How to roughly equate Seismic Design Category with Richter Scale Magnitude
How to roughly equate Seismic Design Category with Richter Scale Magnitude
(OP)
Is anyone aware of any documentation that roughly equates Richter Scale Magnitudes with Seismic Design Categories? I have a client that wants to ensure his building will meet a particular Richter scale factor (7.0). I've tried explaining, to no avail, that the code (ASCE 7) uses a different approach toward the design criteria used in the structural design to resist seismic forces. I appreciate anything you can share on this topic.





RE: How to roughly equate Seismic Design Category with Richter Scale Magnitude
(see page 2-24 of this link: Fema document on magnitude
There is this: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/topics/mag_vs_int...
Also see page 37 of this link: http://www.huduser.org/publications/pdf/newmadrid....
Table 2 on page 58 of this: http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.nibs.org/resource/res...
However, the magnitude of a quake is, I believe, at the quake center.
A building's response to a seismic event depends on the distance from the epicenter (attenuation), the depth of the epicenter, the type of soils between them, the type of soils the building is supported on, etc.
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RE: How to roughly equate Seismic Design Category with Richter Scale Magnitude
RE: How to roughly equate Seismic Design Category with Richter Scale Magnitude
If you put a table together - I'd like to see it - might be handy to have on Eng-Tips for other's future reference.
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RE: How to roughly equate Seismic Design Category with Richter Scale Magnitude
Correlation of Mercalli to Richter can be found here: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/topics/mag_vs_int... OR http://www.dnr.mo.gov/geology/geosrv/geores/richt_...
RE: How to roughly equate Seismic Design Category with Richter Scale Magnitude
Your client will hear from you: "Your building is designed for SDC X, therefore your building is designed against a magnitude Y event."
However, in actuality our seismic design criteria is focused on life safety, not building resistance/survival. The codes allow the buildings to undergo inelastic behavior without losing stability. Your client's building may be designed for a Magnitude Y event under code but when a Magnitude Y event (or even perhaps a smaller one) occurs, and their building is damaged to the extent that it must be torn down, they may come back at you with lawyers.
Just be clear on how you present it to them so there's no misunderstanding.
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RE: How to roughly equate Seismic Design Category with Richter Scale Magnitude