURAL HAZARDS 
There are a variety of methods available to 
reduce the potential risks associated with 
earthquake damage to nonstructural components. 
These methods range from simple commonsense 
steps one can take oneself to complex solutions 
requiring professional help. Simple steps might 
include relocating top-heavy furniture away 
from the doorway or bed in a bedroom and 
installing some of the simple do-it-yourself 
anchorage details presented in this guide. Large 
organizations with complex facilities may need 
to hire professional consultants to design 
engineering details for building utilities and 
architectural components. For facilities such as 
hospitals, museums, libraries, research 
laboratories, and industrial facilities, 
professional consultants would probably be 
needed to provide specific design details for 
specialized building contents as well. 
Facility Survey Nonstructural hazards may 
be present in any type of facility-a home, an 
office, a church, a day care center, a retail 
store, a nursing care facility, a school, a light 
manufacturing plant. Chapter 3 includes 
guidelines for performing a facility survey to 
identify potential nonstructural hazards. The 
forms and checklists provided in this guide are 
intended for use by laypersons, i.e., 
nonengineers, who are familiar with the building 
or facility to be surveyed. The process of 
conducting the survey should help to increase 
user awareness of the potential problems. The 
results of the survey should help building 
owners, managers, and/or occupants understand 
the scope of the potential problems and assess 
the building's seismic vulnerability, or present 
level of risk of nonstructural earthquake 
damage. 
Commonsense Measures A facility 
survey may identify many items that represent 
a high or moderate risk in their present location 
but that could readily be relocated to reduce the 
potential risk. The answers to the following 
questions may help identify commonsense 
measures that can be used to reduce many of the 
potential risks. 
* Where do you, your family, and your 
employees spend the most time? Are there 
heavy, unstable items near your desk or bed that 
could be moved? What is the probability that 
someone will be injured by various items if they 
fall? Which areas of the building have a higher 
occupant load and hence a potentially higher life 
safety risk? Are there items that no longer 
serve a useful function and can be removed? 
What items can be relocated to prevent possible 
injury and do not need to be anchored to 
prevent damage or loss? 
* If something slides or falls, in what direction 
is it likely to go? While the answer to this 
question is not always obvious, it may be useful 
to rearrange some furniture and move tall or 
heavy objects to where they cannot block a door 
or an exit. Shelved items might be rearranged 
so that heavier items are near the bottom and 
lighter ones near the top. Incompatible 
chemicals can be moved to prevent mixing if the 
containers break. Excess supplies or inventory 
could be stored in the original shipping 
containers until ready for use, in order to reduce 
the possibility of breakage. 
Upgrade Details There are many 
techniques available to reduce potential 
nonstructural earthquake damage. Possible 
upgrade schemes might include one or more of 
the following measures: use anchor bolts to 
provide rigid anchorage to a structural floor or 
wall; brace the item to a structural wall or 
floor; provide a tether or safety cable to limit 
the range of movement if the item falls or 
swings; provide stops or bumpers to limit the 
range of movement if the item slides; provide 
flexible connections for piping and conduit 
where they cross seismic joints or connect to 
rigidly mounted equipment; attach contents to a 
shelf, desktop, or countertop; provide base 
isolation or seismic shock absorbers for 
individual pieces of vital equipment. 
Some of these methods are designed to protect 
the functional integrity of a particular item, 
some are designed merely to reduce the 
consequences of failure. It is important to 
understand the applicability and limitations of 
the various upgrade schemes and to select an 
appropriate scheme for a particular item in a 
particular context. 
Critical and expensive items warrant specialized 
attention. For essential facilities in areas where 
severe shaking is anticipated, any or all of the 
following elements may be needed in order to 
provide an appropriate level of nonstructural 
protection: specialized engineering expertise, 
higher design forces than those required by the 
code, experienced specialty contractors, special 
construction inspection, load-rated hardware, 
vendor-supplied equipment that has been tested 
on a shaking table, special design details such as 
base isolation for individual pieces of 
equipment, larger seismic gaps to prevent 
pounding between adjacent structures, or stiffer 
structural systems such as shear walls to avoid 
excessive distortion of the structural framing. 
Organizational Planning Programs In 
an organizational setting, an effective program 
to reduce nonstructural earthquake hazards may 
have to be integrated with other organizational 
functions, including earthquake preparedness, 
emergency response, facilities maintenance, 
procurement, long-term planning, and/or 
facilities development. Some organizations 
might choose to embark on an ambitious 
program to anchor all of their existing 
equipment and contents, while others may 
concentrate on new facilities and new 
equipment. Many different implementation 
strategies are possible. Programs to develop 
employee awareness and provide emergency 
training might be in order for some 
organizations, since a successful nonstructural 
hazards reduction program has to address the 
many human factors issues along with the 
engineering issues. 
BUILDING CODE 
REQUIREMENTS FOR 
NONSTRUCTURAL 
COMPONENTS 
By and large, advances in earthquake 
engineering made in recent decades have been 
successfully applied to the task of making 
building structures safer. In comparison, there 
has been much less application of this technical 
knowledge to the nonstructural components of 
buildings, although this is gradually changing. 
Design professionals, code committees, and 
building owners are learning that the seismic 
resistance of critical nonstructural components 
must be addressed as part of the design process, 
since failures of nonstructural components may 
threaten the safety of building occupants and 
result in significant financial loss. 
Code Philosophy Surveys of existing 
buildings indicate that many nonstructural items 
are never explicitly designed to resist horizontal 
forces. Instead, they are installed in accordance 
with common construction practice, which 
varies little from seismic to nonseismic areas. 
Modern building codes typically include some 
seismic provisions, that apply to a limited list of 
nonstructural items. Many nonstructural items 
are not specifically addressed in the provisions 
and may therefore be interpreted as being 
exempt from code requirements. For example, 
some specific code provisions, apply to concrete 
masonry unit fences taller than 6 feet, but a 5 
foot tall masonry wall without proper 
reinforcing can also be a hazard. 
The fact that the building code is not as specific 
about nonstructural items as it is about the 
structural portions of buildings is indicative of 
the general intent of the earthquake provisions 
to provide a minimum level of life safety and to 
avoid legislating property damage control 
measures. In general, the concepts of life safety 
and prevention of structural collapse have been 
used almost interchangeably in the thinking 
underlying the earthquake regulations in the 
building code, although it is apparent that there 
are significant nonstructural dangers to life and 
limb as well. In some cases, the potential for 
nonstructural property loss or outage is a strong 
reason for obtaining more than the code 
minimum level of protection. Indeed, even 
code requirements in early 1994 for the design 
of nonstructural items in medical facilities in 
California, which were more stringent than 
those for office and residential occupancies, 
were apparently not restrictive enough to 
completely prevent disruption of service 
following the January 1994 Northridge 
earthquake. 
The point of this discussion is to emphasize the 
life safety focus of current building code 
provisions, which are intended primarily to 
reduce potential injuries, not to prevent costly 
damage or loss of function. Code provisions, 
for nonstructural components are subject to 
revision every three years, and in the future 
these provisions may be revised to aim for a 
higher level of nonstructural protection. 
Engineering Design To design protective 
devices such as bolted connections, snubbers, or 
restraining cables, engineers use a percentage of 
the weight of the object as the horizontal 
earthquake force that must be resisted by the 
design details. Design guidelines developed by 
the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction 
Program (NEIHRP) are contained in NEHRP 
Recommended Provisions for the Development of 
Seismic Regulations for New Buildings [9]. 
Many state and local codes have adopted similar 
design provisions for nonstructural components. 
These provisions specifically address earthquake 
inertial forces. The engineer must also account 
for the effects of building distortion (i.e., 
seismic relative displacements between two 
connection points in the same building or 
structural system) and the effects of building 
separations (i.e., seismic relative displacements 
between two connection points on separate 
buildings or structural systems) in the design. 
The following is a brief description of the 
simplest type of engineering design procedure. 
Minimum design levels for architectural, 
mechanical, and electrical systems and 
components are described in the NEHRP 
provisions. The provisions specify horizontal 
seismic force factors to be used for the design 
of specific items, such as partitions, parapets, 
chimneys, ornaments, tank supports, storage 
racks over 8 feet tall, equipment or machinery, 
piping, and suspended ceilings. According to 
the NEHRP procedure, the design force depends 
on a variety of factors such as, the seismic 
zone, the type of component, the location of the 
item within a building, and the type of 
occupancy. Design forces are generally greater 
for emergency generators than for HVAC 
equipment, greater for police and fire stations 
than for ordinary office buildings, and greater at 
the roof than at the ground. 
To use a specific case, the specified horizontal 
force for a piece of rigid equipment situated at 
ground level in a commercial facility in the Los 
Angeles area is 40% of the weight of the item. 
If the equipment weighs 1000 pounds, the 
engineer must design the bracing and floor or 
wall anchorage details to resist 400 pounds of 
horizontal force acting through the center of 
gravity of the item in any direction. If the item 
is used to store hazardous contents or is located 
on a floor above ground level, the NEHRP 
provisions require higher design forces. Under 
some circumstances, an owner who is 
particularly concerned about postearthquake 
operations may want a greater level of 
protection than is provided by the minimum 
requirements in the NEHRP provisions. In this 
case, the owner and engineer or equipment 
vendor should discuss the performance criteria 
at the beginning of the project, as described in 
Chapter 7. 
This discussion of seismic forces is intended to 
illustrate the design procedure and the 
magnitude of the loads, not to turn the 
layperson into an engineer. This guide does not 
advocate the use by nonengineers of the 
calculation procedure described above. 
SEISMIC HAZARD 
The seismic risk for a particular nonstructural 
component at a particular facility is governed by 
a variety of factors, including the regional 
seismicity, the proximity to an active fault, the 
local soil conditions, the dynamic characteristics 
of the building structure, the dynamic 
characteristics of the nonstructural component 
and any connections to the structure, the 
location of the nonstructural component within 
the building, the function of the facility, and the 
importance of the particular component to the 
operation of the facility. While all of these 
factors may have to be considered in the 
evaluation of equipment in a hospital or nuclear 
facility, we will consider only the issue of 
regional seismicity for the purposes of this 
discussion. 
The seismic hazard in a given region or 
geographic location is related both to the 
severity of ground shaking expected in the area 
and to the likelihood, or probability, that a 
given level of shaking will occur. Seismologists 
review historical earthquake activity, locations 
and characteristics of mapped faults, and 
regional geology to estimate the seismic hazard. 
This information is often depicted on a seismic 
hazard map. 
For the purposes of this guide, seismic hazard 
has been characterized in terms of three levels 
of shaking intensity: namely light, moderate, 
and severe. The seismic hazard maps presented 
in Figure 7 show the geographic areas in the 
United States where light, moderate and severe 
shaking are likely to occur in future 
earthquakes. 
For engineering purposes, earthquake shaking is 
often characterized by an effective peak 
acceleration (EPA), measured as a percentage of 
the acceleration of gravity. The effective peak 
18 

ALASKA PUERTO 
PUERTO RICO 
SHAKING 
INTENSITY 
LIGHT MODERATE 
HAWAII SEVERE 
Note: There is approximately a 10% chance in 50 years that any given site vill experience the shaking intensity shown. Map adapted from the following sources: 1991 NEHRP Recommended Provisions 
(primary source) and 1994 Uniform Building Code (basis for western states). 
Figure 7-Map of Probable Shaking Intensity for the United States 
acceleration is often less than the maximum 
acceleration recorded during an earthquake. 
The three shaking intensity levels correspond 
approximately to the following EPA ranges: 
* Light, less than 0. 15g 
* Moderate, between 0.15g and 0.3g 
* Severe, greater than 0.3g 
Several examples of earthquake motion recorded 
during the 1994 Northridge earthquake may help 
to put these acceleration ranges in perspective. 
The Northridge earthquake had a magnitude of 
6.7. The magnitude of an earthquake is a 
measure of the amount of energy released by the 
fault rupture or ground shaking; it does not 
provide any information about the intensity of 
shaking at any particular location. During this 
earthquake, the intensity of ground shaking was 
severe in Northridge, near the earthquake 
epicenter. Several stations recorded ground 
motion with maximum accelerations in excess of 
0.9g. Nevertheless, the majority of stations in 
downtown Los Angeles, at distances of 
approximately 30-40 kilometers from the 
epicenter, recorded moderate ground shaking--
between 0.15g and 0.30g. Stations in Long 
Beach, approximately 60 kilometers from the 
epicenter, recorded light ground shaking--less 
than 0.15g [10]. EPA's from the Northridge 
earthquake records are lower than the maximum 
recorded accelerations indicated above, but the 
EPA's also show the same trend, that is, the 
shaking intensity became less severe as the 
distance from the epicenter increased. While 
few people outside California may need to 
worry about the intensity of shaking experienced 
in Northridge, many areas of the country may 
experience the moderate or light shaking that 
was felt in downtown Los Angeles and Long 
Beach during the Northridge earthquake. 
One further note regarding shaking intensity will 
serve to illustrate what appears to be one of the 
most extreme cases to date of recorded 
earthquake shaking intensity. A peak horizontal 
acceleration of 1.7g was recorded at the roof 
level of the Los Angeles County Olive View 
Medical Center in Sylmar during the Northridge 
earthquake. The roof acceleration was 2.6 
times higher than the ground acceleration 
(0.65g) measured near the building [11]. The 
horizontal forces on items at the roof level were 
170% of their weight, if only for an instant. 
Although some roof-mounted items at the 
hospital were severely damaged, most of the 
anchored items performed well because they 
were designed using the special seismic 
requirements of the California Hospital Seismic 
Safety Act. While this is an extreme case, 
standard code provisions are not adequate to 
protect items in essential facilities from shaking 
of this intensity. Even the above-average 
requirements of special codes, such as 
California's Hospital Act, are being revised to 
include lessons from the Northridge earthquake. 
NONSTRUCTURAL SURVEY 
PROCEDURES 
What types of nonstructural components are 
present in a particular facility? How does the 
owner or manager know what the potential 
problems are? How will a specific nonstructural 
item perform in an earthquake, and what are the 
consequences of failure in terms of life safety, 
property loss, and interruption or loss of 
function? If the decision is made to upgrade a 
facility, which problems should be addressed 
first? This chapter includes guidelines that will 
help answer these questions. 
TYPICAL 
NONSTRUCTURAL COMPONENTS 
The nonstructural components listed in the 
tables and checklists provided in the appendixes 
are items that are most commonly found in 
commercial, multiple-unit residential, Or public
buildings. A complex facility such as a 
hospital, research laboratory, or industrial plant
will contain many additional types of specialized 
equipment that are not addressed in this guide.
The common components can be divided into 
three general categories as follows. 
* Building Utility Systems 
These are typically built-in nonstructural 
components that form part of the 
building. Examples include mechanical 
and electrical equipment and 
distribution systems, piping and conduit, 
fire detection and suppression systems, 
elevators or escalators, HVAC systems, 
and roof-mounted solar panels. 
* Architectural Components 
These are typically built-in nonstructural 
components that form part of the 
building. Examples include partitions 
and ceilings, windows, doors, lighting, 
interior or exterior ornamentation, 
exterior panels, veneer, and parapets. 
* Furniture and Contents 
These are nonstructural components 
belonging to tenants or occupants. 
Examples include office, computer, and 
communications equipment; cabinets and 
shelving for record and supply storage; 
library stacks; kitchen and laundry 
facilities; furniture; movable partitions; 
lockers; and vending machines. 
Not every conceivable item is included in these 
lists, so some judgment is needed to identify the 
critical items in a particular facility. In general, 
items that are taller, heavier, or important to 
operations, items that contain hazardous 
materials, and items that are more expensive
should be included before items that are shorter, 
lighter, nonessential, inexpensive, and do not 
contain hazardous materials. 
FACILITY SURVEY 
As a first step, it may be useful to perform a 
survey of your facility to identify nonstructural 
components that may be vulnerable to 
earthquake damage.. As noted earlier, 
consultant expertise may be advisable. Keep in 
mind three basic questions as each nonstructural 
item is considered: 
* Would anyone get hurt by this item in an 
earthquake? 
* Would a large property loss result? 
* Would interruptions and outages be a serious 
problem? 
For some items, the answers to these three 
questions may not be immediately obvious, 
since failure of an item may result in both direct 
damage and consequential damage. For 
example, if a fire sprinkler line breaks, this may 
cause minor damage to the sprinkler itself but 
result in major damage to architectural finishes 
and contents of the building. Even if the 
building did not sustain any other damage, the 
occupants may not be able to use the facility 
until the fire safety system is repaired. The 
potential direct and indirect property loss in this 
case is much greater than the repair cost for the 
sprinkler system. As another example, the 
battery rack used to start an emergency 
generator is generally located in a locked 
mechanical room and is unlikely to hurt anyone 
even if the rack and batteries all fall on the 
floor, resulting in a total loss for the battery 
rack. The direct life safety threat, that is, the 
threat of injury, is probably low, but if the 
emergency generator doesn't work, building 
occupants may be injured attempting to evacuate 
the building in the dark, or the lives of hospital 
patients on life-support systems may be 
jeopardized. Gas-fired residential water heaters 
rarely fall and hit anyone, but they have caused 
many postearthquake fires due to ruptured gas 
lines. In short, it is important not only to view 
each item as a discrete object that could tip or 
fall and hurt someone directly, but also to 
consider the consequences of failure. 
A word of caution is in order regarding the field 
survey. When looking at mechanical equipment 
or office machines, it is sometimes easy to 
confuse a leveling bolt, which merely rests on 
the floor, with an anchor bolt, which is securely 
fastened to the floor. In the case of bookshelves 
in an office area, there may be hardware 
anchoring the shelving to the wall, but unless 
the hardware is secured to a solid wall or 
directly to a stud in a partition wall that is also 
braced, the anchorage may be ineffective in a 
strong earthquake. Anchor bolts that are 'A 
inch in diameter may be adequate to restrain a 
light file cabinet but are probably too small to 
effectively restrain any large piece of 
mechanical equipment. Thus, if any braces or 
anchors are visible, it is important to consider 
whether they will be effective for the expected 
shaking intensity. 
Survey Forms The field survey may be 
performed by using the forms and checklists in 
Appendixes A, B, and C. Appendix A contains 
a blank nonstructural inventory form that can be 
used to record field observations. The questions 
in the checklist provided in Appendix B will 
help identify vulnerable nonstructural items and 
potential hazards associated with each item. 
The questions on the checklist are all stated in 
such a way that a "no" answer is indicative of 
a potential problem. Items with potential 
problems should be listed on the nonstructural 
inventory form. The space provided for notes 
may be used to identify the type of problem 
observed, e.g., "unanchored," "unbraced," 
"bolts undersized," "bolts no good, missed 
stud," etc. Information regarding the existing 
vulnerability, upgrade costs, and priority may 
be added to the form later, after the initial field 
survey is complete. Appendix page A-3 
illustrates a sample nonstructural inventory 
form. 
During the initial survey, it may be helpful to 
create a list containing a large number of items. 
The initial list may be shortened later, perhaps 
by dropping low-priority items. At the initial 
stage, it is better to be conservative and 
overestimate vulnerabilities than to be too 
optimistic. 
ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES 
Following the initial field survey, additional 
information must be added to complete the 
nonstructural inventory form. Estimated risk 
ratings for many common items are listed in 
Appendix C. Upgrade costs for selected items 
are found with the details shown in Chapter 4. 
22 
Estimating the Shaking Intensity For 
the purposes of this nonstructural survey, the 
seismic risk, or shaking intensity, for a 
particular geographic location may be estimated 
by using the seismic maps shown in Figure 7. 
This figure shows the areas in the United States 
that are likely to experience light, moderate, or 
severe ground shaking during a future 
earthquake. Some of the areas that may
experience severe shaking are California; the 
area near New Madrid, Missouri; the islands of 
Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Guam (not shown);
and portions of western Washington and 
southern Alaska. Locations such as southern 
Illinois, South Carolina, and much of New 
England may experience moderate shaking, 
although most of the Continental United States 
east of the Rockies will likely experience light 
shaking. 
Shaking-intensity estimates based on the seismic 
risk maps in Figure 7 should be adequate for 
items situated at or near the ground in simple,
nonessential facilities. For other situations, it 
may be advisable to choose the next higher
shaking intensity or to seek the advice of 
professional consultants. 
Estimating the earthquake forces -on a particular
item in a particular building can be a difficult 
technical problem. In order to perform 
engineering calculations, an engineer may have 
to consider *one or more of the following 
factors: the proximity of the building site to an 
active fault, the soil conditions at the site, the 
flexibility of the building structure, the location 
of the item in the building, the flexibility of the 
floor framing or walls in the immediate vicinity 
of the item, the flexibility of the item, the 
weight and configuration of the item, the 
characteristics of any connection details between 
the item and the structure, the expected relative 
displacement between two connection points in 
adjacent stories or across a seismic gap, the 
Unction of the item, the function of the facility. 
One reason the use of professional consultants 
for complex facilities is recommended is that tie 
seismic risk maps in Figure 7 do not take any of 
these additional factors into consideration. 
Clearly, the complexity and detail of 
engineering calculations should be 
commensurate with the complexity and 
importance of the facility and the item in 
question. 
In addition, it may be appropriate to consider 
more than one earthquake scenario for a 
particular facility, since earthquakes of different 
magnitudes may occur at different average time 
intervals. For instance, a major earthquake 
with severe shaking might be likely to occur 
about once every 1000 years at a particular site, 
whereas the maps in Figure 7 are weighted 
toward more probable events and may show 
only moderate shaking for the site. While 
some installations may have to anticipate the 
most severe shaking, others may find it more 
economical to plan for a smaller, more frequent 
event. 
Estimating Seismic Risk The risk ratings
provided in Appendix C are based on a review 
of damage to nonstructural components in past
earthquakes and the judgment of the authors 
and their advisory panel. Estimates of future 
earthquake damage to either the structural or 
nonstructural components of a building are only 
that --estimates --and should be used with 
discretion. The approximations provided in this 
guide are adequate for the purpose of making an 
initial determination of the seismic risk of the 
nonstructural components of a simple facility.
For a facility that is more complex, or one 
where the potential risk is high, more detailed 
analyses should be performed by an in-house 
engineer or professional consultant. 
The seismic risks for life safety, property loss, 
and loss of function have been rated simply as 
high, moderate, or low for different levels of 
shaking intensity. Appendix C contains more 
detailed notes concerning the definitions and 
23 
assumptions used in assigning risk ratings. 
Stated briefly: Life Safety Risk is the risk of 
direct injury by the item; Property Loss Risk is 
the risk of incurring a repair or replacement 
cost as a result of damage to the item; Loss of 
Function Risk is the risk that the item will not 
function as a result of the damage incurred. The 
estimated risk ratings shown in Appendix C 
assume that the item is unbraced and 
unanchored and are intended for buildings with 
ordinary occupancies, not for essential facilities. 
The primary purpose of this information is to 
assist in assigning priority ratings, described 
below, and to help in identifying the most 
critical hazards. 
Estimating Upgrade Costs Upgrade cost 
estimates are provided with selected details in 
Chapter 4. These unit cost estimates can be 
used to produce subtotals for each category 
itemized on the nonstructural inventory form, 
and then added together to estimate the total 
seismic upgrade cost for the entire facility. If a 
number of repetitive protective measures are to 
be installed in a large facility, the unit cost may 
be lowered. 
The cost estimates can only be considered rough 
guides, since it is not possible to account for all 
the specific differences in construction 
conditions found in buildings or to allow for the 
variation in contractors' costs in changing 
construction market conditions and different 
regions of the country, or the difference 
between in-house labor versus outside contractor 
costs. The cost estimates cover labor and 
materials only and do not include any 
engineering or architectural services that may be 
required. 
More detailed cost estimates should include the 
impact of any disruption that the installation of 
upgrade devices might necessitate, and any 
inconvenience associated with the daily use of 
the devices. For example, some of the upgrade 
measures described can be installed only when 
the building is not in normal use, and a scale 
factor might be needed to account for increased 
labor rates for work to be done during 
nonbusiness hours. The installation of straps or 
other removable restrainers for movable 
equipment implies that users will reattach the 
strap each time the anchored item is moved, 
perhaps resulting in an increase in the cost of 
operations in some facilities. 
Detail Type Two types of upgrade details 
are presented in Chapter 4 of this guide and 
indicated in the lists presented in Appendix C. 
These two types of details are designated Do-It-
Yourself and Engineering Required and are 
described in more detail in Chapter 4. The 
nonstructural inventory form includes space to 
indicate the detail number or detail type. 
Priority Rating A simplified priority rating 
system might be used to indicate which items 
are more vulnerable to earthquake damage and 
to indicate those items whose failure is most 
likely to have serious consequences. All the 
items could be assigned a high, medium, or low 
priority, or each item or type of item could be 
ranked in order from highest to lowest. The 
highest priority might be assigned to those 
components where all three risk ratings are 
high. If loss of function is not a serious 
concern, the highest priority might be assigned 
to items where the life safety risk is high and 
the upgrade cost is lowest, since these hazards 
could be reduced most cost-effectively. 
The assignment of priorities may vary widely 
for different types of facilities, and this guide 
merely provides some guidelines that can be 
used to establish a ranking system. 
Cross-References Chapter 4 contains 
specific damage examples and anchorage details 
for a number of the listed items. For those 
items, cross-references are provided between the 
examples and the checklists in Appendixes B 
and C. 
COMPARISON OF ALTERNATIVES 
Separate lists might be prepared to compare
relative cost estimates for different approaches. 
One list could describe a complete upgrade 
package covering all the vulnerable items 
identified in the survey, while another might
consist of a minimally protective and less 
expensive package that addresses only the most 
critical problems. On the other hand, separate
lists might be prepared considering different 
levels of shaking intensity. In this way, costs 
can be compared for two different levels of 
protection. The nonstructural inventory form 
provided in Appendix A can easily be 
reproduced with the use of spreadsheet or 
database software to facilitate the process of 
estimating upgrade costs, sorting in order of 
priority, comparing costs for different intensity 
levels, and so on. 
General advice on the subject of where to draw 
the line between completeness and quality, on 
the one hand, and cost, on the other, is difficult 
to provide. It is better to focus on the most 
significant problems and address them 
effectively than to develop an all-inclusive list 
that is too extensive to implement. A two-phase
approach may be desirable: Draw up a short list 
of the most critical items and address these first. 
After evaluating the success of the first phase, 
develop a second-phase program to address less 
critical items further down the list. The 
installation of seismic upgrade details is often 
easier than it might first appear. The important
thing is to make a start and to do the first effort 
well. 
4 NONSTRUCTURAL EXAMPLES:
EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE AND 
UPGRADE DETAILS 
This chapter includes specific examples of 
selected nonstructural items. In most cases, the 
example includes a photograph of earthquake 
damage that occurred to an unanchored or 
inadequately anchored item paired with a 
drawing of suggested upgrade details that can be 
used to reduce the seismic vulnerability of the 
item. Some of these are simple, generic details 
that can be installed by a handyman; these 
details are marked Do-It-Yourself. Others are 
schematic details that need to be developed by 
a design professional for a particular situation 
and in some instances will require installation 
by a specialty contractor; these details are 
marked Engineering Required. Enough 
examples have been provided to allow for an 
effective initial survey of most ordinary-
occupancy buildings. The end of this chapter 
includes installation guidelines to accompany the 
Do-It-Yourself details. 
NONSTRUCTURAL EXAMPLES 
Photos of earthquake damage and suggested 
upgrade details are presented for a variety of 
common nonstructural items. While these 
examples do not cover every case, many items 
not included here would be damaged and/or 
upgraded in a manner similar to one that is 
shown. For example, the detail shown for an 
air compressor is applicable to many pieces of 
mechanical or HVAC equipment that are 
mounted on vibration isolation springs. 
Similarly, the wall and floor anchorage details 
shown for tall shelving or file cabinets are 
applicable to other items, such as storage 
cabinets or personnel lockers. The detail shown 
for a fire extinguisher could also be applied to 
a fire hose cabinet. Many types of desktop or 
countertop equipment found in offices, 
hospitals, or laboratories could be restrained by 
using the suggestions for desktop computers, 
although special detailing may be warranted for 
expensive equipment. Seismic protection 
schemes for newly installed items are often 
similar to the anchorage or restraint details 
shown. 
The examples have been divided into three 
categories: utility systems that are part of the 
building; built-in architectural components; and 
furniture and contents, which are typically the 
property of the occupants or tenants rather than 
a permanent part of the building. The examples 
are listed in Figure 8. 
Earthquake Damage The photographs 
presented here cover a variety of situations and 
have been taken over a 25-year period. 
Photographs from the 1971 San Fernando 
earthquake generally show damage to items that 
were not restrained, while some of the more 
recent photographs depict damage to items that 
appeared to be braced or anchored but whose 
bracing and anchoring details were apparently 
inadequate to resist the severity of the shaking. 
Upgrade Details The examples presented in 
this chapter show representative details for 
protecting common items from earthquake 
damage. The two different types of details are 
described below. 
* Do-It-Yourself These are simple, generic 
details for typical nonstructural items. Enough 
information is provided that a handyman can 
install them using common tools and readily 
available materials. Most of the examples for 
furniture and contents include simple details that 
are marked Do-It-Yourself. These details are 
applicable for many common items found in the 
home, office, or small business. At the end of 
this chapter are guidelines on the proper use and 
installation of these details. 
* Engineering Required These are schematic 
details showing common solutions for the items 
in question. These sketches do not contain 
sufficient information for installation; they are 
provided primarily as an illustration of the 
required scope of work. The designation 
Engineering Required has been used for items 
where the self-help approach is most likely to be 
ineffective. The recommendation of this guide 
is that design professionals be retained to 
evaluate the vulnerability of these items and 
design -appropriate anchorage or restraint details, 
particularly where safety is an issue. As stated 
earlier, this recommendation may apply to all 
items in specialized facilities such as hospitals 
and emergency operations or communications 
centers, where interruption or loss of function is 
unacceptable. 
Recent experience has shown many instances 
where fire sprinkler and other water lines, 
HVAC equipment, emergency generators, water 
tanks, ceilings, parapets, glazing, and so on 
were damaged when subjected to, severe shaking 
and failed to perform as expected. The lesson 
learned from this experience is that the 
protection of many items, particularly building 
utilities and architectural components in 
facilities that are expected to remain functional 
during and after a major earthquake, is a 
complex undertaking that should be addressed 
by engineers and architects with specific 
expertise in this area. As a result, most 
building utility systems and architectural 
components have been given the designation 
Engineering Required. Several of the items 
listed under furniture and contents have also 
been given this designation. 
The upgrade details for these items are 
schematic only and are presented here with 
estimated installation costs, primarily for 
planning and/or budgeting purposes. Facilities 
personnel can use this information in 
conjunction with the survey forms and checklists 
included in this guide to estimate the scope of 
the work needed and obtain initial cost estimates 
for planning purposes. 
Upgrade Cost The cost estimates provided 
with the details in this chapter may be used as 
a rough guide for planning or budgeting 
purposes.. The values are intended to cover the 
costs of materials and labor. They do not 
include any allowance for architectural or 
engineering fees, permits, special inspection, 
etc. These estimated costs represent a 
professional opinion based on information 
available at the time of publication in 1994. 
Actual construction costs may vary significantly, 
depending on the timing of construction, 
changes in conditions, the availability of 
materials, regional cost variations, and other 
factors. 
Figure 8 : Nonstructural Examples 
Detail Nonstructural Item 
U BUILDING UTILITY SYSTEMS 
U2 Batteries and Battery Rack 
U3 Diesel Fuel Tank 
U8 Electrical Bus Ducts and Primary Cable 
System 
U10 Fire Extinguisher and Cabinet 
U15 Propane Tank 
U19a Water Heater: Corner Installation 
U19b Water Heater: Wall Installation 
U21 Piping 
U29 Chiller 
Type of Detail Page 
Engineering Required 30 
Engineering Required 31 
Engineering Required 32 
Do-It-Yourself 33 
Engineering Required 34 
Do-It-Yourself 35 
Do-It-Yourself 36 
Engineering Required 37 
Engineering Required 38 
Engineering Required 40 
Engineering Required 41 
Engineering Required 42 
Do-It-Yourself 43 
Engineering Required 44 
Engineering Required 45 
Engineering Required 46 
Engineering Required 47 
Do-It-Yourself 48 
Do-It-Yourself 49 
Engineering Required 50 
Engineering Required 51 
Engineering Required 52 
Engineering Required 53 
Engineering Required 54 
Engineering Required 55 
U32 Air Compressor (or other HVAC Equipment) 
U35 Suspended Space Heater 
U36 HVAC Distribution Ducts 
U37 Air Diffuser 
U38 Residential Chimney 
A ARCBITECTURAL ELEMENTS 
A2a Built-In Partial-Height Partitions 
A2b Built-In Full-Height Partitions 
A3 Suspended T-Bar Ceilings 
A5a Suspended Light Fixtures 
A5b Pendant Light Fixtures 
A9 Stairways 
A12 Windows 
Al5a Unreinforced Brick Parapets 
Al5b Veneer 
A16 Freestanding Walls or Fences 
A21 Exterior Signs 
Detail Nonstructural Item Type of Detail Page 
C FURNITURE AND CONTENTS 
C8 Large Computers and Access Floors Engineering Required 56 
CIO Desktop Computers and Office Equipment Do-It-Yourself 57 
C12a Tall Shelving Engineering Required 58 
Cl2b Library Stacks Engineering Required 59 
Cl2c Tall Shelving: Wall Unit Do-It-Yourself 60 
C13 Tall File Cabinets Do-It-Yourself 61 
C18 Flexible Connection for Gas or Fuel Lines Do-It-Yourself 62 
C19. Drawer and Cabinet Latches (Kitchen, Office, Do-It-Yourself 63 
_ Laboratory, etc.) I 
C20 Freestanding Wood Stove Do-It-Yourself 64 
C21 Compressed-Gas Cylinders Do-It-Yourself 65 
C22 Containers of Hazardous Materials Engineering Required 66 
C26 Fragile Artwork Do-It-Yourself 67 
C27 Freestanding Half-Height Partitions Do-It-Yourself 6 
C28 Miscellaneous Furniture Do-It-Yourself 6 
Batteries and Battery Rack
Engineering Required
Earthquake Damage: 1971, San Fernando, California 
Photo Credit: John F. Meehan 
SEISMIC RESISTANT BATTERY 
RACKS ARE AVAILA 
VENDORS THAT MA 
BOLTED T0 THE FLOOR
AND/OR WALL 
BOLTED TO FLOOR 
BRACING OF LEGS 
MAY BE REUIRED. 
ACID RESISTANT STRAP
Schematic Upgrade Detail U2 
Approximate Cost: $200 UZ 
DIESEL FUEL TANK
Engineering Required
Unbraced Day Tank, Hospital, Puerto Rico 
Photo Credit: Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. 
WELDED OR BOLTED 
CONNECTIONS 
FLEXIBLE 
CONNECTION 
TO GENERATOR 
PAD 
Schematic Upgrade Detail U3 
Approximate Cost: $ 500 -$1 000 
ELECTRICAL BUS DUCTS AND PRIMARY CABLE SYSTEM Ia5DL13ii 
Unbraced Overhead Conduit and Pipes 
Photo Credit: Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. 
* ELECTRICAL BUS DUCTS AND CABLE LINES SHOULD BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE 
MOVEMENT AT LOCATIONS WHERE THEY CROSS SEISMIC JOINTS BETWEEN 
BUILDING WINGS. PROVIDE FLEXIBLE CONNECTIONS AT SEISMIC JOINTS. 
* PROVIDE FLEXIBLE CONNECTIONS AT LOCATIONS WHERE DUCTS OR CABLE ARE 
ATTACHED TO RIGIDLY MOUNTED EQUIPMENT. 
* DUCTS AND CABLE LINES SHOULD HAVE BOTH TRANSVERSE AND LONGITUDINAL 
SEISMIC BRACING SIMILAR TO THAT RECOMMENDED FOR PIPING. SEE PIPE 
BRACING DETAIL U21. 
Schematic Upgrade Detail U8 
Approximate Cost: $200 -$500 per brace U8 
FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND CABINET 
Unrestrained Extinguisher 
Photo Credit: Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. 
LOCATION 
FLASHLIGHT 
CABINET 
BOLTED 
TO WALL 
STUD 
QUICKRELEASE 
STRAP 
Upgrade Detail U1 0 
Approximate Cost: $300 U10 
FLEXIBLE 
HOSE 
CONNECTION 
TO SUPPLY LINE 
PROPANE (SEE DETAIL C18) 
TANK 
CONCRETE PAD 
LARGE ENOUGH 
TO AVOID 
OVERTURNING 
CAST-I N-PLACE 
ANCHOR 
BOLT 
GROUND 
(OR EXPANSION 
BOLT) 
WATER HEATER: CORNER INSTALLATION I
FIRST STUD NOT 
BEHIND HEATER 
ENCIRCLE TANK ONE FULL 
WRAP FROM FRONT 
AND BACK WTH 
PLUMBER'S TAPE 
(4 PIECES TOTAL) 
PLAN 
3/4" X 24 GAUGE 
PLUMBER'S TAPE 
(PERFORATED 
METAL STRAP) 
12" MAX. 
.1 MIN. 
FROM COMBUSTIBLE 
MATERIAL, TYPICAL 
FLEXIBLE WATER 
CONNECTIONS 
CONCRETE OR 
MASONRY WALL 
ELEVATION 
Upgrade
114" o x 3" 
LAG SCREW WOOD 
WIFLAT STUD 
PLAN WASHER-
FLATTENED 
CONCRETE 
114" 0 EXP. ANCHOR 
W12" MIN. 
EMBEDMENT
OR 
MASONRY 
FLEXIBLE WATER 
CONNECTION 
3/4" X 24 GAUGE 
PLUMBER'S TAPE 
WATER 
HEATER 
FLEXIBLE
1971, San Fernando, 
BRACE 
$500 per brace 
38
SUFFICIENT CAPS
DISSOLATE EQUIPMENT 
UNDER NORMAL USE 
NEOPRENE 
"BUMPER" 
PADS 
ANCHOR BOLTS 
SPRING MOUNT 
(CHECK WITH 
VENDOR FOR 
SEISMIC MODEL) 
TWO STEEL Z's OR OTHER 
RESTRAINTS ON EACH OF NOTE: 
THE FOUR SIDES TO PREVENT SPECIAL CARE SHOULD 
UPWARD AND LATERAL BE EXERCISED DURING DESIGN 
EARTHQUAKE MOTION AS MANY RECENT FAILURES 
HAVE BEEN OBSERVED. 
GAS SPACE HEATER 
FLEXIBLE CONNECTION
A SUSPENDED 
ATTACH SECURELY 
STRUCTURE ABOVE 
ANGLE 
BRACING 
NOTE: SEE 
GUIDELINES FOR 
MORE 
INFORMATION 
12 GAUGE WIRES AT EACH MINIMUM 
CORNER OR AT LEAST 
AT DIAGONALLY OPPOSITE 
CORNERS
ANCHOR WIRES 
TO STRUCTURE 
ABOVE 
DIFFUSER

RESIDENTIAL CHIMNEY
ENGINEERING REQUIRED 
Earthquake Damage: 1989, Loma Prieta, California
Photo Credit: California Office of Emergency Services, Earthquake Program
CHIMNEY 12 GAUGE X 3 MOUNTING Angle SET
BENT SHEET IN ROOFING MASTIC
METAL STRAP
STEEL 
ANGLE 
MOUNTING
ANGLE
FLAT BLOCK
A FLAT 4 X 10
EXTEND
MINIMUM
SECTION
THRU 
ROOF RAFTER BEYOND
EACH Brace
CHIMNEY
Upgrade Detail U38 (Recommended only for areas of low lo moderate seismicity).
Approximate coat: $1,000
Schematic Upgrade Detail U38 (Recommended only for areas of low to moderate seismicity).
Approximated Cost: $1,000

BUILT-IN PARTIAL-HEIGHT PARTITIONS
ENGINEERING REQUIRED 
Earthquake Damage: 1994, Northridge, California
Photo Credit: Wiss, Janney, Eistner Associates, Inc.
ANCHOR
BOLT
OR LAG BOLT
ATTACHED
T0
CEILING
STRUCTURE
ABOVE
60*
MAXIMUM ANGLE BRACES
AT APPROXIMATELY
6* ON CENTERS
5/16 DIAMETER
PARTIAL-HEIGHT BOLT TYPE
PARTITION
HEAVIER BRACES OR CLOSER SPACING ONE BOLT OR
MAY BE REQUIRED IF PARTITION IS USED TO THREE (3)
SUPPORT OR SEISMICALLY RESTRAIN HEAVY #12 SHEET METAL
SHELVES OR OTHER NONSTRUCTURAL ITEMS
OR WOOD SCREWS. TYP.
Schematic Upgrade Detail A2a
Approximated Cost: Varies, $20-$40 per lineal foot

BUILT-IN FULL-HEIGHT partitions
ENGINEERING REQUIRED 
Earthquake Damage: 1994, Northridge, California
Photo Credit: Wiss, Janney, Eistner Associates, Inc.
STRUCTURE ABOVE
PARTITION FREE TO SLIDE
AT TOP BUT RESTRAINED
METAL OR LATERALLY PACKING OR
WOOD STUDS SEALANT REQUIRED FOR
ACOUSTIC ISOLATION
FIRE RATING MUST BE
HEAVIER GAGE METAL STUDS AND CHECKED FOR FIRE
ATTACHMENTS MAY BE REQUIRED IF SEPARATION WALLS
HEAVIER SHELVES ARE TO BE LATERALLY (1-HOUR| WALLS, ETC)
SUPPORTED BY PARTITION
ADDITION OF MID-HEIGHT BLOCKING OR
SURFACE MOUNTED SEISMIC PARTITION FIXED AT BASE
MOLDING PROVIDES FLEXIBILITY FOR EQUIPMENT ANCHORAGE
LOCATIONS
FOR GLAZED PARTITIONS, SEE
WINDOWS
FLOOR
Schematic Upgrade Detail A2b
Approximated Cost: Varies, depending on design

SUSPENDED T-BAR CEILINGS
ENGINEERING REQUIRED 
Earthquake Damage: 1994, Northridge, California
Photo Credit: Wiss, Janney, Eistner Associates, Inc.
DIAGONAL BRACING WIRES
ANCHOR WIRES N0. 12 GAUGE
TO STRUCTURE ADJUSTABLE
ABOVE LENGTH
COMPRESSIONS
STRUT TO
PREVENT
VERTICAL
MOVEMENT
APPROX. 45
MIN. 3 TIGHT
PROVIDE 4 WAY TURNS IN
DIAGONAL BRACING 1-1/2
AND COMPRESSION EACH END
STRUT OF WIRE
APPROXIMATELY
EVERY 12 FT. EACH
WAY.
MAIN RUNNER CROSS RUNNER
Schematic Upgrade Detail A3
Approximate Cost: $50 per brace

SUSPENDED LIGHT FIXTURES ,
DO-IT-YOURSELF
Earthquake Damage: 1994, Northridge, California
Photo Credit: Wiss, Janney, Eistner Associates, Inc.
12 GAUGE WIRE @ EACH
CORNER OR AT LEAST @ MINIMUM 3 TIGHT TURNS
IN 1-1/2AT EACH END OF WIRE
DIAGONALLY OPPOSITE
CORNERS
ANCHOR WIRES TO
STRUCTURE ABOVE
FLORESCENT LIGHT
BULBS OR FIXTURE
LENSES SUBJECT
To FALLING
SECURE IN PLACE
WITH 2 WIRES THAT
WRAP BENEATH
THE LENS OR BULBS
AND ATTACH
SECURELY TO THE
FIXTURE
LAY-IN LIGHT
FIXTURE
Upgrade Detail U5a
Approximate Cost: $50 per fixture

PENDANT LIGHT FIXTURES
DO-IT-YOURSELF
Failure of light fixtures in Northridge Junior High School
Earthquake Damage: 1994, Northridge, California
Photo Credit: Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, Gary L. McGavin
ALTERNATE
RUN CABLE OUTSIDE BOLT TO
STEM AND ATTACH 
CEILING JOIST
WITH A LAG SCREW
SLACK
SAFETY
CABLE
CEILING CMLE
BOLT TO FIXTURE
HOLLOW FIXTURE
PIPING
PENDANT LIGHT
FIXTURE
Upgrade Detail U5a
Approximate Cost: $80

STAIRWAYS
ENGINEERING REQUIRED 
Earthquake Damage: 1994, Northridge, California
Photo Credit: Wiss, Janney, Eistner Associates, Inc.
* TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO STAIRS THEY SHOULD BE MODIFIED TO ALLOW THEM TO
SLIDE AT LANDINGS WITH GANG PLANK DETAILS; THIS IS DESIRABLE FOR
FLEXIBLE FRAME BUILDINGS.
* IF STAIR ENCLOSURES ARE CONSTRUCTED USING BRITTLE MATERIALS, SUCH AS,
HOLLOW CLAY TILE, GLASS BLOCK PARTITIONS, OR SKYLIGHTS IT IS
RECOMMENDED THAT THEY BE ENCAPSULATED OR REPLACED TO PREVENT
FALLING HAZARDS AND DEBRIS IN THE STAIRWELL.
* PROVIDE ANCHORAGE FOR PIPE, LIGHTING OR DUCTS IN STAIRWELLS TO
PREVENT FALLING HAZARDS AND DEBRIS.
Schematic Upgrade Detail A9
Approximate Cost: Depends on design

WINDOWS
ENGINEERING REQUIRED 
Earthquake Damage: 1994, Northridge, California
Photo Credit: Wiss, Janney, Eistner Associates, Inc.
* USE OF TEMPERED GLASS WILL GREATLY REDUCE THE SEISMIC HAZARD.
TEMPERED GLASS MAY STILL BREAK BUT WILL BREAK 1NTO SMALL DULL
FRAGMENTS INSTEAD OF LARGE DANGEROUS SHARDS.
* POLYESTER SHATTER RESISTANT FILMS ARE AVAILABLE THAT HELP HOLD
TOGETHER FRAGMENTS OF ANY PANES THAT CRACK IN AN EARTHQUAKE.
(TYPICAL SOLAR FILM MAY NOT BE ADEQUATE FOR THIS PURPOSE).
* USE OF LAMINATED GLASS FOR STOREFRONTS REDUCES SEISMIC RISK AND ALSO
INCREASES PROTECTION FROM BURGLARY OR VANDALISM,
* SMALLER, OPERABLE, AND WOODEN FRAMED WINDOWS TOLERATE MORE LATERAL
DRIFT.
* FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION, STIFFER BUILDINGS AND GLAZING WITH MORE THAN
THE STANDARD EDGE CLEARANCES MAY BE DESIRABLE. CHECK WHETHER OR NOT
THE BUILDING'S CALCULATED SEISMIC DRIFT HAS BEEN CONSIDERED IN THE
DESIGN OF THE GLAZ|NG.
Schematic Upgrade Detail A12
Approximate Cost: Depends on design

UNREINFORCED BRICK PARAPETS
ENGINEERING REQUIRED 
Earthquake Damage: 1989, Loma Prieta, California
Photo Credit: Wiss, Janney, Eistner Associates, Inc.
UNREINFORCED 
BRICK PARAPET 
CONTINUOUS STEEL ANGLE
WATERPROOFING IS
VERY IMPORTANT.
THRU BOLT
STEEL ANGLES
WOOD BLOCK
ANCHOR BOLTS
THRU BOLTS
ENDS COUNTERSUNK
TYPICAL BRACE
CONFIGURATION
SHOWN PARAPET
AND ROOF THRU BOLTS HOLDOWNS NAILED CLIP
CONDITION MAY ANGLE
VARY WIDELY.
Schematic Upgrade Detail A12a
Approximate Cost: $50 per foot

VENEER
ENGINEERING REQUIRED 
Earthquake Damage: 1994, Northridge, California
Photo Credit: Robert Reitherman

* SEE APPL|CABLE BUILDING CODE REQUIREMENTS FOR LIMITATIONS REGARDING THE
HEIGHT. AREA UNIT SIZE, AND UNIT WEIGHT OF EITHER ADHERED OR ANCHORED
VENEER SYSTEMS. REFER TO THE CODE SECTIONS FOR SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS
FOR BACKING, TIES, AND REINFORCEMENT (FOR EXAMPLE, SECTION 1403 OF THE
1994 UBC)
* VENEER SYSTEMS MUST ALSO AT LEAST MEET THE MINIMUM LATERAL FORCE
REQUIREMENTS FOR NONSTRUCTURAL COMPONENTS (FOR EXAMPLE THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR ORNAMENTATION AND APPENDAGES
IN CHAPTER 16 OF THE 1994 UBC)
* REMOVAL OF VENEER MOUNTED OVER ENTRANCES OR OTHER POTENTIALLY
CROWDED LOCATIONS IS THE MOST RELIABLE UPGRADE SOLUTION
Schematic Upgrade Detail A15b
Approximate Cost: Varies

FREESTANDING WALLS OR FENCES
ENGINEERING REQUIRED 
Earthquake Damage: 1994, Northridge, California
Photo Credit: Robert Reitherman

* MANY MILES OF POORLY CONSTRUCTED CONCRETE MASONRY UNIT (CMU) FENCES
WERE DAMAGED DURING THE 1994 NORTHRIDGE EARTHQUAKE. COLLAPSE OF
WALLS WITH INADEQUATE OR ABSENT REINFORCING AND/OR FOUNDATIONS WAS
COMMON IN NORTHRIDGE AND SYLMAR. IN MANY CASES, MOST OF THE
SIDEWALK WAS COVERED WITH DEBRIS, AS SHOWN ABOVE.
* FREESTANDING WALLS OB FENCES BUILT OF CMU, BRICK, OR STONE NEED TO BE
ENGINEERED AND CONSTRUCTED WITH APPROPRIATE FOUNDATIONS, ADEQUATE
REINFORCEMENT, AND GOOD QUALITY MORTAR.
* STANDARD DETAILS FOR LOW FENCES OR SHORT RETAINING WALLS MAY BE
AVAILABLE FROM THE LOCAL BUILDING DEPARTMENT.
Schematic Upgrade Detail A16
Approximate Cost: Depends on the design

EXTERIOR SIGNS
ENGINEERING REQUIRED 
Earthquake Damage: 1979, Imperial Valley, California
Photo Credit: Robert Reitherman
/BSD, Inc.
TOP STRUT, RATHER THAN CHAIN,
CAN PREVENT SEISMIC BOUNCING
RUSTPROOFING
ESSENTIAL
CONNECTIONS
DIRECTLY TO
CANTILEVER
BACK-UP
CAPABILITY
HEAVY
MARQUEE,
SIGN, CANOPY
Schematic Upgrade Detail A21
Approximate Cost: $500-$800

LARGE COMPUTERS AND ACCESS FLOORS
ENGINEERING REQUIRED 
Temporary bracing for collapsed access floor
Earthquake Damage: 1994, Northridge, California
Photo Credit: Wiss, Janney, Eistner Associates, Inc.
VARIOUS RESTRAINT
SCHEMES
ADVOCATED FOR CABINETS
CASTERS TO SOMEWHAT
ISOLATE COMPUTER
FROM MOTION
PRETENSED THREADED
ROD FROM COMPUTER
CABINET BASE THROUGH
RAISED FLOOR
TETHER GABLES
PLACE ANGLES
AROUND CABLE
OPENINGS TO
PREVENT COMPUTER
FEET FROM
FALLING INTO HOLES
PROVIDE DIAGONAL BRACES AND BOLT
PEDESTAL BASES TO CONCRETE SLAB 
BOLT PEDESTAL BASES TO CONCRETE SLAB
(REQUIRED FOR HEAVILY LOADED FLOOR 
(USUALLY ADEQUATE FOR PEDESTALS UP TO
AND TALLER PEDESTAL) CHECK WITH 
1 HIGH).
VENDOR FOR SPECIAL SEISMIC MODELS.
Schematic Upgrade Detail CB
Approximate Cost: Access floor alone - $3 - $7 per square foot
Cabinet restraint - $300-$500 per cabinet

DESKTOP COMPUTERS AND OFFICE EQUIPMENT
DO-IT-YOURSELF
Unsecured computers may fall and suffer damage
Photo Credit: Wiss, Janney, Eistner Associates, Inc.
RUBBER DOORKNOB BUMPERS
HOOK AND
LOOP
CHAIN
MATERIAL
GLUED ON OR
ADHESIVE THREADED MOUNTS
BACKED
LATCHES
BICYCLE OR BUNGEE ELASTIC CORD
CONNECTING STRAP
SHELF EDGE
Upgrade Detail C10
Approximate Cost: $50 per computer

TALL SHELVING: FREESTANDING
ENGINEERING REQUIRED 
Earthquake Damage: 1972, Managua, Nicaragua
Photo Credit: John F. Meehan
BOLT ANGLE
2-1/4 STEEL ANGLE
TO WALL OR STUD
BOLTS PER
UNIT, TYP. 
STEEL
ANGLES 
TOP OF
SHELVING  
ANCHOR TO WALL (NOTE:
STUD WALLS NOT STRONG
ENOUGH FOR MULTIPLE
ROWS OR LONG RANGES.
6-8
MIN.
BOTTOM OF
SHELVING UNIT
STEEL STRAP
EXPANSION
CROSS BRACING. 
ANCHOR BOLT
(3/8 MIN.
DIAMETER
SHELVING . .
X 2 1/2 MIN
UNIT TIE (STEEL STRAP
EMBEDMENT)
Schematic Upgrade Detail C12a
Approximate Cost: Access $20 per lineal foot of shelving

LIBBARY STACKS
ENGINEERING REQUIRED 
Failure of library shelving
Earthquake Damage: 1987, Whittier Narrows, California
Photo Credit: Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, Larry Parsons
Failure of inadequately upgraded library shelving
Earthquake Damage: 1987, Whittier Narrows, California
Photo Credit: Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, Marshall Law & Greg Brandow

TALL SHELVING: WALL UNIT
DO-IT-YOURSELF
Failure of inadequately upgraded shelving; toggle bolt pulled out of gypsum board.
Earthquake Damage: 1994, Northridge, California
Photo Credit: Wiss, Janney, Eistner Associates, Inc.
BRACKET
AT TOP OR 
EXTERIOR
AT SIDES
BOOK CASE
CASE 
BRACKET
 x 2 WOOD
SCREW (SHOWN) 
WOOD STUD
OR  
MACHINE BOLT
LAG SCREW
WITH NUT
WASHER 
INTERIOR
ANGLE
BOOKCASE 
BRACKET
WOOD STUD
BOOKCASE
LAG SCREW (1/4
WITH 2
BOOKCASE 
EMBEDMENT IN
WOOD STUD, TYP.)
METAL, WIRE, OR ELASTIC
GUARDPAILS OR PLASTIC 
Z CLIP
STRIP WILL HELP 
BRACKET
PREVENT OBJECTS FROM
FALLING OFF SHELVES 
WOOD STUD
Upgrade Detail C12c
Approximate Cost: $20 per lineal foot of shelving

TALL FILE CABINETS
DO-IT-YOURSELF
Failure of inadequately upgraded shelving; toggle bolt pulled out of gypsum board.
Earthquake Damage: 1994, Northridge, California
Photo Credit: Wiss, Janney, Eistner Associates, Inc.
ANGLE USED TO 
TOP CONNECTIONS
FASTEN UNITS TO
TO THE UNITS
WALL STUD
TOGETHER TO FORM
2-1/4 BOLTS OR
A MORE STABLE
 LAG SCREWS
SHAPE
WITH 2 MIN.
STEEL STRAP AND
EMBEDMENT IN
3/16 BOLT MIN. (USE
WOOD STUD
THRU BOLT WITH NUT
& WASHER.)
ALTERNATIVE BOLT
SIDES OF ADJACENT
CABINETS
TOGETHER AT 4
CORNERS. USE 
BOLT WITH NUT & 2
FENDER WASHERS
EACH SIDE.
FOR FREE-STANDING 
STRONG LATCHES
UNITS, FASTEN 
ON DRAWERS
CONTINUOUS ANGLE TO
UNITS AND FLOOR
Upgrade Detail C13
Approximate Cost: $20 per lineal foot

FLEXIBLE CONNECTION FOR GAS OR FUEL LINES
DO-IT-YOURSELF
Flexible connection at pipe attachment to tank
Photo Credit: Wiss, Janney, Eistner Associates, Inc.
SHUT-OFF VALVE
FLEXIBLE
UTILITY 
PIPING
UTILITY INLET
NOTE:
REQUIRES PLUMBING EXPERTISE.
ENGINEERING MAY BE REQUIRED
FOR LARGE DIAMETER PIPING.
RIGID CONNECTION TO HEATER, WATER HEATER,
STOVE, OR OTHER EQUIPMENT.
Upgrade Detail C18
Approximate Cost: $100 for residential appliance, varies for larger items

DRAWER AND CABINET LATCHES
DO-IT-YOURSELF
Unrestrained drawers and cabinets
Photo Credit: Wiss, Janney, Eistner Associates, Inc.
INSTALL STRONG MECHANICAL
CABINET CATCHES (SAFETY HASP,
SLIDE BOLT, TOUCH-DOOR CABINET
CATCH, CLIP-ROLLER OR
SNAP-ACTION CABINET CATCH, ETC )
ALTERNATIVE PROVIDE
BABY-PROOF CLOSURE
INSTALL MECHANICAL DRAWER
CLOSURE (BABY-PROOF
LATCHES, DRAWER LOCKS, OR
OTHER SPECIALTY LATCHES)
Upgrade Detail C19
Approximate Cost: $50 per cabinet

FREESTANDING WQQD @T*W
DO-IT-YOURSELF
Unrestrained wood burning stove
Photo Credit: Wiss, Janney, Eistner Associates, Inc.
1 MIN.
ROOF 
CLIP FLUE T0
GROUT
RAFTER 
RADIATION
BED
SHIELD
AT ROOF
STEEL
STRAPS
RADIATION 
8 SQUARE
SHIELD 
BRIGK
WITH FLUE
3/8
PAD WITH
EMBED IN 
POCKET
GROUT POCKET
WOOD STUD 
ALTERNATIVE
STOVE 
NEW 
BOLT
SCREW FLUE 
BRICK
TOGETHER
DO NOT PENETRATE
INNER WALL OF DOUBLE WALLED FLUE PIPE
1 GROUT BED
BOLT ALTERNATIVE
Upgrade Detail C20
Approximate Cost: $500

COMPRESSED-GAS CYLINDERS
DO-IT-YOURSELF
Earthquake Damager: 1971, San Fernando, California
Photo Credit: Scientific Service, Inc.
 DIAMETER
SCREW EYE (OR
EXPANSION
ANCHOR TO CONCRETE)
CHAIN RESTRAINT
GAS CYLINDER 
3/16 MIN. WELDED
CLOSED-LINK STEEL CHAIN
(SAFE WORKING LOAD 500 LB.)
 MIN. 
STRONGER HARDWARE AND
THREADED 
WALL SUPPORT REQUIRED
CONNECTOR 
FOR MULTIPLE CYLINDERS.
(SAFE WORKING E
NGINEERING RECOMMENDED.
LOAD 500 LB.)
Upgrade Detail C21
Approximate Cost: $30 per lineal foot; $50 for single units

CONTAINERS of HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
ENGINEERING REQUIRED 
Spilled pharmaceutical and medical supplies
Earthquake Damage: 1994, Northridge, California
Photo Credit: Robert Reitherman
ANCHOR STORAGE
SUPPLY SHELF 
SHELVES
PROVIDE SAFETY LIP OR
WOOD, METAL, OR PLEXIGLAS 
SHELF EDGE
LIP EDGE SCREWED TO
SHELVING UNIT
PROVIDE MECHANICAL
LATGHES FOR CABINETS
AND DRAWERS
STORE SMALL OR
PROVIDE NYLON STRAP 
BREAKABLE ITEMS IN
BUNGEE CORD 
ORIGINAL PACKING OR

ANGLE BRACKET
AROUND INDIVIDUAL 
EGGCRATE BOXES, NOT
LOOSE ON SHELF OR IN DRAWER
STORE INCOMPATIBLE
SUPPLY SHELF 
MATERIALS AT A SAFE
DISTANCE TO AVOID
PACKING BOXES OR 
MIXING IF THE
EGGCRATE BOX TO HOLD 
CONTAINERS FALL
SMALL BOTTLES
ORDER HAZARDOUS LAB
CHEMICALS IN
UNBREAKABLE PLASTIC
BOTTLES OR IN GLASS
METAL WIRE OR
BOTTLES WITH AN
ELASTIC GUARDRAILS
SAFETY COATING
EYE BOLT
Upgrade Detail C22
Approximate Cost: Varies

FREESTANDING HALF-HEIGHT PARTITIONS
DO-IT-YOURSELF
Partition damage at Veterans Administration Medical Center in Sepulveda. 
Earthquake Damage: 1994, Northridge, California 
Photo Credit: Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, James 0. Malley 
FREESTANDING PARTITIONS MAY TIP OVER UNLESS ANCHORED 
TO THE FLOOR; ATTACHED TO STABLE FURNITURE SUCH AS 
DESKS; AND/OR ARRANGED USING STABLE LAYOUTS. 
SHELVES ARE 
MORE LIKELY 
TO FALL. 
BOLT TO FLOOR OR TO STABLE FURNITURE
A ZIG-ZAG LAYOUT IS MORE STABLE THAN A STRAIGHT LAYOUT WITH NO PERPENDICULAR WALLS.
Upgrade Detail C27 
Approximate Cost: $10 per lineal foot 

MISCELLANEOUS FURNITURE
DO-IT-YOURSELF
Earthquake Damage: 1994, Northridge, California 
Photo Credit: Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. 
ANGLE BRACKET 
HANGING FRAMED 
BOOKSHELF, ITEM 
CHINA HUTCH, WIRE 
DISPLAY CASE, ATTACHED TO 
FRAME WITH 
KEEP TOP FREE CLOSED HOOK 
OF HEAVY ITEMS EYEBOLT OR CLOSED 
WIRE LOOP 
ESPECIALLY IF EMBEDDED 
LOCATED NEAR IN 
A PERSON WOOD 
SITTING AT DESK STUD 
OR LYING IN BED. 
MICROWAVE, TV, OR STEREO EQUIPMENT, ETC. 
IMETAL WIRE OR (SEE DETAIL C10 FOR COMPUTER EQUIPMENT) 
ELASTIC GUARD-PROVIDE ADDED RESTRAINT 
RAILS. (TWINE, NYLON, MONOFILAMENT 
EYEHOOK LINE, ETC.) FOR POT THAT COULD 
FALL AND CAUSE INJURY Ad 
PATCHES 
LOOP 
MATERIAL. 
Upgrade Detail C28 
Approximate Cost: Varies, approximately $50 per item 

INSTALLATION NOTES 
For those details where the self-help approach is 
acceptable, a few words of caution are in order. 
Many items shown in the upgrade details can be 
purchased at any hardware store, but it is 
important to select hardware that is appropriate 
for the task at hand. A toggle bolt mounted in 
gypsum board may hold a light picture frame on 
the wall, but is not appropriate for any of the 
details shown in this guide. At the other 
extreme, a 1-inch-diameter bolt is too large for 
a 2x4 wood stud, since the 1/4-inch-diameter 
hole you drill for the bolt will essentially 
eliminate the 1/2-inch-wide stud. The following 
discussion provides general guidelines on 
hardware selection and installation procedures 
for the Do-It-Yourself details shown in this 
chapter. 
Positive Connections The objective of 
nonstructural anchorage or restraint details is to 
provide what engineers refer to as a positive 
connection between the item and a hard 
attachment point, such as a solid wall, braced 
partition, concrete floor, or built-in countertop. 
Positive connections generally consist of some 
combination of screws, bolts, cables, chains, 
straps, steel angles, and other steel hardware. 
Positive connections do not rely on the frictional 
resistance produced by the effects of gravity. 
Neither the frictional resistance between the 
base of an object and the floor or other support 
nor such mechanical friction connections as 
C-clamps or thumbscrew clamps can be 
considered a positive connection. 
The most common nonstructural connection 
details are-for wall attachments, floor or ceiling 
attachments, countertop attachments for smaller 
items, and attachments between adjacent items 
to create a more stable configuration. 
Typical Wall Attachment Details Many 
types of nonstructural items can be anchored, 
braced, or tethered to an adjacent wall to 
provide stability in an earthquake. Before 
installing any anchorage details, however, one 
should determine whether the wall has adequate 
structural capacity to support the nonstructural 
items. The wall element should consist of 
concrete, masonry, or structural framing 
members securely attached to the structural 
framing at both the top and bottom of the wall. 
ANCHORAGE TO WOOD 
OR METAL STUD PARTITION WALLS 
Any type of attachment hardware or brace 
should be attached directly to a structural stud, 
not to the gypsum board or plaster wall 
covering. Gypsum board and most other 
interior wall coverings have little capacity to 
resist out-of-plane loading, that is, loads 
perpendicular to the wall. Most likely, a toggle 
bolt or nail will simply pull out during an 
earthquake, leaving a hole in the wall. 
Typical wood and metal stud walls are 
constructed with vertical studs located at either 
16 inches or 24 inches on centers. Many 
interior partition walls extend only to the ceiling 
line and should not be used to anchor heavy 
nonstructural items unless the top of the 
partition wall is braced to the structure above. 
Heavy items anchored to unbraced partitions 
may bring the partitions down with them if they 
fall during an earthquake. Partition bracing 
should consist of diagonal elements of similar 
size and material as the vertical studs, spaced 
every few feet, connecting the top of the 
partition to the structure above. Engineering 
advice may be needed if the partitions appear 
questionable. 
The structural studs should be located at the 
start of a project to see that they are within 
reach of the items to be anchored. In situations 
where many items must be anchored to a stud 
wall, it is sometimes advantageous to install a 
mounting strip first in order to avoid having to 
relocate items to line them up with studs. 
Sometimes referred to as seismic molding, a 
mounting strip is a horizontal member mounted 
to the wall and anchored to each stud. The strip 
should be located at or near the top of the items 
to be anchored. Furniture or cabinets may then 
be anchored directly to the mounting strip 
without regard to the stud locations. A 
mounting strip may be constructed of a 
structural-grade wood 2x4 or 2x6 or a 
continuous steel channel or angle. 
Recommended Hardware: 
* Attach steel angle directly to wood studs 
using a minimum h-inch-diameter by 3-inch lag 
bolt. Embed the bolt at least 2 inches into the 
wood stud. 
e Attach steel angle to metal studs using #12 
sheet-metal screws long enough to penetrate the 
flange material. Use two screws per 
connection, located 3 inches apart vertically. 
* Attachments to sheet-metal shelving or 
cabinets may be made by using a minimum 
A4-inch-diameter machine bolt. Where possible, 
attach the bolt Through two layers of material, 
for example where the top and side or back and 
side pieces overlap. Otherwise, use an 
oversized 2-inch-diameter by 3/32-inch-thick 
fender washer with the nut on the inside of the 
cabinet to provide additional strength. 
* For seismic molding, use #14 flat-head wood 
screws, with countersunk heads, with at least 2 
inches embedded into the wood stud behind the 
wall covering. Locate screws along the 
centerline of the 2x4 or 2x6, and anchor the 
strip to each stud with maximum spacing of 24 
inches on centers. For attachments to the 
molding stripe, do not screw or bolt anything 
within 1 inch of each edge of a wood member. 
* Small quick-release safety hooks (carabiners). 
and nylon cord or straps, are often available at 
sporting-goods stores that carry mountain-
climbing equipment. These items may be useful 
for tethering small office equipment. 
Not Recommended: 
* Toggle bolts mounted in gypsum board or 
plaster are not recommended for any of the 
details presented here. 
* Nails have little capacity in tension or 
withdrawal, i.e., when you pull directly on the 
head of the nail. Thus, nails are not 
recommended for any of these details either. 
ANCHORAGE TO 
CONCRETE OR MASONRY WALLS 
Connections to existing concrete or grouted 
masonry walls should be made with concrete 
anchor bolts. Many types of anchors are 
available from various vendors, including 
expansion anchors, sleeve anchors, and epoxy 
anchors. Since the installation procedures and 
capacities for these anchors vary widely, it is 
important to check the local building code or 
vendor literature for the allowable load capacity 
and install the anchors in accordance with the 
manufacturer's recommendations. Holes into 
concrete or masonry walls should be drilled 
with care to avoid cutting any reinforcing steel 
(rebar). A magnetic device can be used to 
locate the steel prior to drilling. If rebar is 
encountered while drilling, stop, and relocate 
the hole; do not cut through the rebar. 
The capacity of an anchor bolt in concrete is 
governed by the strength of the concrete, the 
bolt diameter, the depth of embedment of the 
bolt into the concrete, the spacing between 
adjacent bolts, and the distance to the edge of 
the concrete. In order to develop the full 
capacity of a concrete anchor,, the spacing 
should be. at least 12 diameters, with a minimum 
edge distance of 6 diameters. The minimum 
embedment length is typically 8 bolt diameters. 
The bolt will have a greatly reduced capacity if 
it is too near an edge or too close to an adjacent 
bolt or if it has insufficient embedment into the 
concrete. 
The most common anchor bolts are wedge 
anchors, where part of the shank expands to 
press against the sides of the hole as the nut is 
tightened. Other types of anchors include 
sleeve anchors and epoxy anchors. Sleeve 
anchors consist of a threaded sleeve installed 
directly into the concrete, flush with the 
concrete surface, and a bolt that is screwed into 
the sleeve. Sleeve anchors may be 
advantageous in situations where items may be 
moved frequently. The bolt may be removed, 
leaving the sleeve flush with the wall (or floor) 
and without leaving a protruding bolt. Epoxy 
anchors are inserted into slightly oversized holes 
with epoxy or polyester resin so that the 
adhesive will hold the bolt in place. Extreme 
care is required to ensure that the epoxy 
components are mixed in the proper proportions 
within the hole; otherwise the bolt will never 
reach the manufacturer's rated capacity. 
Quality control is critical for these bolts, and 
they are not recommended unless the installation 
is performed by experienced personnel. 
Recommended Hardware and Procedures: 
* Do not cut reinforcing steel or electrical 
conduit in concrete or masonry walls. Locate 
the steel or conduit with a magnetic device prior 
to drilling. 
* Follow manufacturer's recommendations for 
installation. Remove dust from the hole prior to 
inserting the anchor bolt by using a hand-held 
vacuum cleaner; or blow the dust out with a 
bellows or a bulb. 
* For anchorage to reinforced concrete walls, 
expansion anchors are the most common and 
easiest to install. Typical sizes for wall 
anchorage of nonstructural items might be a 
3/8-inch-diameter A307 bolt with 3-inch 
minimum embedment (allowable seismic loads 
1450 pounds shear and 650 pounds tension) or 
a /2-inch-diameter A307 bolt with 4-inch 
minimum embedment, 5-inch edge distance, and 
6-inch spacing (allowable loads 2000 pounds 
shear and 1850 pounds tension) [12]. 
0 To check the installation procedures and 
quality of workmanship, test a sample of 
installed bolts with a proof load. 
* Use galvanized or preferably stainless steel 
bolts and other hardware in locations where they 
will be exposed to moisture or weathering. 
* Corrosion-resistant chains, eyebolts, and 
quick-release safety hooks can often be found at 
marine supply stores. These fasteners may be 
needed to provide wall anchorage for gas 
cylinders or other items stored outside or in a 
damp location. 
* For anchors in walls constructed of concrete 
masonry units, the expansion anchors should be 
installed only in grouted cells, i.e. locations 
where the cavity in the masonry unit is filled 
with grout and reinforcing steel. In order to 
achieve adequate embedment into the grout, 
longer bolts may have to be used in concrete 
masonry unit walls than in concrete walls. 
Unreinforced masonry walls, particularly 
cantilever partition walls, may not have 
adequate strength to anchor heavy nonstructural 
items. For light loads, up to 100 pounds or so, 
masonry toggle bolts can be used in ungrouted 
cells. 
* For unreinforced brick walls, engineering 
assistance is recommended. Published 
capacities for expansion anchors typically apply 
to concrete, not to brick. Anchorage to the 
floor may be a preferable solution in a brick 
building. 
Not Recommnended: 
* Adhesive or epoxy anchors are not 
recommended unless installed by experienced 
personnel. Proper quality control is critical for 
this type of anchor bolt. 
* Inserts made of lead or plastic placed in holes 
drilled in concrete or masonry and used with lag 
screws have very limited capacity and are not 
recommended. 
Typical Floor and Ceiling Attachment 
Details For heavy items, anchorage to a 
concrete floor slab is often preferable to wall 
anchorage because it avoids the additional 
seismic load to the wall. Ceiling attachment 
details are required for many types of piping, 
ducts, light fixtures, and overhead fans or 
heaters. The type of detail used in each 
situation will depend on the structural materials 
of the floor and ceiling framing. that do not require holes through the steel 
framing. 
ANCHORAGE TO WOOD FRAMING 
Because wood flooring typically does not have Recommended Hardware: 
adequate strength to resist large concentrated *dVendor catalogues of hardware that can be 
forces, floor or ceiling anchorage hardware used to provide both vertical and lateral support 
should be attached directly to th& floor or for piping often include fittings specifically 
ceiling beams or joists. designed for steel framing. While C-clamps are 
not recommended, there are a variety of other 
Recommended Hardware and Procedures: devices that clamp mechanically around the 
* Locate the floor or ceiling joists prior to flange of a steel beam or are designed to fit 
beginning work. If wood beams or joists are between column flanges. These devices are 
not situated within a convenient distance, wood typically load-rated by the vendors and come in 
blocking may be used to provide additional a variety of sizes. Besides bracing piping, this 
anchor locations. Install blocking perpendicular type of hardware might be used for bracing or 
to the joists, using, as a minimum, a member of anchoring items like lights or ceiling fans. 
the same size as the joists. Anchor the blocking 
with fiamning clips to; the joists at each end. Do ANCHORAGE TO 
not toenail the blocking. CONCRETE FLOOR OR ROOF SLABS 
* Wood screws or lag bolts should be used for Concrete expansion anchors are the most 
simple anchorage connections for lighter items. common type of hardware used to anchor items, 
A 'A4-inch-diameter by 3-inch lag bolt will be to a concrete slab on grade or a structural floor 
adequate for many types of connections. slab. For heavy loads or concrete slabs less 
* For anchorage of heavier items to the roof or than 4-inches thick, it may be preferable to use 
floor, add blocking beneath the anchor location, through-bolts, i.e., machine bolts that go 
run A307 bolts through the blocking, and through the concrete slab and are fastened with 
tighten them on the underside with nuts and nuts and steel plate washers on the underside of 
washers. the slab. 
Not Recommended: Recommended Hardware and Procedures: 
* Do not anchor items directly to wood or * Refer to discussion of expansion anchors 
plywood floor or roof sheathing, as these under concrete wall anchorage details. 
materials typically do not have adequate * Do not cut reinforcingsteel in concrete slabs 
capacity to resist significant out-of-plane loads. or beams. Locate the reinforcing steel and 
* Nails are not recommended for nonstructural electrical conduit with a magnetic device prior 
anchorage details. to drilling holes in concrete slabs. 
* For anchorage to a concrete foundation pad, 
ANCHORAGE TO STEEL FRAMING slab on grade,. or suspended floor, check the 
Caution should be used in anchoring drawings for the thickness of the concrete, or 
nonstructural items to structural steel framing. drill a small pilot hole first. While short 
Engineering expertise may be needed to expansion bolts may be adequate to prevent 
determine whether holes can be drilled through sliding of low equipment, longer bolts with 
structural steel framing without compromising greater embedment are generally needed to 
the integrity of the structural members. prevent the combination of sliding and 
overturning forces for items that are taller than 
There are several types of connection details they are wide. 
* Typical hardware for floor anchorage of 
lighter nonstructural items might be with a 
1/2-inch-diameter A307 bolt with 4-inch 
minimum embedment and 6-inch spacing 
(allowable loads 1500 pounds shear and 1400 
pounds tension). For heavy items, larger bolts 
are needed. For example, a 1-inch-diameter 
A307 bolt with 7-inch minimum embedment and 
12-inch spacing (allowable loads 3750 pounds 
shear and 2850 pounds tension) [12]. 
Engineering assistance is recommended for very 
heavy items. 
* If equipment is resting on leveling bolts or 
must be level for proper operation, vertically 
slotted connections may be needed to allow for 
adjustment. 
Not Recommended: 
* A /-inch-diameter expansion anchor has an 
allowable capacity for seismic loading of 650 
pounds shear and 250 pounds tension [12]. 
(Note that the capacities cited above are for 
pure shear or pure tension. Combinations of 
shear and tension must be considered 
simultaneously, resulting in reduced capacity. 
For example, if you pull on the bolt with 200 
pounds of tension, it will have the capacity to 
resist only approximately 300 pounds of shear.) 
These bolts are generally too small for most 
equipment or for fully loaded file cabinets, 
unless a number of bolts are used in 
combination. 
Typical Shelf or Countertop 
Attachment Details If important or 
essential contents are to be secured, the shelf or 
mounting surface should be secured prior to 
anchoring nonstructural items. While standard 
desks and office tables are unlikely to overturn, 
they may slide during an earthquake. Desktop 
computers and printers can be anchored to the 
desk by means of hook-and-loop tape or various 
types of security devices designed to prevent 
theft. 
Recommended Hardware and Procedures: 
* Unanchored desks or tables may slide and 
pull on the electrical cords of office equipment 
if the items are anchored to the tabletop. 
Electrical cords should have adequate slack to 
allow for movement of unanchored desks or 
tables. 
* Loose shelves should be secured to their wall 
or shelf brackets. Wood shelves that rest on 
wall-mounted brackets may be secured to the 
brackets with /2-inch-long wood screws. 
* Many types of vendor-supplied anchorage and 
security devices are available for computer 
equipment. These may also be adapted for 
other types of countertop equipment, such as 
medical or laboratory equipment. Heavy-duty 
hook-and-loop tape with adhesive backing may 
be purchased at most hardware and fabric stores 
and can readily be cut into patches or strips. 
* Desktop computer equipment usually consists 
of several independent components. If items are 
stacked, make sure each component is anchored 
to the one beneath it and that the bottommost 
item is anchored to the desk. For tall 
configurations of items that do not have to be 
moved frequently, it may be more advantageous 
to tie an assembly of components together with 
nylon strap and then anchor the base to the 
desktop. 
* For light and nonessential items on shelves or 
countertops, a 1-to 2-inch lip secured to the 
edge of the counter or shelf may be adequate to 
prevent miscellaneous items from falling off. In 
this case, individual items need not be anchored. 
Purchasing In some instances, it is easier to 
install nonstructural anchorage details for newly 
purchased equipment than for existing 
equipment. Many items are available off the 
shelf or can be special-ordered with seismic 
detailing. Some file cabinets come with 
predrilled holes for floor anchorage and strong 
latches on the drawers. Battery racks, industrial 
storage racks, and computer access floors can 
be ordered that meet seismic requirements 
specified in the building code. It is always 
useful to inquire about the availability of seismic 
details when purchasing new equipment. 
Patching, Painting, and Corrosion 
Protection Most of the details shown here 
assume that the nonstructural item is situated in 
a dry, interior location. In these locations, 
some cosmetic patching and painting may be 
desirable, primarily for aesthetic reasons. 
For basements, roofs, or other exterior 
locations, it is important to provide adequate 
protection from weathering and corrosion. If 
attachment details perforate a roof membrane, 
appropriate sealants or localized repair will be 
needed to avoid roof leakage. If expansion 
anchors or other steel hardware will be exposed 
to moist conditions or weathering, either 
stainless steel or galvanized hardware should be 
selected to avoid corrosion and deterioration. 
Many types of paints and coatings are available 
that will help to retard corrosion. Exterior 
earthquake protection devices may need periodic 
maintenance to avoid deterioration. 
In cases where a chain, latch, or tether is 
installed and users must remove and replace 
some hardware whenever they need to use the 
item, it may be helpful to select a bright or 
distinctive paint color as a reminder that the 
chain or hook needs to be refastened. 
Safety Precautions As with any type of 
construction work, there are safety precautions 
that must be followed while installing 
nonstructural attachment details. Employers and 
tradesmen must comply with numerous local, 
state, and federal safety regulations and follow 
guidelines established for specific trades or 
industries. The following is not comprehensive 
but is a brief list of safety precautions that merit 
emphasis in connection with the nonstructural 
attachment details shown here. 
Recommended Procedures: 
* The people doing the installation work should 
have adequate training and supervision. Office 
workers or volunteers may not have the 
necessary background. 
* Electrical hazards are present around -any 
equipment supplied with electrical power. It 
may be necessary to disconnect the power 
before starting work. Transformers are 
especially hazardous. Transformers, 
switchgear, and other electrical cabinets should 
be handled or opened only by qualified 
personnel. 
* The installation of most nonstructural 
restraint details involves the use of power tools. 
Personnel should use safety goggles and other 
protection recommended by tool manufacturers, 
and all workplace safety standards should be 
followed. 
* Many heavy pieces of furniture or equipment 
may have to be moved temporarily in order to 
install seismic restraint details. Unless proper 
lifting techniques are utilized, back injuries or 
other injuries may result [19]. 
DEVELOPING EARTHQUAKE
PROTECTION PROGRAMS 
The preceding sections of this guide have 
provided information. The question is how to 
apply this information effectively. How should 
protective techniques be implemented? The 
answer depends on the nature of the physical 
conditions in the facility and the characteristics 
of the organization. The following suggestions 
can be considered by the reader in the context 
of his or her own situation. 
SELF-HELP VS. 
USE OF CONSULTANTS 
Self-help implementation of a program can be 
adequate where the potential hazard is small or 
the in-house familiarity with engineering or 
construction is greater than average. For larger 
facilities, engineering or architectural 
engineering consultants may be employed to 
survey the seismic vulnerability and design 
specific upgrade details. In some cases, after an 
initial survey is conducted and a report prepared 
by an expert, the remainder of the 
implementation can be handled in-house without 
further assistance. 
One of the larger nonstructural earthquake 
hazard evaluation and upgrade programs is that 
of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 
(VA) for its hospitals. The typical procedure 
followed by the VA has been to hire consultant 
experts to assess the seismic risk at the site, to 
review the facility and list specific nonstructural 
items that are vulnerable to future earthquakes, 
and to provide estimated upgrade costs and 
group the items by priority. Once the 
consultants have established the program 
outline, the VA maintenance staff at each 
hospital has been given many of the 
implementation tasks. As mentioned in the 
introduction, there are limits to the self-help 
diagnosis and prescription approach; especially 
if larger buildings or more serious safety 
hazards, property risks, or critical functional 
requirements are involved, the use of 
consultants may be advisable. 
Types of Consultants Various types of 
consultants are available, each of which may 
have a different type of expertise. The choice 
of a particular consultant will depend on the 
nature and complexity of a particular facility. 
Many of the consultant designations below 
correspond both to a specialized field of study 
or practice and to a category of state license. 
Not all practicing design professionals are 
licensed. If building permits are required for 
the anticipated work, it may be important to 
ascertain that the consultant has an appropriate 
license for the state where the facility is located. 
* Earthquake Engineer This is a commonly 
used term, but no state has such a license 
category, and earthquake engineers are not 
listed in the Yellow Pages. An earthquake 
engineer is a structural or civil engineer (see 
below) experienced in earthquake design and 
analysis. 
* Structural Engineer A structural engineer 
is a civil engineer (see below) who has gone on 
to obtain an additional license based on work 
experience and examinations specifically on 
topics relating to structural engineering. Not all 
states issue a separate license for structural 
engineers. California is an example of a state 
where schools, hospitals, and some high-rise 
structures must be designed by licensed 
structural engineers. Structural engineers are 
more likely to be familiar with building 
construction than many civil engineers, who 
specialize in other areas. Some structural 
engineers have had extensive experience in 
designing nonstructural anchorages and 
protective measures, often involving hospitals 
because of their stricter building code 
requirements. Structural engineers are listed in 
the Yellow Pages under "Engineers; structural. 
* Civil Engineer A civil engineer may be 
licensed by the state. Some civil engineers 
specialize in structural engineering. Other civil 
engineers specialize in fields such as airport and 
harbor design, utility systems, or soils 
engineering, which do not involve the structural 
design and analysis of buildings. 
* Mechanical Engineer A mechanical 
engineer may have a state license based on 
education, experience, and examinations. Some 
mechanical engineers practice aspects of their 
discipline completely unrelated to buildings 
(such as the design of power plants, automotive 
engines, or machinery). Mechanical engineers 
who specialize in the design of HVAC systems, 
or "mechanical" systems, for buildings are often 
familiar with these types of nonstructural items, 
but they typically rely on structural engineering 
-consultants for the design of earthquake bracing 
for mechanical equipment. 
*Architect An architect may also have a 
state license based on education, work 
experience, and examinations. Since architects 
must be knowledgeable about many aspects of 
building design and construction, generally only 
a small part of their education, work 
experience, and examinations is devoted to 
structural engineering. Even architects licensed 
in California generally do not perform seismic 
computations or make structural detailing 
decisions but instead rely on in-house or 
consultant structural engineers. For new 
construction, the engineer usually works as a 
subconsultant to the architect, rather than 
directly for the owner. Architects, not 
engineers, are generally responsible for the 
design of windows, partitions, ceilings, and 
many other nonstructural items. It is important, 
therefore, for the -architect to be made aware of 
the client's concerns regarding protection from 
nonstructural earthquake damage, since the 
architect will design and provide specifications 
for most of the nonstructural components. 
* Interior Designer An interior designer or 
space planner would not be expected to have 
any particular background in earthquake 
engineering, though in some cases this designer 
will be intimately involved with the specification 
of file cabinets, furniture, finish materials, and 
so on. Designs by interior designers can be 
reviewed by a structural engineer to ensure 
appropriate detailing for earthquake hazards. 
* Specialty Contractor Contractors in 
various specialties, as well as general 
contractors, may be licensed by the state. 
Contractors can implement upgrade schemes 
designed by others or may be able to help 
devise the upgrade technique if no formal 
engineering is required. For example, 
contractors experienced in the installation of 
new suspended ceilings in accordance with 
current earthquake code provisions may be 
capable of installing seismic upgrade details for 
older, unbraced ceilings. Individuals skilled in 
the building trades can bring special talents to 
bear if they are made aware of seismic problems 
and solutions. At one large research and 
development facility, for example, all the light 
fixtures have been thoroughly upgraded for 
earthquakes over a few years, thanks mostly to 
the efforts of one electrician. 
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES 
There are a number of options to consider in 
implementing a program to reduce the 
vulnerability of nonstructural components. 
Some of these are discussed below. 
Integration with Maintenance Programs 
One of the easier means of gradually 
implementing earthquake protection in an 
existing building is to train maintenance 
personnel to identify and properly correct 
nonstructural hazards that they may discover as 
they survey the building for other purposes or to 
correct problems identified by an outside 
consultant engineer. The disadvantages of this 
approach are that protection is increased only 
gradually and the potential cost savings from 
doing several related projects at the same time 
may be lost. Note (under the heading 
Sustaining Protection, below) that a maintenance 
program can also be used for upkeep of 
protective measures. 
Remodeling If there are other reasons for 
remodeling, there may be an opportunity to 
increase the protection of several nonstructural 
components at the same time, especially 
ceilings, partitions, windows, air conditioning 
ducts, or other built-in features. A word of 
caution: in some cases, remodeling efforts have 
reduced rather than increased the level of 
earthquake protection through the accidental 
modification of components that originally 
received some seismic protection as a result of 
the input of a structural engineer or architect. 
If an architect, interior designer, or contractor 
is handling the remodeling, the possibility of 
incorporating additional earthquake protection 
into the space should be discussed, and a 
structural engineer's expertise should be 
employed where indicated. 
Purchasing A guideline with a list of 
nonstructural items could be created to indicate 
special purchasing considerations. For example, 
file cabinets should have strong latches and wall 
or floor attachments, bookcases should have 
bracing and floor or wall attachments. 
Increasingly, vendors are marketing items with 
"seismic-resistant" details such as predrilled 
holes for anchorage. The effective use of these 
guidelines requires coordination between the 
purchasing and facilities functions. 
Incremental Upgrading In some cases, it 
may be possible to upgrade different areas 
within a building at different times or to select 
one or more types of nonstructural components 
throughout a building and upgrade them at the 
same time. Some projects can be completed in 
a weekend, making it possible to upgrade 
equipment or other items without interrupting 
the normal work flow. Companies with annual 
shutdown periods may find it wise to upgrade 
the highest-priority items during each annual 
shutdown. Work that interrupts the use of a 
space, such as setting up ladders or scaffolding 
to work on the ceiling or ceiling-located items, 
could be restricted to limited areas in a facility 
at a given time, minimizing the overall 
disruption. 
An all-at-once implementation process, similar 
to that used in new construction, can be used in 
existing facilities either when the extent of the 
work required is small or when the work is 
extensive but the resulting disruption is 
tolerable. A favorable time for this approach is 
when a building is temporarily vacant. 
New Construction For new construction, 
it is possible to anchor, brace, or restrain all the 
critical nonstructural items at the same time 
according to a unified design. As noted earlier, 
it is more efficient and less costly to install 
anchorage details during construction than to 
upgrade existing buildings. 
For large organizations, the development and 
adoption of nonstructural guidelines to be used 
by designers or contractors, as discussed in 
Chapter 7, could be considered. For small 
companies or organizations, a letter or 
conversation with the architect could be used to 
bring up the matter of designing earthquake 
resistance into nonstructural items. Providing 
the architect or other designer with a copy of 
this guide might be advisable. 
Sustaining Protection Some nonstructural 
protection devices, such as anchorage hardware 
for exterior objects, may deteriorate with time 
if not protected from rust. Over time, interior 
fastenings and restraints may be removed as 
people move equipment or other items and fail 
to reinstall the protection devices. Chains used 
to restrain gas cylinders or elastic shock cords 
on bookshelves are effective only when they are 
in use. It is sometimes more problematic to 
maintain the human aspects than hardware 
aspects of nonstructural protection. As noted 
above, remodeling projects can sometimes result 
in the elimination of protective features if there 
are no seismic guidelines. Training is required 
to ensure that gas cylinders, storage rack 
contents, office equipment, chemicals, and so 
on, are properly stored. 
Maintenance personnel may be the people most 
likely to periodically survey the building to 
ascertain whether earthquake protection 
measures are still effectively protecting 
mechanical equipment such as emergency 
generators, water heaters, special equipment, 
and so on. Supervisors can be made responsible 
for an annual review of their work spaces. If 
there is a separate facilities or physical plant 
office in an organization, that may be a logical 
place for the responsibility for sustaining 
protection to reside. Organizations with safety 
departments have successfully assigned the role 
of overseeing nonstructural earthquake 
protection to this functional area. 
An earthquake hazard mitigation program 
should conform to the nature of the 
organization. In the case of the University of 
California, Santa Barbara, the implementation 
and maintenance of a campuswide program to 
address nonstructural earthquake hazards was 
initiated by a one-page policy memo from the 
chancellor. Each department head was made 
responsible for implementation of the policy, 
and the campus Office of Environmental Health 
and Safety was given the job of advising 
departments on implementation, making 
surveys, and evaluating the program's overall 
effectiveness [13, 14]. 
EVALUATION 
How good is a nonstructural earthquake 
protection program? Is it worth the cost? What 
is the best way to evaluate its strong points and 
deficiencies? 
There are two basic techniques. to employ in 
accomplishing this task. The first is to ask, 
How well has the program met its stated 
objectives? Have the costs been within the 
budget? Have the tasks been completed on 
schedule? Is the scope of the effort as broad as 
was originally intended, or have some items 
been neglected that were targeted for upgrades? 
Have employee training exercises or other 
features of the response plan all been 
implemented? How well have the measures 
been implemented? Have the upgrade details 
been correctly installed? Is the training taken 
seriously? 
The second basic evaluation technique is to ask, 
If the earthquake happened today, how much 
better off would we be than if we had never 
developed a nonstructural protection program? 
This can be done in a rough cost-benefit format 
by estimating the total cost of the program, 
including estimated staff time. A fairly crude 
method, described below, can be used to 
estimate the potential benefit due to property 
loss savings. 
The risk ratings in Appendix C are presented in 
terms of a low, moderate, or high potential for 
property loss, If we consider only direct 
property loss to the item itself, then these 
ratings might be approximately equivalent to a 
loss equal to a percentage of the replacement 
cost of each item, as follows: 
Low 0%-20% (10% average) 
Moderate 20%-50% (35% average) 
High 50%-100% (75% average) 
For areas that expect only light-or moderate-
intensity shaking in an earthquake, it can be 
assumed that direct property losses following 
the implementation of the upgrade will be 
negligible. In areas that expect severe shaking, 
it can be assumed that property losses for 
upgraded items will be low, with an average 
loss of 10%, as indicated above. The benefit, 
then, is the difference between the expected 
losses without the program and the expected 
losses with the program in place. 
When using this method, it is important to 
remember that it covers only direct losses to the 
item; i.e., the maximum property loss is limited 
to the replacement cost for each specific item. 
As stated earlier, property losses due to broken 
water or fire sprinkler pipes might be well in 
excess of the cost to repair or replace the 
piping. 
In many cases, the value of not experiencing 
outages and not sustaining injuries will be very 
significant, and property loss savings cannot be 
the sole measure of the benefit. Cost-benefit 
computations such as those described above 
should be used only as a guide, not as automatic 
decision-making devices, since the upgrade 
costs, damage costs, and potential savings can 
be estimated only very approximately. 
6. EMERGENCY PLANNING
GUIDELINES 
What types of nonstructural damage should be 
addressed in an earthquake response plan? How 
should training and exercises be conducted to 
take the prospect of nonstructural damage into 
account? 
IMPLICATIONS OF 
NONSTRUCTURAL DAMAGE 
FOR EMERGENCY PLANNING 
The first step is to develop a valid picture of the 
probable postearthquake state of the facility. 
The nonstructural survey and vulnerability 
analysis will indicate what types of items are 
present and provide an approximate assessment 
of their earthquake resistance. The better this 
survey and analysis are, the more likely it is 
that the envisaged postearthquake conditions will 
actually materialize. Less expert assessments 
will be more likely to either overestimate or 
underestimate damage. Even with the most 
thorough of analyses, however, there is still 
great uncertainty in the process of estimating 
earthquake performance. 
One approach to this uncertainty is to assume 
the worst. This conservative approach is not 
warranted and is prohibitively expensive for 
purposes of allocating construction money to 
upgrade items, but in the initial stage of the 
emergency response planning process, it may be 
inexpensive to at least briefly consider the 
impact of severe damage to each nonstructural 
item on the list. What would be the emergency 
planning implications if each particular 
nonstructural item were to be severely 
damaged? 
For example, what would be the consequences 
if an emergency power generator were to be 
damaged or if its support services were to be 
rendered inoperative. This will provide the 
worst-case scenario. 
A particular generator may be anchored to the 
concrete slab with adequate bolts; it may have 
an independent fuel supply; the batteries may be 
restrained; and the cooling water system, if any, 
may be braced or anchored. The owner or 
operator may test the generator monthly and 
may be confident that it will work after an 
earthquake. However, out of 100 very well 
protected generators such as the one described 
above, at least a few would probably fail to run 
after a large earthquake. The probable outcome 
is that the generator will work properly, but 
there is still an outside chance that it won't. In 
the 1994 Northridge earthquake, a number of 
facilities, including more than one major 
hospital that was designed and constructed under 
the State of California's Hospital Seismic Safety 
Act, had temporary emergency power outages.. 
If there are inexpensive backup measures that 
can be included in the plan or in the training 
program or exercises, then this may be a form 
of inexpensive insurance. Such inexpensive 
measures, might include occasionally including 
in an earthquake scenario the complete absence 
of electricity (by switching off all electricity 
except where it would be dangerous to 
occupants or deleterious to equipment); testing 
battery-powered exit lights; buying a supply of 
flashlights and batteries; maintaining a list of 
local suppliers of rental generators; and 
exploring whether recreational vehicle 
generators could supply power to run some 
essential functions and, if so, including the idea 
as a backup tactic in the earthquake plan 
(employees could be quickly queried to see 
whether some RVs might be available for use 
by the company or organization). 
After the worst-case outcome has been 
considered with regard to each nonstructural 
item, it will then be necessary to consider the 
probable-case scenario. Because emergency 
planning resources are limited, extensive effort 
cannot be devoted to every conceivable 
problem. Once a facility survey has been 
completed, the estimated vulnerabilities 
indicated on the nonstructural inventory form 
can be used as a guide. 
Human Response As protection against 
almost all types of nonstructural damage, the 
common advice to take cover beneath a desk or 
table is generally valid. While the photos of 
earthquake damage presented in this guide may 
appear frightening, a careful look will show that 
if an occupant had been in the vicinity of the 
damage but kneeling under a desk or table, 
serious injury would have been unlikely. 
Taking refuge in a doorway is not 
recommended, since lintel beams over doorways 
provide little protection from falling debris, 
which can occur in and near doorways, 
particularly in exterior walls of buildings. 
Taking refuge under a desk or table is a simple 
measure to undertake, but this advice requires 
some training and exercises if the technique is 
to work. Some people may have an immediate 
impulse to try to run outdoors if the shaking is 
severe or lasts for more than a few seconds. 
Many adults will feel embarrassed about 
crawling under a table. The quarterly 
earthquake drills for school students, now 
required by law in both public and private 
schools in California, appear to be very 
successful in getting students to take cover 
quickly and follow instructions during 
earthquakes. Similar drills, if only annual, are 
necessary if adult office workers, salespeople, 
or government employees are to be expected to 
respond quickly and protect themselves when 
the need arises. 
In settings where there are no desks or tables, 
occupants should get down beside the next best 
thing. In an auditorium or public assembly 
setting, kneeling down between the seats is the 
best advice. It may be possible to move away 
from obvious hazards, such as items on tall 
industrial storage racks, and to put oneself in a 
safer position at the other side of a room, but in 
a very severe earthquake it may be impossible 
to stand up or walk. 
EARTHQUAKE PLANS 
The following points relating to nonstructural 
damage should be addressed in an earthquake 
plan. 
Pre-Earthquake Tasks The document can 
describe the identification and upgrading of 
nonstructural items and the procedures for 
routinely checking to see that protective 
measures are still effective. If emergency 
training for employees is anticipated, then that 
should be written into the plan also. 
Earthquake Emergency Response Tasks 
What tasks must be accomplished immediately 
after an earthquake? The tasks can be made 
contingent upon the severity of the earthquake 
and the amount of damage that is immediately 
seen to have occurred. If the structure of the 
building is obviously damaged--if there are 
sizable cracks in concrete walls, floors, or 
columns; if the building is leaning out of plumb; 
or if any portion of it has pulled apart or 
collapsed--then evacuation of the building will 
obviously be in order. This is not the time for 
a thorough survey of nonstructural damage. If 
there is no apparent structural damage, a survey 
of the mechanical equipment, elevators, and so 
on, could be listed as the appropriate response. 
Hazardous material storage areas should be 
quickly checked for spills. 
Responsibilities For each task, someone 
must be assigned responsibility. If no 
responsibility is assigned in the plan, it is likely 
that no one will carry out the task. Because the 
earthquake may happen at any time and will 
have roughly a 75% chance of happening 
outside normal work hours, backup positions for 
responsibilities should be listed. To minimize 
the obsolescence of the plan, it is preferable to 
list positions rather than individuals' names, but 
in any event, someone must have responsibility 
for the plan itself and for keeping it current. 
Figure 9 provides a blank form for use in 
collecting information that may be helpful in 
formulating an earthquake plan. 
TRAINING 
How should you establish an earthquake training 
program? Ironically, the best advice may be to 
avoid establishing a separate earthquake training 
program and, instead, to integrate earthquake 
training tasks into other ongoing training 
programs. Because of the infrequency of 
earthquakes, even the best earthquake training 
program may slowly lose its effectiveness or 
completely die out. In addition, an earthquake 
training program that requires its, own separate 
funding will probably have a relatively low 
priority in the overall ranking of training 
concerns. But it may be possible to find ways 
of slightly expanding existing training programs 
--at small cost--to deal with the problems unique 
to earthquakes. 
Fire safety is typically the most common of 
hazards on which hazard training is based. In 
the process of instructing employees about 
extinguishers, alarms, notification procedures, 
safe storage methods, exiting, -and other fire-
related topics, it may be possible to incorporate 
an earthquake safety training unit at the same 
time. It is essential to have procedures for 
controlling leaks from fire sprinklers and other 
pipe lines. Security staffs should be trained in 
the process of responding to earthquakes at the 
same time they are familiarized with other 
emergency plans for theft, fire, or other 
hazards. Maintenance personnel must be 
trained in certain upkeep and operational aspects 
of the HVAC system, elevators, plumbing,. 
lights, sprinkler system, and so on, and many of 
these items are precisely the components of a 
building that will require attention in an 
earthquake hazard reduction or response plan. 
Workplace safety training sessions are ideal 
forums for dealing with earthquake safety. 
To minimize the number of earthquake training 
requirements, consider the unique aspects of 
earthquake problems that are not already 
covered by preparations for other hazards.. For 
example, the fact that the phones may not work 
is one of the key ways in which earthquake 
response differs from that for fire or other 
hazards. If an emergency plan addresses 
building evacuation, it should identify gathering 
points that at a safe distance from falling 
hazards adjacent to other buildings. Individual 
emergency plans may contemplate a telephone 
outage, an electrical outage, the need to 
evacuate the building, traffic disruption, injury, 
pipe leakage, or window breakage, but it is 
unlikely that the response plan for any other 
hazard will consider that all these events may 
occur simultaneously. At a minimum, having 
an earthquake backup plan for reporting injuries 
or fires in the event that the telephones are 
inoperable is one essential feature to include. 
The nearest fire station should be located and 
indicated on a street map so that aid can be 
quickly summoned in person if the phones are 
out. Even if emergency medical services are 
not provided by the fire department, the radio 
equipment available at fire stations will allow 
for communication with other agencies. 
In addition to adding earthquake training to 
other ongoing training programs, it may be 
reasonable to occasionally devote brief training 
sessions exclusively to earthquake preparedness. 
An annual training schedule can easily be 
coordinated with an annual exercise schedule, as 
discussed below. 
EXERCISES 
The vulnerability estimates summarized on the 
nonstructural inventory form can be used to 
compile a list of nonstructural damage situations 
for inclusion in an earthquake scenario to be 
used for an exercise. 
The list of nonstructural damage events may 
grow lengthy and may include contingencies that 
would be very costly and disruptive to simulate. 
For example, full-scale evacuations of high-rise 
buildings without the use of the elevators are 
rarely conducted; rather, one or two floors are 
evacuated periodically. Turning the electricity 
off will accurately simulate an 
earthquake-caused power outage and the 
attendant problems of visibility in windowless 
office areas, lack of air conditioning, and so on, 
but this may be too disruptive, or in some cases 
unsafe, to do throughout an entire office 
building. In a large company or government 
office, one department, one wing, or one work 
area of the building could be included in a more 
realistic simulation of effects while employees in 
the remainder of the facility are allowed to 
function normally or simply participate in a 
brief "take cover" exercise. 
Employees with specialized earthquake response 
tasks--such as the maintenance personnel who 
check for water or gas leaks, supervisors who 
are responsible for checking on the well-being 
of employees in their areas, and safety or 
security officers responsible for communications 
within the building or with outside emergency 
services--should have more frequent training and 
exercises. A brief annual exercise, such as 
having people take cover beneath desks and 
reminding them not to use elevators after 
earthquakes, is probably adequate for most 
employees, whereas more frequent brief drills 
may he warranted for employees with 
specialized tasks. An important test of 
preparedness for nonstructural damage is to 
check to see whether the responsible personnel 
can quickly identify which valves to shut in 
order to control water pipe leakage in any part 
of the facility. 
PERSONAL EMERGENCY KITS 
Each employee should be encouraged to have 
their own Personal Emergency Kit containing a 
supply of necessary medical prescriptions, a 
flashlight, portable battery powered radio, a 
water bottle or soft drink, and an energy bar or 
some snack food. For women who wear high 
heels, it may also be useful to keep a pair of flat 
shoes handy, since evacuation procedures often 
require women to remove their high heels. 
Other items like a jacket, mittens, hat, or 
thermal blanket might be useful depending upon 
the local climate. 
MASTER EARTHQUAKE 
PLANNING CHECKLIST 
The checklist in Figure 10 provides an overview 
of the tasks involved in establishing an 
earthquake protection program to address 
nonstructural components. 
1. Facility/organization name 
2. Address 
3. Building ownership: owned by occupant, leased by occupant 
4. Type of organization: company, government agency, other 
5. Organizational structure (overall organizational chart) 
6. Functional responsibilities 
Who has responsibility for the following: 
authorization for earthquake program, budgeting 
detailed administration-of earthquake program 
safety training courses 
posters, brochures, memos, newsletters 
workplace safety, compliance with safety regulations 
fire brigades, emergency response team 
first aid, health care 
personnel: absenteeism, help with personal problems 
insurance 
risk management, risk control 
facilities management: new construction and remodeling 
facilities management: A & E contracts 
facilities management: maintenance 
facilities management: operation of mechanical/electrical systems 
facilities management: postearthquake safety inspections
security 
operational authority for evacuations, building closing 
public relations, press statements 
communications 
food service 
transportation: personnel, cargo 
7. Relationship to off-site portions of the organization 
Which communication/transportation/interaction links are most essential? 
8. Relationship to other organizations 
Which links are essential? 
9. On-site functions 
Which are essential? 
Information-Gathering Checklist: 'Organizational Characteristics 
Figure 9 
1. Task: Establish executive policy requiring a nonstructural evaluation, and allocate funds for 
initial work. 
Responsibility: Chief Executive Officer, Board of Directors, Manager, Executive Committee. 
2. Task: Survey the facility for nonstructural vulnerabilities. 
Responsibility: Outside consultant or in-house engineering, maintenance, safety, or other 
department. 
3. Task: Analyze the conditions, and estimate future earthquake effects. 
Responsibility: Same as for number 2. 
4. Task: Develop a list of nonstructural items to be upgraded, with priorities and cost estimates. 
(If a Facilities Development Guideline document is to be produced, coordinate performance 
criteria to be used on future new construction with upgrade standards). 
Responsibility: Same as for number 2; may include bids from contractors. 
5. Task: Decide what items will be upgraded, how the work will be done, and by whom. 
Responsibility: Same as for number 1, with input from number 2. 
6. Task: Implement the upgrade program. 
or tasking by
Responsibility: In-house staff or contractors, with administration of contracting 
number 2 or in-house construction administration office. 
7. Task: Develop an earthquake response plan that contemplates nonstructural damage, with 
pre-emergency, during, and post-emergency earthquake tasks and responsibilities itemized. 
Responsibility: Consultant or in-house safety or other department, with general policy and 
budgeting same as for number 1. 
8. Task: Train personnel in accordance with the plan developed in number 7. 
Responsibility: Training, safety, or other department. 
9. Task: Plan and implement exercises that will test the training of number 8 and the planning of 
number 7. 
Responsibility: Same as for number 7 or number 8. 
10. Task: Evaluate the performance of the above program, preferably within one year after inception 
or according to the deadlines set in an implementation schedule, and annually thereafter. 
or same as for number 7.
Responsibility: Same as for number 1 in smaller organizations, 
Master Nonstructural Earthquake Protection Checklist 
Figure 10 
7. FACILITIES DEVELOPMENT 
GUIDELINES 
For a large organization, the development of 
formalized nonstructural construction guidelines 
may be appropriate to control the work of 
architects, engineers, interior designer/space 
planners, contractors, and occupants. As a 
general rule regarding new construction or 
renovation, if the construction drawings do not 
show specific attachments and bracing and if the 
written specifications do not mention 
earthquake-protective devices, such as anchors, 
braces, and so on, then it is unreasonable to 
assume that the contractor who builds or installs 
the items will devise special protective measures 
and spend time and materials to incorporate 
them. Current building code provisions for 
nonstructural components generally apply to a 
limited number of items, so compliance with 
code requirements may not address all the 
potential hazards. For instance, furniture and 
contents weighing less than 400 pounds and 
mounted less than 4 feet above the floor are 
typically excluded from the provisions E9]. 
NONSTRUCTURAL 
CONSTRUCTION GUIDELINES 
Written guidelines may be useful for a large 
organization attempting to prevent or limit 
nonstructural damage. Such guidelines should 
be drafted with the assistance of 
architectural/engineering consultants and might 
include the elements described below. 
Scope To what purchases, remodeling, or 
new construction do the guidelines apply? 
Guidelines cannot apply to all nonstructural 
items, since this broad definition would mean 
that furnishings such as wastepaper baskets, 
chairs, wall clocks, curtains, and so on, would 
all be included. Items that might appropriately 
be excluded are lightweight, nonhazardous, 
unessential, and inexpensive items that are not 
mounted overhead or above a certain height off 
the floor. The height criteria typically in use 
range from 42 inches to 5 feet, though desk or 
table height (30 inches) may be more 
appropriate for a facility where young children 
are present. 
The guidelines might apply only to work done 
by outside designers and contractors, to in-house 
facilities work and maintenance, or to individual 
workplace standards. It is preferable to address 
these three audiences separately. The scope 
might include new construction only, 
renovations, or both. Including both cases is 
recommended. 
Responsibility Who has the in-house 
responsibility for maintaining the guidelines and 
ensuring their implementation? This should 
usually be the same office that oversees or 
coordinates architecture and engineering 
projects. What responsibilities does the 
designer or contractor 
certifying to the owner 
guidelines are being 
responsibility should 
contract. 
have for notifying or 
that provisions of the 
followed? This 
be written into the 
General Intent The importance of the 
nonstructural earthquake protection program 
should be stated, preferably in a cover letter or 
introductory statement from the chief executive, 
department head, or governing board. If the 
guidelines are the only ensured means of 
communicating about the earthquake hazard to 
designers or contractors, introductory 
information could be added as well (such as 
examples of the types of damage that might be 
expected to occur if the guidelines are not 
followed). This guide provides more 
background information on this topic than most 
designers or contractors have previously 
acquired, and portions or all of it could be made 
available to them to accomplish this purpose. 
Performance Criteria If the client wants 
a design professional (architect or engineer) to 
do more than merely conform to the minimum 
requirements of the building code, it is desirable 
to explicitly describe the higher level of 
performance desired. This can be done in 
language such as the following: "In the event 
that a major earthquake occurs at the site (i.e., 
an earthquake with a _ % probability of 
exceedance in years), the following 
nonstructural items should remain undamaged 
and functional, assuming that the structure 
remains serviceable. For all other nonstructural 
items, only life safety is important, and the 
anchorage provisions of the local building code 
(or applicable code) should be followed, 
more
including anchorage of any item weighing 
than _ pounds, or located more than 
above the floor and weighing more 
than pounds." Another way to state 
the basic performance criteria would be, 
"Within hours/days after the most 
On severe earthquake that is expected to occur 
average _ (e.g., once a century), the 
following nonstructural items should be at least 
_______ percent functional." 
As an alternative, other published criteria could 
be referenced. For example, some of the 
requirements imposed on California hospitals in 
Title 24 of the California Administrative Code 
might be appropriate for other essential 
facilities, but referencing that code would have 
to be done selectively because it includes many 
provisions that may not be applicable. Of 
course, it may not be easy to meet the desired 
level of performance, so this should be 
discussed with the engineering consultant prior 
to developing a specification. It is also 
sometimes difficult to verify whether the intent 
of a performance criterion has been met until 
the earthquake occurs. 
The criteria should include an indication as to 
how much the client is willing to pay to obtain 
the higher level of protection. Estimates could 
be prepared for each job and approved by the 
client. Or a general statement could be made 
that "any cost up to percent additional
cost" (with the percentage specified in terms of 
total construction cost or estimated cost for that 
nonstructural item only) that the architect or 
engineer thinks reasonable is allowable. Costs 
estimated to be in excess of this limit would 
have to be brought to the attention of the client 
for explicit approval during design. 
Quality Assurance What means of 
verifying and testing compliance with the 
guidelines will be required? For example, if 
upgrade details with anchorage into concrete 
slabs or walls is to be a common element of 
future projects, specific procedures for load 
testing (pulling) a percentage of installed anchor 
bolts could be specified. For installation of 
drill-in anchor bolts in concrete for hospitals in 
California, which are subject to stricter 
earthquake regulations than most buildings, the 
state requires in-place proof-testing of half of 
the bolts to twice their allowable loads. If any 
bolts pull out, then the adjacent bolts must also 
be tested. 
Coordination with Nonseismic 
Specifications, Codes, and Guidelines 
The need to provide earthquake protection 
without sacrificing fire, security, or other 
requirements should be stated in the guidelines. 
One common conflict arises in the acoustically 
desirable use of vibration isolators to allow 
equipment such as air conditioning units or 
generators to operate without transmitting the 
full force of noisy vibrations into the building. 
The easiest earthquake solution is to bolt the 
equipment rigidly to the supporting structure, 
but this would compromise the spring-mount
vibration isolation system. Restraining angles 
(snubbers) can be installed; properly designed
snubbers will provide seismic restraint while 
also allowing the acoustic solution to operate
unhindered. Another conflict arises in the 
design of fire and corridor doors. These doors 
must be tight to meet fire regulations but often 
jam closed due to interstory drift during an 
earthquake, making evacuation difficult. 
Nonstructural Design Requirements 
Most design and construction contract language
will require compliance with locally applicable 
codes.. However, since the code provisions 
apply to a limited number of nonstructural 
items, most codes would not require earthquake 
anchorage or restraint for a computer, a tall file 
cabinet, a heavy mirror, or small containers of 
chemicals. In addition, a client might desire to 
provide a higher level of protection than the 
code minimum to some items that are listed in 
the code. If the guidelines call for measures 
that are in excess of local code requirements,
this should be clearly stated. "Whichever 
requirements are more restrictive" is a phrase
that could be used to indicate that the code must 
be met or, if the guidelines so require,
exceeded. This is related to the subtopic 
Performance Criteria above. 
The design force level is another question that 
should be addressed in the guidelines. Force 
level is the term for the amount of earthquake 
inertial force an item is designed to resist. The 
building code specifies different percentages of, 
the weight of an object to be used as the 
horizontal earthquake force, as described in 
Chapter 2. Since many items are not covered 
by the code, the client or design professional 
must select the inertial force level to be used for 
the design of items that fall outside the code 
provisions. A design coefficient of lo0% (if the 
object weighs 100 pounds, then its anchorage 
must be able to resist a horizontal force of 100 
pounds,) would be a generally conservative 
criterion for most items in most buildings in 
most parts of the United States. The cost of 
this extra conservatism is often small, since the 
labor cost will probably be the same and the 
difference in hardware costs is generally quite 
small. 
Prescriptive Details If there are efficient 
and reliable specific methods to address 
repetitive nonstructural problems, then these 
might be detailed with drawings and required, 
where applicable. Chapter 4 provides a starting
point for the development of such standard 
details, which should be reviewed by a 
knowledgeable design professional to ensure 
their appropriateness for the cases at hand. The 
references listed in the annotated bibliography 
provide additional sources of information. 
STRUCTURAL/Nonstructural 
INTERACTION 
Although the focus of this guide is on 
nonstructural performance, there are a variety of 
ways to design or modify the structural system
of a building in an effort to limit nonstructural 
damage. For new construction, it may useful 
for the owner, architect, and engineer to discuss 
the advantages and disadvantages of various 
structural systems at the very early stages of the 
project. It is important for the owner to 
understand the interaction between the structural 
system and the nonstructural components. 
Structural systems are often described in terms 
of their lateral stiffness or flexibility. For 
instance, a concrete shear wall building is 
generally stiffer than a steel frame structure of 
comparable size. The design team might choose 
a flexible frame system, which may appear 
more economical because such systems can 
often be designed for lower earthquake forces 
by code than a shear wall system of comparable
size. Buildings designed to have less drift, 
or 
horizontal sway, such as shear wall buildings or 
buildings with a frame that is stiffer than the 
code minimum, will experience less 
nonstructural damage. If the increment of cost 
to upgrade the structural framing system is 
small, it may be advantageous to exceed the 
minimum code requirements and select a 
structural system that will provide improved 
nonstructural performance. It may also be 
desirable to provide movement joints to allow 
for protection of windows and partitions during 
earthquakes. The design of these joints is also 
related to the flexibility or expected seismic 
drift in the building. 
If a client wants to reduce the potential for 
nonstructural earthquake damage and expects to 
receive extra attention in the structural, 
architectural, mechanical, or electrical design of 
the many features that make up a modem 
building, then it is vital that the client and the 
design team discuss these issues at the outset in 
order to develop a clear picture of the project 
objectives. 
FEES FOR 
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES 
If the architect, engineer, or interior 
designer/space planner is called upon to perform 
a service not usually provided, the fee will 
logically be higher. In most cases the 
engineer's drawings, specifications, and 
calculations cover only the building structure. 
The architect, mechanical engineer, and interior 
designer specify the nonstructural components of 
the building, but they may not have the 
expertise to adequately address the subject of 
earthquake performance. Designing upgrade 
details for a wide variety of nonstructural 
components can be time consuming. If the 
consultant has to make field visits to observe the 
construction, this will also involve additional 
time and expense. 
GLOSSARY
Base -The portion of a building embedded in or 
resting on the ground surface. 
Base isolation -A method whereby a building 
superstructure is separated from its foundation 
using flexible bearings in order to reduce the 
earthquake forces. This method can also be 
used as an upgrade technique for some types, of 
large and/or sensitive equipment. 
Bending -The curvature of structural or 
nonstructural components in response to certain 
types of applied loading. (For example, a beam 
bends or flexes in response to the weight it 
supports). 
Distortion -The change in the configuration of 
an object or building as, it bends or twists out of 
shape in response to earthquake loading. 
Drift -The horizontal displacement of a 
building resulting from the application of lateral 
forces, usually forces from earthquake or wind. 
Earthquake shaking -The vibratory movement 
of the earth's crust caused by seismic activity. 
Expansion joint -A separation joint provided 
to allow for thermal expansion and contraction. 
Flexible connection -The anchorage of an 
object to a structural member or braced 
nonstructural component, usually using 
hardware such as springs, cables, or corrugated 
tubing, which is designed to allow the object to 
move relative to the structural member or 
braced nonstructural component. For example, 
flexible hose connections are advisable for all 
gas-fired equipment. 
Force level -The intensity of earthquake forces. 
Foundation -That part of a structure which 
serves to transmit vertical and lateral forces 
from the superstructure of a building to the 
ground. 
Frame -A type of structural system in which 
the loads are carried by a grid or framework of 
beams and columns, rather than by load-bearing 
walls. 
Inertial forces -Forces necessary to overcome 
the tendency for a body at rest to stay at rest or 
for a body in motion to stay in motion. 
Intensity -See Shaking intensity. 
Interstory drift -The horizontal displacement 
that occurs over the height of one story of a 
building resulting from the application of lateral 
forces', usually forces from earthquake or wind.. 
Lateral force resisting system -The elements 
of a structure that resist horizontal forces. 
These elements are typically frames, braces or 
shear walls. 
Magnitude -A measure of earthquake size 
which describes the amount of energy released. 
Mitigation -An action taken to reduce the 
consequences of an earthquake. 
Moment -The moment of a force about a given 
point, typically referred to as "the moment", is 
the turning effect, measured by the product of 
the force and its perpendicular distance from the 
point. 
Positive connection -A means of anchorage 
between a nonstructural item and a structural 
member or braced nonstructural component that 
does not rely on friction to resist the anticipated 
earthquake forces. Positive connections are 
typically made using hardware such as bolts, 
steel angles, or cables rather than C-clamps or 
thumb screws. Nails, adhesives and toggle 
bolts typically do not have enough capacity to 
provide positive connections for the seismic 
anchorage of nonstructural items. 
Pounding -The impact of two structures during 
an earthquake. Pounding frequently occurs 
when the seismic gap between two adjacent 
wings of a building, or two neighboring 
buildings separated only by a few inches, is 
insufficient to accommodate the relative lateral 
movement of both buildings. 
Rigid connection -The anchorage of an object 
to a structural member or braced nonstructural 
component, usually using hardware such as 
bolts or brackets, which is designed to prohibit 
the object to move relative to the structural 
member or braced nonstructural component. 
Schematic upgrade detail -A drawing 
outlining the basic elements of an upgrade 
scheme, but lacking dimensions, element sizes, 
and other specific information necessary for 
construction. 
Seismic -Of, relating to, or caused by an 
earthquake. 
Seismic drift -The horizontal displacement of 
a building resulting from the application of 
lateral earthquake forces. 
Seismic gap or seismic joint -The distance 
between adjacent buildings, or two portions of 
the same building, which is designed to 
accommodate relative lateral displacements 
during an earthquake. 
Seismic risk -The chance of injury, damage, or 
loss resulting from earthquake activity. 
Seismic stop -A rigidly mounted bumper used 
to limit the range of lateral motion of spring-
mounted mechanical equipment. 
Seismic upgrade -Improvement of the 
resistance of a structural or nonstructural 
component to provide a higher level of safety or 
resistance to earthquake forces. For 
nonstructural components, seismic upgrade 
schemes typically involve the addition of 
anchorage hardware or braces to attach the 
nonstructural item to the surrounding structure. 
In some instances, the nonstructural item may 
also require internal strengthening. 
Separation joint -The distance between 
adjacent buildings, or two portions of the same 
building, which is designed to accommodate 
relative displacements between the two 
structures. Seismic gaps and expansion joints 
are two types of separation joint. 
Shaking intensity -The amount of energy 
released by an earthquake as measured or 
experienced at a particular location. Intensity is 
subjectively measured by the effects of the 
earthquake on people and structures. 
Shear wall -A wall designed to resist lateral 
forces parallel to the wall. 
Snubber -A device, such as a mechanical or 
hydraulic shock absorber, used to absorb the 
energy of sudden impulses or shocks in 
machinery or structures. Snubbers are often 
used to brace pipe runs where thermal 
expansion and contraction is an important 
consideration. 
Upgrade detail -A drawing presenting the 
necessary elements of an upgrade scheme, 
including dimensions, element sizes, and other 
specific information in sufficient detail so that 
the drawing can be used for construction. 
Vertical force resisting system -The elements 
of a structure that resist the gravity loads or 
self-weight. 
REFERENCES
1. Staff of the Los Angeles Times.. 1994. 
4:31, Images of the 1994 Los Angeles
Earthquake. Los Angeles, Calif.: Los Angeles 
Times. 
2. Ding, Day, Christopher Arnold, et al. 1990. 
"Loma Prieta Earthquake Reconnaissance 
Report: Architecture, Building Contents, and 
Building Systems. " Earthquake Spectra, 
Supplement to Volume 6. 
3. Reitherman, Robert, et al. 1994. 
"'Nonstructural Components." In Northridge 
Earthquake, January 17,. 1994, Preliminary 
Reconnaissance Report, edited by John Hall. 
Oakland, Calif.: Earthquake Engineering 
Research Institute, and in-press Final Report to 
be published in Earthquake Spectra. 
4. Federal Emergency Management Agency. 
1981. An Assessment of the Consequences and 
Preparations for a Catastrophic California 
Earthquake: Findings and Actions Taken. 
Washington, D.C.: FEMA. 
5. Steinbrugge, Karl V., and Eugene E. 
Schader. 1973. "Earthquake Damage and 
Related Statistics." In San Fernando, 
California, Earthquake of February 9, 1971, 
edited by Leonard Murphy. Vol. 1A, pp. 
709-710 and 713. Washington D.C.: National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 
6. Wong, Kit M. 1993. High Seismic 
Economic Risk Buildings: Research Report to 
the National Science Foundation. Oakland, 
Calif.: Vickerman, Zachary, Miller. 
7. Dobb, Linda, librarian, San Francisco State 
University. Personal communication. 
8. Nigbor, Robert L. 1993. "Seismic 
Protection of Museum Contents," presented at 
the fall seminar of the Structural Engineers 
Association of Northern California. San 
Francisco: Structural Engineers Association of 
Northern California. 
9. Building Seismic Safety Council. 1991. 
IEHRP Recommended Provisions for the 
Development of Seismic Regulations for New 
Buildings. Washington, D.C.: FEMA. [1994 
edition in progress]. 
10. Shakal, A., et al. 1994. CSMIP Strong-
Motion Records from the Northridge, California, 
Earthquake of 17 January 1994. Report No. 
OSMS 94-07. Sacramento: California 
Department of Conservation, Office of Strong 
Motion Studies. 
II. Darragh, R., et aL. 1994. Processed Data 
for Sylmar -6-story County Hospital from the 
Northridge Earthquake of 17 January 1994. 
Report OSMS, 94-1 iC. Sacramento: California 
Department of Conservation, Office of Strong 
Motion Studies. 
12. International Conference of Building 
Officials. 1994. Uniform Building Code. 
Whittier, Calif.: ICBO. 
13. Huttenbach, Robert A. 1980. Policy on 
Seismic Hazard Reduction. Santa Barbara,, 
Calif.: University of California, Santa Barbara, 
Office of the Chancellor. 
14. Steinmetz, William H. 1979. "How a 
Campus Handles an Earthquake Disaster," 
presented at the 26th National Conference on 
Campus Safety. Ann Arbor: University of 
Michigan. 

The following references were used in 
compiling the checklists, details, and installation 
notes and are not cited specifically in the text: 
15. California Office of the State Architect and 
California Office of Emergency Services. 1990. 
Identification and Reduction of Nonstructural 
Earthquake Hazards in California Schools. 
Sacramento and Oakland: California OSA and 
OES. 
16. Reitherman, Robert, and Steve Minor. 
1989. Technical Guidelines for Earthquake 
Protection of Nonstructural Items in 
Communications Facilities. Oakland: California 
Office of Emergency Services Earthquake 
Program. 
17. Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. 
1994. Information on Protecting Your Home 
and Business from Nonstructural Earthquake 
Damage. Los Angeles: California Office of 
Emergency Services. 
18. California Office of the State Architect. 
1993. Earthquake Bracing of Water Heaters for 
Single-Family Homes. Sacramento: California 
OSA. 
19. Reitherman, Robert. 1991. Nonstructural 
Earthquake Protection Manual for Idaho 
Schools. Boise: Idaho Bureau of Disaster 
Services. 
20. Checklist of Nonstructural Earthquake 
Hazards. Sacramento: California Office of 
Emergency Services Earthquake Project. 
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
This brief bibliography can direct those who 
require more detailed information to other 
bibliographies, such as those contained in the 
references below, and thus is not meant to be 
comprehensive. This bibliography includes, 
technical publications and nontechnical 
publications, both listed in alphabetical order, 
and also information on several organizations or 
government agencies with a specific focus on 
earthquake engineering issues. These 
organizations may be able to, help the reader 
identify more recent publications than those 
listed here. 
Technical Publications 
Applied Technology Council. 1992. ATC-29: 
Proceedings of Seminar and Workshop on 
Seismic Design and Performance of Equipment 
and Nonstructural Elements in Buildings and 
Industrial Structures. Redwood City, Calif.: 
ATC. 
* These proceedings contain papers with 
performance data, analytical methods, and/or 
suggested details for many specific items, 
including elevated tanks, ceilings, fire 
sprinklers, HYAC ducts and equipment, and 
computer access floors. Most of these papers 
also contain extensive reference lists pertinent to 
each specific topic. 
Ayres, J. M., T. Y. Sun, and F. R. Brown. 
1973. "Nonstructural Damage to Buildings." In 
The Great Alaska Earthquake of 1964: 
Engineering. Washington D.C.: National 
Academy of Sciences. 
Ayres, J. M., and T. Y. Sun. 1973. 
'Nonstructural Damage." In The San 
Fernando, California J Earthquake of February 
9, 1971. Washington, D.C.: National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration. 
* These were the first two comprehensive 
postearthquake damage analyses devoted to the 
topic of nonstructural components. The authors 
are mechanical engineers. 
Building Seismic Safety Council. 1992. 
NEHRP Recommended Provisions for the 
Development of Seismic Regulations for New 
Buildings. Part 1--Provisions (FEMA 222), 
Part 2-Commentary (FEMA 223). 
Washington, D.C.: FEMA., 
* The 1994 edition was in draft form at the 
time this document went to press. 
Building Seismic Safety Council. 1992. 
NEHRP Handbook for the Seismic Evaluation of 
Existing Buildings. (FEMA 178). Washington, 
D.C.: FEIMA. 
Building Seismic Safety Council. 1992. 
NEURP Handbook for the Seismic Rehabilitation 
of Existing Buildings. (FEMA 172). 
Washington, D.C.: FEMA. 
* Items 4, 5, and 6 are all part of a series of 
FEMA documents produced by the National 
Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program 
(NEHRP). These documents may be obtained 
without charge by writing to the address listed 
at the end of this bibliography. 
Dowrick, D. J. 1977. Earthquake Resistant 
Design: A Manual for Engineers and Architects. 
New York: John Wiley & Sons. 
* A comprehensive text, including two chapters 
on nonstructural issues: "Earthquake Resistance 
of Services," which concerns mechanical and 
electrical components, and "Architectural 
Detailing for Earthquake Resistance." The book 
has an international perspective with references 
to many different codes. 
Earthquake Engineering Research Institute. 
1984. Nonstructural Issues of Seismic Design 
and Construction. Publication No. 84-04. 
Oakland, Calif.: EERI. 
* This is a technical overview based on a 
workshop sponsored by the National Science 
Foundation. It includes several technical papers 
and a discussion of key issues, and it lists many 
additional references. 
International Conference of Building Officials. 
1994. Uniform Building Code, Volumes 1-3. 
Whittier, Calif.: ICBO. 
* See especially the "Earthquake Regulations." 
The UBC contains specific requirements for 
some items, such as steel storage racks. New 
editions of the UBC are issued every three 
years. The earthquake regulations are taken 
almost verbatim from the SEAOC "Blue Book," 
listed below, which also includes a useful 
commentary. 
McGavin, Gary L. 1981. Earthquake 
Protection of Essential Building Equipment: 
Design, Engineering, Installation. New York: 
John Wiley & Sons. 
* A book-length treatment of the subject. 
Especially appropriate for large, complex 
projects, such as hospitals or power plants. 
Office of the State Architect, Structural Safety 
Section. 1991. Interpretation of Regulations 
#IR 23-7, Title 24 California Administrative 
Code: Anchorage of Non-Structural Building 
Components and Hospital Equipment. 
Sacramento: California OSA. 
* The regulations legally pertain only to 
essential nonstructural items in California 
hospitals, but the regulations can provide a 
guide as to anchorage engineering of especially 
essential items for other types of buildings. The 
Office of the State Architect has been centrally 
involved in earthquake code regulations since 
the 1933 Long Beach earthquake. 
Schiff, Anshel J. 1980. Pictures of 
Earthquake Damage to Power Systems and 
Cost-Effective Methods to Reduce Seismic 
Failures of Electric Power Equipment. West 
Lafayette, Ind.: Purdue Research Foundation. 
* This is one of the few works in this subject 
area that is readable by the nontechnical 
audience. Engineering appendix and 
bibliography also included. 
Structural Engineers Association of California. 
1990. Recommended Lateral Force 
Requirements and Commentary. San Francisco: 
SEAOC. 
* Also known as the SEAOC "Blue Book." 
The "Requirements" are adopted almost 
verbatim into the Uniform Building Code, while 
the "Commentary" explains the assumptions, 
limitations, and caveats that must be understood 
for the regulations to be used intelligently. The 
Structural Engineers Association of California 
has been active in the development of seismic 
code regulations, standards of practice, 
research, and testing for several decades. 
Structural Engineers Association of Northern 
California. 1993. Fall Seminar: Non-Structural 
Components--Design and Detailing. San 
Francisco: SEAONC. 
* These seminar notes include nine papers on 
the design and detailing of cladding, interior 
systems, and mechanical systems. Several of 
these papers also include extensive reference 
lists. 
U.S. Department of Defense. 1982. Seismic 
Design for Buildings. Tri-Service Manual TM 
5-809-10. Washington, D.C.: Superintendent of 
Documents. 
* Commentary and calculation examples are 
provided; see especially Chapters 9, 10, and 11. 
Generally parallels the UBC but is written as a 
design aid rather than a code. 
U.S. Department of Defense. 1986. Seismic 
Design Guidelines for Essential Buildings. Tri-
Service Manual TM 5-809-10-1. Washington, 
D.C.: Superintendent of Documents. 
* Chapters 6 and 7 cover nonstructural 
components and nonbuilding structures, 
respectively. Includes several design examples. 
(Revised edition by Wiss, Janney, Elstner 
Associates, Inc., due out in 1995). 
U.S. Department of Defense. 19:86. Seismic 
Design Guidelines for Upgrading Existing 
Buildings, Tri-Service Manual TM 5-809-10-2. 
Washington, D.C.: Superintendent of 
Documents. 
* Portions of Chapter 6, Chapter 9, and the 
design examples in Appendix 0 are related to 
nonstructural items. 
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of 
Construction. 1976. Study to Establish Seismic 
Protection Provisions for Furniture, Equipment, 
and Supplies for VA Hospitals. Washington, 
D.C.: VA. 
0 This guide shows typical nonstructural 
damage inside a hospital and illustrated restraint 
techniques with cost estimates for a variety of 
types of hospital equipment and furnishings; it 
includes a brief engineering appendix. 
Relevant for buildings other than hospitals, 
especially if laboratories are present. 
Yancey, C. W. C., and A. A. Camnacho. 1978. 
Seismic Design of Building Service Systems: The 
State of the Art. National Bureau of Standards 
Technical Note 970. Washington, D.C.: NBS. 
* A literature survey and review of present 
practice, especially with regard to the specific 
mandatory regulations of building codes. The 
National Bureau of Standards, a federal bureau, 
has been involved with earthquake research and 
postearthquake damage reports. 
Rihal, Satwant, Barry J. Goodno,, Hiroshi Ito, 
and Robert Reitherman. 1993. "Nonstructural 
Elements." In Design of Low-Rise Buildings 
Subjected to Lateral Forces, edited by Ajaya
Kumar Gupta and Peter James Moss. Ann 
Arbor: CRC Press. 
* A chapter in a book intended for architects, 
engineers, building officials, and university 
professors. Most of this chapter concerns 
earthquakes rather than wind, and additional 
references are listed. 
Reitherman, Robert, and Steve Minor. 1989. 
Technical Guidelines for Earthquake Protection 
of Nonstructural Items in Communications 
Facilities. Oakland: California Office of 
Emergency Services Earthquake Program. 
* Intended for the facilities staffs who install 
and maintain telecommunications equipment. 
Includes simplified design guide for the 
selection of anchor bolts, drawings of anchorage 
and bracing details, and installation guidance. 
Technical Standards 
The following list of publications includes many 
of the specific design, fabrication, and/or 
installation requirements for particular 
nonstructural items. 
American Institute of Steel Construction 
(AISC). 1989. Manual of Steel Construction: 
Allowable Stress Design. Ninth Edition. 
American Petroleum Institute (API). 1988. 
Welded Steel Tanks for Oil Storage. API 
Standard 650. 
American Society of Mechanical Engineers 
(ASME). 1990. Safety Code of Elevators and 
Escalators. ASME A17. 1. 
American Society of Mechanical Engineers 
(ASME). Including addenda through 1993. 
Code for Pressure Piping. ASME B3 1. 
American Society of Mechanical Engineers 
(ASME). Including addendum through 1993. 
Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. 
American Society For Testing and Materials 
(ASTM). 1991. Standard Specification for the 
Manufacture, Performance and Testing of Metal 
Suspension Systems for Acoustical Tile and Lay-
in Panel Ceilings. ASTM C635. 
American Society For Testing and Materials 
(ASTM). 1991. Standard Practice for 
Installation of Metal Ceiling Suspension 
Systems for Acoustical Tile and Lay-in Panels. 
ASTM C636. 
American Water Works Association (AWWA). 
1984. Welded Steel Tanks for Water Storage. 
D100. 
Ceilings and Interior Systems Construction 
Association (CISCA). 1991. Recommendations 
for Direct-Hung Acoustical Tile and Lay-In 
Panel Ceilings, Seismic Zones 0-2. 
Ceilings and Interior Systems Construction 
Association (CISCA). 1990. Recommendations 
for Direct-Hung Acoustical Tile and Lay-In 
Panel Ceilings, Seismic Zones 3-4. 
Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers 
(IEEE). 1975. Recommended Practice for 
Seismic Qualification of Class JE Equipment for 
Nuclear Power Generating Stations. IEEE 
Standard 344. 
Manufacturers Standardization Society of the 
Valve and Fitting Industry (MSS). 1988. Pipe 
Hangers and Supports : Materials, Design, and 
Manufacture. SP-58. 
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). 
1991. Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler 
Systems. NFPA-13. 
Rack Manufacturers Institute (RMI). 1990. 
Specification for the Design, Testing, and 
Utilization of Industrial Steel Storage Racks. 
Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors 
National Association (SMACNA). 1985. 
HVAC Duct Construction Standards, Metal and 
exible. 
Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors 
National Association (SMACNA). 1980. 
Rectangular Industrial Duct Construction 
Standards. 
Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors 
National Association (SMACNA), Sheet Metal 
Industry Fund of Los Angeles, and Plumbing 
Industry Council. 1992. Guidelines for Seismic 
Restraint of Mechanical Systems and Plumbing 
Piping Systems. 
Nontechnical References 
California Office of the State Architect and 
California Office of Emergency Services. 1990. 
Identification and Reduction of Nonstructural 
Earthquake Hazards in California Schools. 
Sacramento and Oakland: California OSA and 
California OES 
* Survey forms and drawings of bracing 
concepts for 27 nonstructural items. 
FBIS, Inc., and VSP Associates. 1987. Data 
Processing Facilities: Guidelines for Earthquake 
Hazard Mitigation. Sacramento, Calif.: VSP, 
Inc. 
* Intended for owners and operators of data 
processing facilities (DPF). Contains 
illustrative material on nonstructural hazards and 
upgrades for raised floors and mainframe 
computer systems, as well as components found 
in buildings in general. Not intended as a self-
help guide, but provides DPF manager with a 
basis for discussing design criteria with an 
engineer. 
Noson, Linda, Todd Perbix, and Padraic Burke. 
1989. Safer Schools: Earthquake Hazards, 
Nonstructural. Olympia, Wash.: Washington 
Superintendent of Public Instruction. 
Includes background information on 
earthquakes in Washington, survey checklists, 
and 32 pages of illustrations of nonstructural 
hazard reduction measures. 
Olshansky, Robert B. No date (c. 1992). 
Reducing Earthquake Hazards in the Central 
U.S.: Nonstructural Hazards. Memphis, Tenn.: 
Central United States Earthquake Consortium. 
* Prepared for the U.S. Geological Survey by 
the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 
Department of Urban and Regional Planning. 
Illustrations and explanations of nonstructural 
damage. 
Reid & Tarics Associates. 1982. Seismic 
Restraint Handbook for Furniture, Equipment, 
and Supplies. Washington, D.C.: Veterans 
Administration. 
* In addition to detailed administration 
procedures applicable to VA hospitals, the 
handbook contains detailed forms for collecting 
nonstructural survey data and producing cost 
estimates or lists of required materials and 
labor. Includes 18 pages of restraint details. 
Originally intended for use by engineering staffs 
at VA medical facilities, without the use of 
outside contractors or additional design/analysis 
assistance. 
Reitherman, Robert. 1989. Nonstructural 
Earthquake Hazard Mitigation for Hospitals and 
Other Health Care Facilities. FEMA 
Publication SM (Student Manual) 370. 
Washington, DC: FEMA. 
* Six chapters devoted to the nonstructural 
topic, some of them generally applicable and 
others more specific to hospitals. This is a 
manual used for a two-day course devoted to 
earthquake hazard reduction and emergency 
preparedness for hospital facilities. 
Organizations 
1. Federal Emergency Management Agency 
(FEMA); California Office of Emergency 
Services (OES) Earthquake Program; Central 
United States Earthquake Consortium (CUSEC). 
A wide variety of publications, brochures, 
checklists, videotapes, and slide sets related to 
earthquake preparedness and nonstructural 
hazard mitigation are available from many state 
and federal agencies. Some of the items are 
tailored to meet differing needs in particular 
areas of the United States. Some are tailored 
for specific types of facilities, such as hospitals, 
schools, day care centers, nursing homes, or 
single-family residences. Many are available 
free of charge. 
FEMA has regional offices throughout the 
country, and most states have an office or 
department of emergency services that may have 
similar material. The list below includes only 
several key agencies. 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 
Mitigation Directorate 
500 C Street. S.W. 
Washington, D.C. 20472 
State of California 
Governor's Office of Emergency Services 
Earthquake Program 
2800 Meadowview Road 
Sacramento, CA 95832 
(Phone 916-262-1800; Fax 916-262-1840) 
Central United States Earthquake Consortium 
2630 East Holmes Road 
Memphis, TN 38118 
(Phone 901-345-0932; Fax 901-345-0998) 
2. The National Center for Earthquake 
Engineering Research (NCEER) is associated 
with the State University of New York at 
Buffalo. Founded in 1987, NCEER sponsors 
academic research in earthquake engineering, 
publishes a quarterly bulletin, and has an 
extensive list of technical reports available by 
mail. NCEER also has a bibliographic database 
called QUAKELINE that covers the literature of 
earthquake engineering and natural hazards 
mitigation. The database contained over 24,000 
records as of January 1994; approximately 400 
additions are made each month. The database 
is accessible on Internet, through both academic 
computing services and commercial providers. 
National Center for Earthquake Engineering 
Research 
State University of New York at Buffalo 
Red Jacket Quadrangle, Box 610025 
Buffalo, NY 14621-0025 
(Phone 716-645-3391; Fax 716-645-3399; 
QUAKELINE Info: Phone 716-645-3377) 
3. The Earthquake Engineering Research 
Institute (EERI) was organized in 1949 as a 
nonprofit corporation with the objective of 
reducing the impact of earthquakes by means of 
seismic studies, inspection of earthquake 
damage, education, and technology transfer, 
including conferences and the publication of 
newsletters, reports, technical papers, and 
conference proceedings. EERI has members in 
47 states and 51 foreign countries, including 
many practicing engineers, architects, and 
seismologists, as well as university professors 
and government personnel. Earthquake Spectra, 
a monthly publication of EERI, contains articles 
covering a wide range of topics related to 
earthquakes. EERI has an extensive publication 
list that also includes videotapes and annotated 
slide sets showing examples of damage during 
many past earthquakes. 
Earthquake Engineering Research Institute 
499 14th Street 
Oakland, CA 94612-1902 
(Phone 510-451-0905; Fax 510-451-5411) 
4. The Earthquake Engineering Research Center 
(EERQ is associated with -the University of 
California at Berkeley. In addition to the 
extensive shake table testing program, which 
has been going on for many years and which 
has produced hundreds of research reports, 
EERC has an extensive library of earthquake-
related materials and a large collection of 
earthquake slides, and it publishes a newsletter. 
EERC reports and slide sets are available for 
sale. 
The National Information Service for 
Earthquake Engineering (NISEE) distributes 
computer software for earthquake engineering 
and is associated with EERC. NISEE also 
maintains a computer database of information on 
earthquake engineering, accessible through 
Internet. 
Earthquake Engineering Research Center 
University of California, Berkeley 
1301 South 46th Street 
Richmond, CA 94804-4698 
(Phone 510-231-9554) 
5. The Applied Technology Council (ATC) is a 
nonprofit corporation serving the structural 
engineering profession. The majority of its, 
publications are related to technical topics in 
seismic analysis and design, postearthquake 
damage evaluations, new technological advances 
in seismic design, and so on. The specific 
focus of the organization is to provide a link 
between academic research and professional 
practice. ATC sponsors several technical 
workshops each year. 
Applied Technology Council 
555 Twin Dolphin Drive, Suite 270 
Redwood City, CA 94065 
(Phone 415-595-1542; Fax 415-593-2320) 
APPENDIX A 
NONSTRUCTURAL INVENTORY FORM
Facility: Assumed Intensity: 
Priority Nonstructural Location Quantity Risk ER Estimated Upgrade Cost Notes 
Item LS PL LF Per Item Subtotal 
LS (Life Safety) PL (Property Loss) LF (Loss of Function) ER (Engineering Required) L (Low) M (Moderate) H (High) 
Inventory Form 
APPENDIX B 
CHECKLIST OF NONSTRUCTURAL 
EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS 
How to Use This Checklist 
This checklist is intended to be used in surveying buildings to assess whether the nonstructural 
elements (electrical, mechanical, architectural, and furniture or contents) pose a danger to the 
building occupants or are likely to cause financial loss or interruption following an earthquake. 
The questions in this form have been stated in such a way that a "NO" answer indicates there 
may be a potential problem with the item. Write "Y" for Yes and "N" for No in the box 
provided. The list may be used in conjunction with the nonstructural inventory form provided 
in Appendix A. As an example, a line item in the inventory form should be created for each 
instance where a question in this form is answered "NO". 
BUILDING UTILITY SYSTEMS 
EMERGENCY POWER-GENERATING U3. Diesel fuel tank See Example U31 
EQUIPMENT 
Is the tank securely attached to the 
Emergency power-generating equipment supports? 
generally consists of the following components: H Are the tank supports braced in both 
directions? 
U1. Generator 
El 
Is the bracing attached with anchor bolts 
to concrete walls or foundation pad?
Is the emergency generator adequately U Is the foundation large enough to keep
secured, especially if mounted on motor the tank from tipping over or sliding?
vibration isolation springs? 
H1 
Is the wall strong enough to support the 
tank? 
U2. Batteries, battery rack [See Example U2J 
U4. Fuel line, cooling water lines, exhaust
Are the batteries securely attached to the flues 
battery rack?
Is the battery rack cross-braced in both D 
Are these lines attached with flexible 
[7 
directions? 
connections that are able to 
Does the battery rack have anchor bolts accommodate relative movement at 
secured to a concrete foundation pad? junctions to spring-mounted equipment,
[] Is the foundation large enough to keep at building entry and exit points, and at 
the rack from sliding or tipping? -expansion joints -within the building? 
B -1

ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT 
The emergency power system includes both 
power-generating equipment and the electrical 
distribution system: 
U5. Transformers 
Are transformers properly anchored: to 
the floor or wall? 
U6. Motor Control Center (MCC) 
Are the motor control centers properly 
anchored to the floor or wall? X 
FIRE DETECTION AND SUPPRESSION 
SYSTEM 
The fire detection and suppression system may 
include any or all of the following components: 
U9. Smoke detectors, fire alarm system, 
control system for automatic fire doors 
Are fire and smoke detectors properly 
mounted? 
[] Is the control equipment for the fire 
''alarm system and automatic fire doors 
securely anchored? 
U10. Fire extinguisher or fire hose cabinets 
[See Example U10 
D] Are the fire extinguisher cabinets and/or 
hose cabinets securely mounted? 
E] Are the fire extinguishers secured with 
quick-release straps? 
Ut1. Fire sprinklers and distribution lines 
Are the fire sprinkler piping components
[Z 
laterally braced? 
U7. Electrical switchgear 
Is the switchgear properly anchored to 
the floor or wall? 
U8. Electrical bus ducts and primary cable 
system [See Example U81 
Are electrical cables or conduit able to 
distort at the connections with the 
equipment or where they cross seismic 
D1 
joints between buildings? 
Are the bus ducts or cable conduits 
laterally braced? 
(Caution: Only qualified personnel should open 
access panels on electrical equipment). 
Is the ceiling braced so the ceilings 

won't break the sprinkler heads? 
Are the distribution lines able to 
accommodate movement where they 
cross seismic joints between buildings? 
U12. Fire water pump 
Dl Is the fire water pump anchored, or is it 
mounted on vibration isolation springs 
with additional seismic restraints? 
U13. Emergency water tank or reservoir 
Is the water tank or reservoir securely
ElD attached to its supports? 
Are the tank supports braced in both 
directions?
El 
Are the supports or braces properly 
anchored to the foundation? 
U14. Smoke control systems 
Are the fans properly braced and/or 
'' anchored?
Dl Are fan control centers securely 
anchored? 
PROPANE TANKS U16. Shlut-off valve 
Propane tanks may be used for backup power, 
Does the system have an automatic,
heating, or cooking. These systems, include: 
earthquake-triggered shut-off valve? 
If the shut-off is manual, is a wrench
U15. Propane tank [See Example U1S] H1 stored within easy reach? . 
Is the tank securely anchored to the U17. Gas or fuel supply pipe
supports?
Are the tank supports braced in both Are the supply pipes laterally braced? 
directions?
Are the supports or braces anchored to a D Do the pipes have flexible connections at 
concrete foundation pad? 
the tank that are able to accommodate
Is the foundation large enough to keep relative movement? 
the tank from sliding or tipping over? 
PLUMBING SYSTEM U20. Distribution pumps 
The plumbing system may include: 
[7 Are the distribution pumps anchored, or 
are they mounted on vibration isolation 
U18. Gas-fired water heater or boiler Springs with additional seismic lateral 
Are the water heaters or boilers, securely 
restraints? 
anchored to the floor or wall? U21. Hot and cold water pipes, hot water
Does the gas line have a flexible return, wastewater pipes [See Example U21J 
connection to the water heater that is 
able to accommodate movement? [7 Are the pipes laterally braced at 
reasonable intervals? 
1119. Residential water heater [See Examples D Do the pipes have flexible connections to 
Ul9a and Ul9b boilers or tanks that are able to 
[Are the water heaters securely anchored D accommodate movement? 
Are the distribution lines able to 
to the floor or wall? accommodate movement where they
[Does the gas line or electrical conduit cross seismic joints between buildings?
have a flexible connection to the water F] Are pipe penetrations through structural 
heater that is able to accommodate walls or framing members large enough
movement? to allow for some seismic movement?
Are the pipes free of asbestos insulation 
that could be damaged by movement in 
an earthquake? 
ELEVATORS, ESCALATORS 
The transport equipment generally includes: 
U22. Elevator cab 
Is the elevator cab properly attached to 
the guide rails? 
U23. Cables, counterweights, and guide rails 
(for cable-traction systems) 
Are the cables installed in such a way 
that they are protected against 
misalignment during an earthquake? 
7] Are the counterweights properly attached 
to the guide rails? 
F] Are the guide rails securely attached to 
the building? 
U24. Elevator motor and motor control 
cabinets 
Are the motor and motor control 
cabinets properly anchored? 
HEATING, VENTILATING, AIR 
CONDITIONING (HVAC) SYSTEM 
The HVAC system may include any or all of 
the following components, depending on the size 
of the facility: 
U28. Boilers and furnaces 
Are boilers and furnaces securely
anchored with adequately sized bolts? 
Are furnaces, and furnace or boiler 
constructed without using
bases, 
unreinforced masonry? 
U25. Elevator cab and hydraulic elevator 
equipment (hydraulic systems) 
Are the components of the hydraulic 
system properly anchored? 
U26. Escalator 
Is the escalator control equipment 
securely anchored? 
U27. People mover (moving walkway) 
Is the control equipment for the people 
mover properly anchored? 
(Caution: The moving parts or components of 
these systems need to be evaluated by qualified 
personnel. Inappropriate seismic restraints may 
compromise the safe operation of these systems.) 
U29. Chillers [See Examples U29a and U29b] 
D] Are chillers securely anchored, or are 
they mounted on vibration isolation 
springs with added seismic restraints? 
U30. Heat pumps or heat exchangers 
F] Are pumps or heat exchangers anchored, 
or are they mounted on vibration 
isolation springs with added seismic 
restraints? 
U31. Fans, blowers, filters 
Are fans, blowers, and filters securely 
anchored, or are they mounted on 
vibration isolation springs with added 
seismic restraints? 
U32. Air compressors [See Example U32J 
Are air compressors anchored, or are 
they mounted on vibration isolation 
springs with added seismic restraints? 
U33. Roof-mounted HVAC units 
Are the HVAC units securely anchored, 
or are they mounted on vibration-
limiting springs with added seismic 
restraints? 
U34. Wall-mounted room air conditioning 
units 
Are the air conditioning units securely 
mounted to the wall or shelf? 
MECHANICAL APPENDAGES 
This category may include the following: 
U38. Small stacks or residential chimneys 
[See Example U38] 
Is the brick chimney braced to the roof? 
Are stacks, bolted to the supports or 
foundation by means of anchor bolts of 
adequate length and double nuts? 
U35. Suspended room heaters or fans [See 
Example U35j 
Are the suspended room heaters, 
especially gas-fired ones, laterally 
braced, and are gas-fired heaters fitted 
with flexible gas connections.? 
U36. Distribution ducts [See Example U36J 
Are the distribution ducts laterally
braced?
Are the distribution ducts able to 
accommodate movement at locations 
where they cross seismic joints? 
U37. Diffusers [See Example U37J 
Are the air distribution grills or diffusers 
anchored to adequately supported sheet-
metal ducts or to the ceiling grid *or 
wall?
Do the diffusers have positive 
independent support, such as at least two 
hanger wires per diffuser? 
U39. Roof-mounted equpment, vents, or 
ues 
Is roof-mounted equipment properly 
anchored? 
U40. Solar panels 
Are the solar panels securely anchored 
to the roof?
Is the piping laterally braced? 
ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS 
BUILT-IN PARTITIONS 
These may include elements of many different 
materials and construction types: 
Al. Permanent block wall partitions (concrete 
masonry unit, brick, hollow clay tile) 
Are block wall partitions reinforced? 
(Most brick or hollow clay tile walls in 
pre-1933 California buildings are 
unreinforced. In other regions, 
unreinforced masonry elements may be 
found even in current construction.) 
CEILINGS AND SOFFITS 
A3. Ceilings (acoustic tile, gypsumboard, 
plaster) [See Example ANJ 
Does the suspended ceiling have 
adequate diagonal bracing wires? 
and/or
Are decorative ceiling panels 
latticework securely attached? 
For plaster ceilings, is the wire mesh or 
wood lath securely attached to the 
structural framing above? 
LIGHTING 
A5. Suspended overhead lighting, fixed or 
track lighting [See Examples A5a and A5b] 
Do the lay-in fluorescent light fixtures 
have positive support, independent of the 
ceiling grid, such as at least two 
diagonally opposite hanger wires per 
light fixture? 
Do chandeliers or other hanging fixtures 
have safety cables to prevent them from 
impacting each other or a window? 
Are concrete masonry unit (CMU) 
partitions detailed to allow sliding at the 
top? 
A2. Partial-and full-height stud wall 
partitions [See Examples A2a and A2b] 
Are partial-height partitions braced to 
the structure above the ceiling line?
If partitions function as lateral support 
for tall shelving or cabinets, are these 
partitions rigidly attached or braced to 
the structure above the ceiling line? 
A4. Soffits (stucco, gypsumboard, plaster) 
Are decorative finishes and/or 
latticework on beam soffits or beneath 
exterior eves securely attached, 
particularly over exits?
For stucco soffits, is the wire mesh or 
wood lath securely attached to the 
structural framing above? 
Do pendant or stem light fixtures have 
safety cables so they will not fall if the 
fixture sways and breaks the stem 
connection, or are they braced to prevent 
swaying? 
Are spot lights or track lights securely 
attached to resist seismic shaking? 
A6. Emergency lighting and exit lights 
Are emergency lights and exit lights 
mounted to protect them from falling off 
shelf supports? 
DOORS AND EGRESS ROUTES 
A7. Primary exit doors 
If exit doors are heavy metal fire doors 
that might jam if the building racks 
during an earthquake, is there a crowbar 
or sledgehammer located near the exit to 
facilitate emergency exiting? 
A8. Automatic doors with optical or floor 
sensors, mechanized roll-up doors 
Do these doors have a manual override 
in case of a power outage after an 
earthquake? 
A9. Stairways [See Example A9J 
Do steel stairs in multistory buildings 
have sliding supports at one end that can 
accommodate interstory displacements? 
WINDOWS 
Note: The term safety glass means tempered, 
laminated, or wired glass; glass covered 
with shatter-resistant film; or plastic 
panels. 
A12. Glazing [See Example A12] 
Is it known whether the glazing was 
designed by an architect/engineer to 
accommodate lateral movement? 
Do large windows, especially storefront 
windows, have safety glass? 
Have any unreinforced masonry
partitions in stairwells been removed, 
strengthened, or encapsulated? 
A10. Building utilities and architectural 
finishes along egress routes (piping, ducts, 
ceilings, lights, partitions, etc.) 
Are piping, ducts,. ceilings, lights, 
partitions, and other elements braced 
adequately to prevent falling obstructions 
along egress routes? 
All. Furniture and/or contents along egress 
routes (cabinets, shelving, etc.) 
Are furniture and/or contents along the 
egress routes sufficiently anchored to 
prevent objects from obstructing the 
egress route? 
Are unanchored furniture and/or 
contents kept far enough from the exits 
so they will not slide and obstruct the 
doors? 
A13. Overhead glazing or skylights 
Are transoms (glass panes over doors.) 
made of safety glass? 
Are skylights made of safety glass or
covered with shatter-resistant film?
Are large panes made of safety glass, or
is it known whether the glazing assembly 
was designed by an architect/engineer to 
accommodate the expected seismic 
distortion of the surrounding structure? 
A14. Interior glass or glass block partitions 
Are the glazed partitions laterally braced 
to the structure? 
PERMANENT ORNAMENTATION AND 
APPENDAGES: EXTERIOR OR 
INTERIOR 
A15. Parapets, cornices, veneer or other 
decoration [See Examples A15a and A15b] 
[7 Are parapets or cornices reinforced and 
adequately braced? 
Do other decorative elements have 
positive anchorage to the building? 
Does the veneer have positive anchorage 
to the building? 
A16. Freestanding walls or fences (concrete, 
CMU, brick, or stone) [See Example A16J 
Is it known whether freestanding walls 
or fences were designed by an 
architect/engineer to resist lateral forces? 
Are CMU walls adequately reinforced 
with vertical bars set in grout-filled cells 
and horizontal bars embedded in the 
Is it known whether CMU walls or
mortar joints? 
fences were built with adequate 
foundations to prevent them from tipping 
over in an earthquake? 
A17. Hanging appendages 
Are hanging appendages braced or 
secured with a safety cable? 
A18. Exterior lighting 
Are exterior light fixtures properly
supported or securely attached to the 
structure? 
A19. Flagpoles 
Are flagpoles securely attached to the 
structure? 
A20. Tall sculptures (over about 5 feet) 
Are heavy or sharply pointed sculptures 
anchored to prevent overturning during 
an earthquake? 
Do hanging sculptures have a safety 
cable to prevent them from swinging 
excessively or falling? 
A21. Heavy signs or exterior billboards 
[See Example A211 
Are exterior signs or billboards 
adequately braced and anchored? 
Are interior signs securely attached with 
positive connections? 
A22. Clay roof tiles 
3 Are clay roof tiles secured to the roof 
with one nail-and-wire connection per 
tile? 
FURNITURE AND CONTENTS 
COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT 
Communications and emergency 
communications systems may include: 
C1. Radio and short-wave radio equipment 
Is radio equipment restrained to keep it 
from sliding off shelving or tabletops? 
C2. Telephone, cellular phone, and fax 
equipment 
Is important equipment restrained to 
keep it from sliding off shelving or 
tabletops?
Are telephones placed on desktops or 
counters far enough from the edge that 
they will not slide and fall off? 
C3. Public address system 
Is the public address system restrained 
to prevent the equipment from sliding 
and falling off the shelving? 
C4. Suspended speakers in conference room 
or auditorium 
Are sound system speakers in elevated 
locations anchored to the structure or 
hung with safety cables? 
C5. Microwave equipment (antennae, 
receiver, transmitter, etc.) 
Is the microwave communications 
equipment securely braced and/or 
anchored? 
C6. Computer networks, data storage 
Is computer information vital to 
operations backed up and stored off-
site? 
Is critical -computer equipment securely 
anchored to supports?
Is sensitive computer or 
communications equipment located out 
of range of fire sprinkler heads or 
joints in the sprinkler pipes where they 
are less prone to water damage if the 
sprinkler lines break? 
C7. Wall-mounted televisions or 
surveillance cameras 
Are wall-mounted televisions or 
surveillance cameras in elevated 
locations securely anchored to support 
shelves or brackets that are in turn 
adequately connected to the wall? 
OFFICE AND COMPUTER EQUIPMENT 
This category may include a broad range of 
equipment, such as: 
C8. Large computer equipment, tape drives 
[See Example C8]Are computers, tape racks, and 
associated equipment that is about 
twice as tall as wide, anchored, 
tethered, and/or braced?
Is heavy computer equipment anchored 
to the structural floor slab and braced 
independently of the computer access 
oors? 
C9. Computer cabling 
Is computer cabling long enough to 
accommodate lateral movement within 
the building? 
STORAGE OF RECORDS AND SUPPLIES 
Storage for files, accounting records, and 
emergency supplies may include: 
C12. Bookshelves and library stacks 5 feet 
or taller [See Examples C12a, C12b, C12c] 
Are bookshelves properly anchored 
with brackets to a solid wall or stud, 
or anchored to the floor? 
Are bookshelves fitted with edge 
restraints or elastic cords to keep books 
from falling?
Are large and heavy books located on 
the lowest shelves? 
Are rare books given extra protection 
to prevent falling and water damage? 
CIO. Desktop computer equipment or 
printers [See Example C10] 
Are computer monitors anchored to 
desktops or computers?
Are desktop computers and printers 
mounted with positive restraint, resting 
on high-friction rubber pads, or located 
far enough from the edges of desks and 
tables to prevent them from sliding and 
falling in an earthquake? 
Cl. Computer access floors 
[See Notes with Example C81 
Are computer access floors braced with 
diagonal steel members, or is it 
verified that the vertical pedestals are a 
seismically qualified model, installed in 
accordance with the manufacturer's 
recommendations?
Do cable openings in the access floor 
have edge guards to prevent equipment 
legs from sliding into the openings? 
C13. Tall vertical or lateral file cabinets 
[See Example C131 
Do the file cabinet drawers or doors
latch securely? 
Are tall file cabinets anchored with 
wall brackets to a solid wall or stud, 
anchored to the floor, or bolted to one 
or more adjacent cabinets to form a 
more stable configuration, i.e., a larger 
"footprint"? 
Are unanchored cabinets located so that 
they will not fall or slide and block an 
exit? 
C14. Tall storage racks or shelving 
FH Are tall storage racks or shelves 
securely anchored to the floor or 
walls?
Are heavily loaded racks or shelves 
braced in both directions?
For racks significantly taller than wide, 
are large anchor bolts used to anchor 
each leg to a concrete slab?
Are breakable items secured to the 
shelves or racks, or are they stored in 
stable units (e.g., are they shelved in 
the original packing boxes, or are 
small items shrinkwrapped together)? 
KITCHEN AND LAUNDRY EQUIPMENT 
These facilities may include any or all of the 
following items: gas and/or electric stoves and 
ovens, built-in or countertop microwave 
ovens, garbage compactors, dishwashers, 
refrigerators and freezers, clothes washers and 
dryers, ironing and pressing equipment. 
C17. Large kitchen or laundry equipment 
Are all of the these items securely 
anchored to the floor, wall, or 
countertop? 
C18. Gas and/or electric hook-up 
[See Example CGI1 
Are the gas or electric hook-up lines 
able to accommodate movements at the 
equipment interface and where they 
cross seismic joints between buildings? 
C15. Emergency supply cabinet (water, 
medicine, food, etc.) 
Is the cabinet in an accessible location 
that is not likely to be heavily 
damaged?
Is the cabinet properly braced and 
anchored, and are the cabinet doors 
securely latched? 
C16. Especially valuable and fragile 
merchandise 
Are valuable or fragile items. protected 
against tipping over or falling off 
shelving or pedestals:? 
C19. Drawer and cabinet latches (kitchen, 
laboratory, office, etc.) [See Example CI9J 
Are the drawers and cabinet doors 
latched securely, e.g., with special 
latches or baby-proof hardware that 
will not fly open in an earthquake? 
C20. Freestanding wood stove (wood, pellet, 
or gas-fired) [See Example,C20] 
Is the stove securely anchored to the 
hearth or floor framing in a manner 
that will not conduct heat to any 
combustible materials?
Is the exhaust flue anchored to the 
stove, are the flue sections, secured 
together, and is the flue anchored to 
the wall with some type of thermal 
radiation shielding? 
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 
Hazardous materials may include: 
C21. Compressed-gas bottles or cylinders 
(oxygen, carbon dioxide (CO2), ammonia) 
[See Example C211 
Are gas cylinders tightly secured with 
one chain near the top and one near the 
bottom, or are they otherwise 
restrained?
Are the chains or restraints securely 
anchored to a wall or counter with 
screws or bolts rather than clamps? 
C22. Chemical, laboratory, or medical 
supplies [See Example C221 
Are chemical supplies secured with 
shelf lips several inches high, or are 
they stored in "egg crate" containers in 
drawers, so that the containers will not 
overturn or fall and spill? 
FURNITURE, INTERIOR DECORATION 
C25. Potted plants or indoor landscaping 
resting on shelves above the floor [See 
Example C28]
Are heavy potted plants on file cabinets 
or tall shelves restrained to prevent 
falling? 
C26. Valuable and fragile artwork or 
decorative vases [See Example C26] 
Are valuable or fragile items protected 
against tipping over and/or falling off 
shelves or pedestals? 
Are chemicals stored in accordance 
with manufacturers' recommendations? 
Are incompatible chemicals stored at 
an appropriate distance from one 
another so that they will not mix if the 
containers are broken? 
Are the chemicals in each cabinet 
catalogued properly and marked 
clearly? 
Are Material Safety Data Sheets 
(MSDSs) stored in a location separate 
from the chemicals? 
C23. Cabinets for hazardous materials 
Are cabinets for hazardous materials 
securely attached to the floor or to a 
sturdy wall? 
C24. Asbestos 
Has asbestos insulation been removed, 
or has it been encapsulated to reduce 
the possibility of damage in an 
earthquake? 
C27. Freestanding half-height movable 
partitions [See Example C27] 
Are freestanding partitions braced or 
arranged in stable layouts? 
C28. Miscellaneous furnishings 
[See Example C28] 
Are unanchored furnishings located 
where they cannot slide or overturn to 
block corridors or doors? 
C29. Lockers, vending machines 
Are personal or storage lockers and 
vending machines anchored and 
braced, or are they clear of exits? 
APPENDIX C 
NONSTRUCTURAL RISK RATINGS 
Explanation of Risk Ratings 
The risk ratings that appear in this Appendix are 
based on the following assumptions: 
Life Safety (LS) Risk: Risk of being injured 
by the item. This does not include the overall 
impact on life safety systems in a building, such 
as loss of emergency power in a hospital or loss 
of fire detection capability. These disruptions 
of service are covered under Function below. 
Property Loss (PL) Risk: Risk of incurring 
a repair or replacement cost because of 
damage to the item. This property loss, as 
used here, includes the cost of fixing a broken 
pipe but not the indirect cost of water leakage 
damage, and includes the cost of repairing a 
computer but not the loss of business revenue 
computer downtime might cause. These indirect 
effects cannot be estimated here on a generic 
basis. 
Loss of Function (LF) Risk: Risk that the 
item will not function because it has been 
damaged. This includes some consideration of 
the impact of this loss of function of the 
component on the operation of an ordinary 
occupancy building. Not included are off-site 
functional impacts, such as the loss of function 
of a piece of equipment because of a city-wide 
power outage. Outages of power, water, and 
other utility company or agency services are 
real problems to consider but are outside the 
scope of the item-by-item ratings here. 
Unanchored, unbraced items are assumed. 
The risk ratings are based on the assumption 
that the item has been installed without seismic 
bracing, anchorage, restraint, or allowance for 
differential movements. In areas of the U.S. 
where seismic building code provisions have 
only recently been enforced, this assumption 
will be generally true. In areas of the western 
U.S. where seismic codes have been enforced 
for some time, this assumption may not always 
be true. Particularly in buildings constructed in 
the western states since the mid-1970s, some 
nonstructural items may be anchored or braced, 
but the assumption of unanchored and unbraced 
items will still be true for many items on these 
lists. 
The item is assumed to be located at or near 
the ground level, or in a low-rise building. 
The most common case of a relatively stiff low-
rise building with structural walls is presumed 
in the ratings here. Items such as full-height 
partitions and glazing are more likely to be 
damaged in flexible buildings that experience 
large lateral deformations. Damage to items 
sensitive to imposed deformation will be greater 
in buildings or portions of buildings that are 
more flexible, such as mid-rise and high-rise 
buildings; flexible frame buildings without 
significant structural walls; "soft stories" of 
buildings with structural walls in most stories 
but with a story, typically the ground story, that 
is much less laterally stiff because of the 
absence of walls; the "soft wall" sides of 
bearing wall buildings where there is little or no 
solid wall area, such as the face of a typical 
commercial storefront building. 
A building of ordinary occupancy is assumed.. 
Some nonstructural items in special facilities 
would be rated differently. For example. 
shelving in an ordinary occupancy building is 
assumed here, but the same shelving would be 
rated quite differently with regard to Life Safety 
risk in a lab, Property Loss risk in a museum, 
or risk of Loss of Function in a communications 
center. 
NONSTRUCTURAL RISK RATINGS
SH LS PL LF ER PG 
UTILITY SYSTEMS 
EMERGENCY POWER-GENERATING EQUIPMENT 
U1 Generator Light L L M yes 
Mod L M H 
Severe L H H 
U2 Batteries and battery rack Light L L L yes 30 
Mod L H M 
Severe L H H 
U3 Diesel fuel tank Light L L L yes 31 
Mod H H L 
Severe H H M 
U4 Fuel line Light LH L I 
Mod H H L 
Severe H H M 
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT 
U5 Transformers Light L L L yes 
Mod L L L 
Severe M M M 
U6 Motor control center (MCC) Light L L L yes 31
Mod L L L 
Severe M M M 
Type of Risk Risk Rating 
SH= Shaking intensity LS= Life safety L= Low 
ER= Engineering required PL= Property loss M= Moderate 
PG= Upgrade detail page number LF= Loss of function H= High 
SH LS PL LF ER PG 
U7 Electrical switchgear Light L L L yes 
Mod L L 
Severe M M M 
US Electrical bus ducts and primary cable Light L L L yes 32 
system Mod L M M 
Severe M M M 
FIRE DETECTION AND SUPPRESSION SYSTEM 
U9 Smoke detectors, fire alarm system, Light L L L 
control for automatic fire doors Mod L L L 
Severe L L L 
U10 Fire extinguisher or fire hose cabinets Light L L L 33 
Mod M H L 
Severe M H L 
UIl Fire sprinklers and distribution lines Light L M M yes 
Mod L H H 
Severe M H H 
U12 Fire water pump Light L L L 1 yes 
Mod L L L 
Severe M M L 
U13 Emergency water tank or reservoir Light L L L yes 
Mod M H L 
Severe H H L 
Type of Risk Risk Rating 
SH= Shaking intensity LS= Life safety L= Low 
ER= Engineering required PL= Property loss M= Moderate 
PG= Upgrade detail page number LF= Loss of function H= high 
C-3 
SH LS PL LF ER_ 
U14 Smoke control systems Light L L L yes 
Mod L M L 
Severe L M L 
PROPANE TANKS 
U15 Propane tank Light L L L yes 34 
Mod H H M 
Severe H H M 
U16 Shut-off valve Light L L L 
Mod H H M 
Severe H H M 
U17 Gas or fuel supply pipe Light L L L 
Mod H H M 
Severe H H M 
PLUMBING SYSTEM 
U18 Gas-fired water heater or boiler Light L L L yes 
Mod L L L 
Severe M M M 
U19 Residential water heater Light L L L 35, 
36 
Mod M H L 
Severe M H L 
U20 Distribution pumps Light L L L yes 
Mod L M L 
Severe L M M 
Type of Risk Risk Rating 
SH= Shaking intensity LS= Life safety L= Low 
ER= Engineering required PL= Property loss M= Moderate 
PG= Upgrade detail page number LF= Loss of function H= High 
SH L PL LF 
U21 Hot and cold water pipes, hot water Light L L L yes 37 
return, wastewater pipes Mod M M M 
Severe M M M 
ELEVATORS, ESCALATORS 
U22 Elevator cab Light L 'L yesL 
Mod L M M 
Severe M M M 
U23 Cables, counterweights and guide rails Light L L L yes 
(for cable-traction system) Mod H M 
Severe H M M 
U24 Elevator motor and motor control cabinets Light L L L yes| 
Mod L M M 
Severe L H M 
U25 Elevator cab and hydraulic elevator Light L L L yes 
equipment (hydraulic systems) Mod L M M 
Severe M M M 
U26 Escalator Light L L L yes 
Mod L M L 
Severe L M L I 
U27 People mover (noving walkway) Light L L L yes 
Mod L L L 
Severe L M L 
Type of Risk Risk Rating 
SH= Shaking intensity 
ER= Engineering required 
LS= Life safety 
PL= Property loss 
L= Low 
M= Moderate 
PG= Upgrade detail page number LF= Loss of function H= High 
I SH LS PL LF I ER PG 
HEATING, VENTILATING, AIR CONDITIONING (HVAC) SYSTEMU28 Boilers and furnaces Light L L L yes 
Mod L L L 
Severe M M M 
U29 Chillers Light L L L yes 38, 
Mod L L L 
Severe L M M 
U30 Heat pumps or heat exchangers Light L L L yes 
Mod L L L 
Severe L M M 
U31 Fans, blowers, filters Light L L L yes 
Mod L M L 
Severe L M M 
U32 Air compressors Light L L L yes 40 
Mod L M L 
Severe L M M 
U33 Roof-mounted HVAC units Light L M L yes 
Mod L M L 
Severe M H M 
U34 Wall-mounted room air conditioning units Light L L L 
Mod H M L 
Severe H M L 
U35 Suspended room heaters or fans Light L L L yes 41 
Mod H H L 
Severe H H L 
Type of Risk Risk Rating 
SH= Shaking intensity LS= Life safety L= Low 
ER= Engineering required PL= Property loss M= Moderate 
PG= Upgrade detail page number LF= Loss of function H= High 
SH LS PL LF ER PG 
U36 Distribution ducts Light L L L yes 42 
Mod L L L 
Severe M M L 
U37 Diffusers Light L L L143 
Mod H H L 
Severe H H L 
MECHANICAL APPENDAGES 
U38 Small stacks or residential chimneys Light L L L IIZ 
Mod M M L 
Severe H M M 
U39 Roof-mounted equipment, vents or flues Light L L L yes 
Mod L M L 
Severe M M M 
U40 Solar panels Light L L L yes 
Mod L L L 
Severe M M L 
Type of Risk Risk Rating 
SH= Shaking intensity LS= Life safety L= Low 
ER= Engineering required PL= Property loss M= Moderate 
PG= Upgrade detail page number LF= Loss of function H= High 
I SH LS PL LF I ER PG 
ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS 
PARTITIONS AND CEILINGS 
Al Permanent block wall partitions (CMU, Light L L L yes 
brick, hollow clay tile) Mod H H H 
Severe H H H 
A2 Partial-and full-height stud wall partitions Light L L L yes 45, 
Mod M M H 
Severe, M H H 
A3 Ceilings (acoustic tile, gypsumboard, Light L L L yes 47 
plaster) Mod M M M 
Severe H H H 
A4 Soffits (stucco, gypsumboard, plaster) Light L L L 
Mod M M M 
Severe H H H 
LIGHTING 
AS Suspended overhead lighting, fixed or Light L L L |48, 
track lighting 49 
Mod H L L 
Severe H M M 
A6 Emergency lighting and exit lights Light L L L 
Mod M L L 
Severe H M L 
Type of Risk Risk Rating 
SH= Shaking intensity LS= Life safety L= Low 
ER= Engineering required PL= Property loss M = Moderate 
PG= Upgrade detail page number LF= Loss of function H= High 
SH LS PL LF ER P 
DOORS AND EGRESS ROUTES 
A7 Primary exit doors Light L L L yes| 
Mod L L 
Severe M M M 
A8 Automatic doors with optical or floor Light L L L yes 
sensors,, mechanized roll-up doors Mod L i L 
Severe M M M 
A9 Stairways Light L L L yes |50 
Mod H M L 
Severe H M H 
A10 Building utilities and architectural finishes Light L L L yes 
along egress routes (ceilings, lights, Mod H M L 
partitions, etc.) I 
Severe H M L 
All Furniture and/or contents along egress Light L L L 
routes (cabinets, shelving, etc.) Mod H M L 
Severe H M LM 
Type of Risk Risk Rating 
SH= Shaking intensity LS= Life safety L= Low 
ER= Engineering required PL= Property loss M= Moderate 
PG= Upgrade detail page number LF= Loss of function 11= High 
C -9 
WINDOWS 
A12 Glazing Light L L L yes 51 
Mod 1 M L 
Severe H M M 
A13 Overhead glazing or skylights Light L L L yes _ 
Mod H M L 
Severe H M M 
SH LS PL LF ER P
A14 Interior glass or glass block partitions Light L L L yes 
Mod M M
Severe H H M 
PERMANENT ORNAMENTATION AND APPENDAGES: INTERIOR OR 
EXTERIOR 
A15 Parapets, cornices, veneer or other Light M M L yes 52, 
decoration 
Mod H H L 
Severe H H L 
A16 Freestanding walls or fences (concrete, Light L L L yes 
CMU, brick, or stone Mod L L L 
Severe H H M 
A17 Hanging appendages Light L L L yes 
Mod H H L 
Severe H H M 
A18 Exterior lighting Light L L L 
Mod M L L 
Severe M M M 
A19 Flagpoles Light L L L yes 
Mod L L L 
Severe M M L 
A20 Tall sculptures (over 5 feet) Light L L L yes 
Mod M M L 
Severe H H L 
Type of Risk Risk Rating 
SH= Shaking intensity LS= Life safety L= Low 
ER= Engineering required PL= Property loss M= Moderate 
PG= Upgrade detail page number LF= Loss of function H= High 
SJ Ls PL LF ER PG 
A21 Heavy signs or exterior billboards Light L L L yes 55 
Mod H H L 
Severe H H L 
A22 Clay roof tiles Light L L L yes 
Mod L M L 
Severe M H M 
FURNITURE AND CONTENTS 
COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT 
C1 Radio and short-wave radio equipment Light L L L 
Mod L H H 
Severe L H H 
C2 Telephone, cellular phone and fax Light L L L 
equipment Mod L H M 
Severe L H M 
C3 Public address system Light L L L 
Mod L H L 
Severe L H _ 
C4 Suspended speakers in conference room or Light L L L yes 
auditorium Mod M M L 
Severe H H L 
CS Microwave equipment (antennae, receiver, Light L L L yes 
transmitter, etc.) Mod L M L 
Severe,M H M 
Type of Risk Risk Rating 
SH= Shaking intensity LS= Life safety L= Low 
ER= Engineering required 
PG= Upgrade 'detail page number 
PL= Property loss 
LF= Loss of function 
M= Moderate 
H= High 
SH LS PL LF ER 
C6 Computer networks, data storage Light L L L 
Mod L M H 
Severe L H H 
C7 Wall-mounted televisions or surveillance Light L L L yes 
Mod H H L
cameras 
Severe H H L 
OFFICE AND COMPUTER EQUIPMENT 
C8 Large computer equipment, tape drives Light L L L yes 56 
Mod L M M 
Severe M H M 
C9 Computer cabling Light L L L 
Mod L L L 
Severe L L L 
C1O Desktop computers or office equipment Light L L L 57 
Mod L H M 
Severe L H M 
C11 Computer access floors Light L L L 56 
Mod L L M 
Severe L M M 
STORAGE OF RECORDS AND SUPPLIES 
C12 Book shelves, library stacks (over 5 feet) Light L L L yes 58, 59, 60
Mod H M M 
Severe H M M 
Type of Risk Risk Rating 
SH= Shaking intensity 
ER= Engineering required 
PG= Upgrade detail page number 
LS= Life safety 
PL= Property loss 
LF= Loss of function 
L= Low 
M= Moderate 
H= High 
S S LF ER PG 
C13 Tall vertical or lateral file cabinets Light L L L yes 61 
Mod M M M 
Severe H M M_ 
C14 Tall storage racks or shelving Light L L L 
Mod H M M 
Severe M M L 
C15 Emergency supply cabinet (water, Light L L L 
medicine, food, etc.) Mod L L L 
Severe M M M 
C16 Especially valuable and fragile Light L M L 
merchandise 
Mod L H L 
Severe L H L 
KITCHEN AND LAUNDRY EQUIPMENT 
C17 Large kitchen or laundry equipment Light L L L 
Mod M M L 
Severe H M M 
C18 Gas and/or electric hook-up Light L L L 62
Mod M H H 
Severe H H H 
C19 Drawer and cabinet latches (kitchen, Light L L L 63 
laboratory, office, etc) Mod L L L 
Severe L M M 
Type of Risk Risk Rating 
SH= Shaking intensity LS= Life safety L= Low 
ER= Engineering required PL= Property loss M= Moderate 
PG= Upgrade detail page number LF= Loss of function H= Eligible 
SH LS PL LF ER PG 
C20 Freestanding wood stove (wood, pellet, or 
gas-fired) 
Light 
Mod 
L 
L 
L 
L 
L 
L 
64 
Severe M M M 
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 
C21 Compressed-gas bottles or cylinders 
(oxygen, C0 2 , ammonia, etc.) 
Light 
Mod 
L 
M 
L 
M 
L 
L 
65 
Severe H M M 
C22 Chemical, laboratory, or medical supplies Light L L L yes 66 
Mod H M L 
Severe H M M 
C23 Cabinets for hazardous materials Light L L L yes 
Mod H M H 
Severe H M H 
C24 Asbestos Light L M M 
Mod L H H 
Severe L H H 
FURNITURE, INTERIOR DECORATION 
C25 Potted plants or indoor landscaping resting 
on shelves above the floor 
Light 
Mod 
L 
L 
L 
L 
L 
L 
69 
Severe M L L 
C26 Valuable and fragile artwork or decorative Light L L L 67 
vases Mod L H L 
Severe L H L 
Type of Risk Risk Rating 
SH= Shaking intensity 
ER= Engineering required 
PG= Upgrade detail page number 
LS= Life safety 
PL= Property loss 
LF= Loss of function 
L= Low 
M= Moderate 
H= High 
C-14 
SH -PL LF ER P 
C27 Freestanding half-height movable Light L L L 63 
partitions 
Severe M M M 
C28 Miscellaneous furnishings Light L L L 
Mod L M L 
Severe L M L 
C29 Lockers, vending machines Light L L L 
Mod H M L 
Severe H M L 
Type of Risk Risk Rating 
SH= Shaking intensity LS= Life safety L= Low 
ER= Engineering required PL= Property loss M= Moderate 
PG= Upgrade detail page number LF= Loss of function H= High 
U. S. GOVEHNMENT PRINTING OFCE: 2002-71i6S2&968243