SMACNA Seismic Restraint Manual

[Jeng79]

We are a small consulting firm in a low seismic area. When we work on a hospital or firehouse in an occupancy category 4 we get in to dealing with seismic or braced ductwork and piping per ASCE Chapter 13 "Seismic Design Requirements for Nonstructural Components".

We orderd ASHRAE/SMACNA's Seismic Restraint CD-Rom which contains several different design guides. The SMACNA Seismic Restraint Manual, Second Edition with the September 2000 Addendum provides a system of SHL's Seismic Hazzard Levels and design tables outlining the necessary bracing requirements. Assumedly in this system a Mechanical Contractor, can find the SHL given in the plans and detail the bracing of the supports per the manual.

I have some questions and would also appreciate general feedback regarding providing seismic bracing supports for ductwork and piping in low seismic areas:

1) Does anyone still use the SMACNA Seismic Restraint Manual to provide seismic detailing requirements for piping and ductwork, etc? I have not seen a more updated version of the manual. I am not sure if the mechanical contractors around here would necesarrily know what to do either if we gave them that information.

Thanks
For the information and discussion