Weight used to calc.Seismic Base Shear
Weight used to calc.Seismic Base Shear
(OP)
Hi
I have a (1)-story building where the brick veneer is bearing on strip footing. When calculating the total seismic base shear, should I be considering the brick veneer weight?
ASCE 7-02 Section 9.5.3 specifies W = effective seismic weight of the structure, including the total dead load and other loads, such as storage, partition, permanent equipment, and snow loads.
I have been including brick dead weight in my design. But, for 1 story building, the lateral system is significant due to seismic load from brick. therefore, I was wondering if I could reduce the shear by excluding the brick weight, because brick veneer should already be cracked and fall down during seismic event due to excessive deflection. In this case, the building won't be seeing the brick dead weight.
I was wondering what other structural engineers have been doing in this situation.
Thank you for your input in advance.
I have a (1)-story building where the brick veneer is bearing on strip footing. When calculating the total seismic base shear, should I be considering the brick veneer weight?
ASCE 7-02 Section 9.5.3 specifies W = effective seismic weight of the structure, including the total dead load and other loads, such as storage, partition, permanent equipment, and snow loads.
I have been including brick dead weight in my design. But, for 1 story building, the lateral system is significant due to seismic load from brick. therefore, I was wondering if I could reduce the shear by excluding the brick weight, because brick veneer should already be cracked and fall down during seismic event due to excessive deflection. In this case, the building won't be seeing the brick dead weight.
I was wondering what other structural engineers have been doing in this situation.
Thank you for your input in advance.






RE: Weight used to calc.Seismic Base Shear
And why is your brick veneer failing, anyway? I would make sure it's adequately tied to the frame to ride out the seismic event. Those bricks falling down will kill people.
RE: Weight used to calc.Seismic Base Shear
And as Jed said - you'd better include it in yourseismic calcs - but, remember that only 1/2 of the wall height from the foundation to the roof diaphragm needs to be included in the seismic calcs. The rest will go directly to the foundation, and not thru the roof diaphragm and shear wall system..
Mike McCann
McCann Engineering
RE: Weight used to calc.Seismic Base Shear
Just could not get past my mind that BIA specifies an allowable deflection of L/600, but the allowable seismic drift per ASCE or IBC is 0.02hx or L/50 for SUG 1 building. And the rational of seismic resisting system is provide ductile structure for energy absorbance, which will produce large deflection. I have been wondering how would brick veneer behave under such deflection.
RE: Weight used to calc.Seismic Base Shear
RE: Weight used to calc.Seismic Base Shear
RE: Weight used to calc.Seismic Base Shear
RE: Weight used to calc.Seismic Base Shear