BLUE TRAINIf you would like to schedule an in-person training for ATC-20 Postearthquake Safety Evaluation of Buildings (Second Edition), ATC-45 Safety Evaluation of Buildings after Windstorms and Floods, please click here for details and to submit a request for more information. 

 

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Currently Available Technical Papers Relating to the ATC-58 Project that can be Downloaded:

  • Bachman, R. E., Hamburger, R.O., Comartin, C. D., Rojahn, C., and Whittaker, A. S., 2003, “ATC-58 Framework for Performance-Based Design of Nonstructural Components”, Proceedings of ATC-29-2 Seminar on Seismic Design, Performance, and Retrofit of Nonstructural Components in Critical Facilities, ATC-29-2 Report, Applied Technology Council, Redwood City, California, pages 49-61. Download paper here.
  • Whittaker, A. S., and Soong, T. T., 2003, “An Overview of Nonstructural Components Research at Three U. S. Earthquake Engineering Research Centers,” Proceedings of ATC-29-2 Seminar on Seismic Design, Performance, and Retrofit of Nonstructural Components in Critical Facilities, ATC-29-2 Report, Applied Technology Council, Redwood City, California, pages 271-280. Download paper here.
  • Whittaker, A., Hamburger, R., Comartin, C., Mahoney, M., Bachman, R., and Rojahn, C., Performance-Based Engineering of Buildings and Infrastructure for Extreme Loadings, Download paper here.

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The Applied Technology Council (ATC) is pleased to announce the immediate availability of the ATC-45 Field Manual:  Safety Evaluation of Buildings after Windstorms and Floods.  Funded by the Applied Technology Council, the ATC Endowment Fund, and the Institute for Business and Home Safety, this 132-page report provides guidelines and procedures for conducting postwindstorm and postflood building safety evaluations.  The purpose of these evaluations is to determine whether damaged or potentially damaged buildings are safe for use, or if entry should be restricted or prohibited.

The ATC-45 Field Manual is intended to be used by building officials, building inspectors, engineers, and others involved in postdisaster safety evaluation of building types commonly found in the United States.  The Field Manual explains three different building safety evaluation procedures.  Two of the procedures (Rapid Evaluation and Detailed Evaluation) are discussed in detail.  For each of these procedures, the document provides guidance on where to look for damage.

The Field Manual gives advice on evaluating structural, geotechnical, and nonstructural risks, and advice on how to rate the safety significance of certain types of damage.  In addition, the Manual covers related topics of interest to safety personnel, including (a) how to deal with owners and occupants of damaged buildings; and (b) field safety issues.  Evaluation forms and posting placards, represented in the document in small-scale size, can be downloaded free of charge below.

The Field Manual is patterned after the concepts developed in two earlier ATC projects:  (1) the ATC-20 project, whereby ATC developed the well-known and widely used ATC-20 report, Procedures for Postearthquake Safety Evaluation of Buildings; companion ATC-20-1 Field Manual, and ATC-20-2 Addendum, which contains updated evaluation forms and placards; and (2) the ATC-26 project, whereby ATC developed several sets of procedures for postdisaster safety evaluation of U. S. Postal Service (USPS) facilities, including procedures for safety evaluation of USPS facilities after windstorms and floods.

The ATC-45 Field Manual has been printed in an easy-to-use, pocket-sized format.  The document can be obtained from the Applied Technology Council, 201 Redwood Shores Parkway, Suite 240, Redwood City, California 94065 (phone, 650/595-1542; fax, 650/593-2320; e-mail, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). Price: $27.00 per copy (plus shipping and sales tax).  [ATC-45 is not available in electronic/PDF format.]

ATC-45 may also be ordered in the Applied Technology Council Online Store.

The following are available for immediate download in PDF format:

pdfATC-45 Rapid Evaluation Safety Assessment Form

pdfATC-45 Detailed Evaluation Safety Assessment Form

pdfATC-45 Fixed Equipment Checklist

pdfATC-45 UNSAFE Posting Placard (print on red cardstock)

pdfATC-45 RESTRICTED USE Posting Placard (print on yellow cardstock)

pdfAlternate ATC-45 RESTRICTED USE Posting Placard with preprinted instructions (print on yellow cardstock)

pdfATC-45 INSPECTED Posting Placard (print on green cardstock)

pdfATC-45 Appendix E: Guidelines for Owners and Occupants of Damaged Buildings

 

acrobat click here to download Adobe Reader

 

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ATC-20 Building Safety Evaluation Forms and Placards

In 1989, with funding from the California Office of Emergency Services, California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Applied Technology Council (ATC) published the ATC-20 Procedures for Postearthquake Safety Evaluation of Buildings, and companion ATC-20-1 Field Manual: Postearthquake Safety Evaluation of Buildings, Second Edition (revised in early 2005). Written specifically for volunteer structural engineers and building inspectors, these reports include rapid and detailed evaluation procedures for evaluating earthquake-damaged buildings and posting them as INSPECTED (apparently safe, green placard), LIMITED ENTRY (yellow placard), or UNSAFE (red placard). In 1995, with funding from the National Science Foundation and the U. S. Geological Survey, ATC published the ATC-20-2 report, Addendum to the ATC-20 Postearthquake Building Safety Evaluation Procedures, which contains updates to the ATC-20 procedures, including a revised Rapid Evaluation Safety Assessment Form, a revised Detailed Evaluation Safety Assessment Form, and revised red, yellow (RESTRICTED USE) and green placards. In 1997, ATC published the ATC-20-3 report, Case Studies in Rapid Postearthquake Safety Evaluation of Buildings, which contains 53 in-depth case studies illustrated with photos and describing how buildings are inspected and evaluated for safety. The ATC-20-3 report has been designed as an instructional guide for rapid evaluation.

Available here are the revised versions of the ATC-20 Rapid and Detailed Evaluation safety assessment forms, the revised posting placards, and Appendix A: Guidance for Owners and Occupants of Damaged Buildings. The forms and placards have been made available here, primarily to facilitate their rapid dissemination in any emergency, but also for instructional purposes. Turkish language versions are also available.

pdfATC 20-2 Rapid Evaluation Safety Assessment Form (revised, 2005)

pdfATC 20-2 Detailed Evaluation Safety Assessment Form (revised, 2005)

pdfATC-20 Fixed Equipment Checklist

pdfATC 20-2 Revised green INSPECTED placard

pdfATC 20-2 Revised yellow RESTRICTED USE placard

pdfATC 20-2 Revised yellow RESTRICTED USE placard with preprinted instructions

pdfATC 20-2 Revised red UNSAFE placard

pdfATC 20-2 Appendix A: Guidelines for Owners and Occupants of Damaged Buildings

 

Turkish Language Versions of Placards

pdfATC 20-2 Revised green INSPECTED placard

pdfATC 20-2 Revised yellow RESTRICTED USE placard

pdfATC 20-2 Revised yellow RESTRICTED USE placard with preprinted instructions

pdfATC 20-2 Revised red UNSAFE placard

 

 

acrobat click here to download Adobe Reader

 

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ATC/SEAOC Training Curriculum: The Path to Quality Seismic Design and Construction (ATC-48)

Curriculum Briefing Papers:

  1. Building Safety and Earthquakes
    A. Earthquake Shaking and Building Response
    B. Earthquake Forces in Buildings
    C. Earthquake Resisting Systems
    D. The Seismic Load Path
  2. Roles and Responsibilities of Engineers, Architects, and Code Enforcement Officials
    A. The Need for Improved Coordination
    B. Identification and Resolution of Major Issues
  3. Seismic Response of Wood Frame Construction
    A. How Earthquakes Affect Wood Buildings
    B. The Role of Wood-Framed Diaphragms
    C. The Role of Wood-Framed Shear Walls
  4. Seismic Response of Concrete and Masonry Construction
    A. Ground Shaking and Earthquake Loads
    B. The Role of Diaphragms
    C. The Role of Shear Walls and Frames
    D. The Importance of Ductility
  5. Seismic Response of Nonstructural Components
    A. Overview of Component Types and Behavior
    B. Proper Anchorage of Ceilings, Interior Walls, Glazing, and Parapets
    C. Proper Anchorage of Cladding and Equipment
  6. Seismic Code Requirements for Anchorage of Nonstructural Components
    A. Performance Implications of Evolving Codes
    B. Design Example Using Current UBC Requirements

 

Job Aids:

Wood Frame Construction

  1. Inspection Checklist for Wood Frame Shear Walls

Concrete and Masonry Construction

  1. Designer Checklist for Masonry Construction
  2. Inspection Checklist for Masonry Construction
  3. Class B Lap Splice Table

Nonstructural Building Components

  1. Standard Details for Bracing of Suspended Ceilings and Standard Detail for Bracing Interior Non-Load-Bearing Partitions, with supporting documentation conforming to the 1997 Uniform Building Code (or download as an AutoCadtm file).
    ** Disclamer: While the information presented in these details is believed to be correct, the Applied Technology Council, the Structural Engineers Association of California, and the California Seismic Safety Commission assume no responsibility for its accuracy. These details should not be used nor relied upon for any specific application without competent examination and verification of their accuracy, suitability, and applicability by qualified professionals. Users of this information assume all liability arising from such use.**
  2. Coordination Matrix for Nonstructural Building Component Anchorage or Bracing

John Henry's Wood-Frame Lessons in PowerPointtm:

  1. Presentation guide
  2. Handout 1
  3. Handout 2

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SELECTED TRAINING MATERIALS FROM THE ATC/SEAOC 'BUILT TO RESIST EARTHQUAKES' TRAINING CURRICULUM

ATC-48Built to Resist Earthquakes, a training curriculum to improve the quality of the seismic design and construction of buildings, has been developed to serve as a resource for continuing education of architects, engineers, building officials and inspectors. Bound in a three-ring notebook, the curriculum consists of several hundred pages of training materials pertaining to the seismic design and retrofit of (1) wood-frame buildings, (2) concrete and masonry construction, and (3) nonstructural components. The curriculum was published in 1999 by the joint venture partnership of the Applied Technology Council (ATC) and the Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC).

The curriculum contains:

  • Detailed, illustrated, instructional material (lessons) describing how to improve the quality of seismic design, inspection, construction and retrofit. A detailed description of the lesson structure can be downloaded as a pdf file;
  • Six multi-part, two-color Briefing Papers -- concise, easy-to-read, summary overviews of important issues and topics intended to facilitate improvement in the quality of seismic design, inspection, and construction; and
  • Job Aids -- checklists and other tools to facilitate job performance, including construction observation, special inspection, and quality assurance procedures.

Copies of the curriculum Briefing Papers and Job Aids can be downloaded as pdf files.

John Henry's curriculum presentations may also be downloaded as PowerPoint files.

Printed copies of the ATC/SEAOC Joint Venture Training Curriculum can be purchased in our online store.

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 Welcome to the ATC Team!

Valley Mike cropMichael Valley As a former Principal at Magnusson Klemencic Associates in Seattle, Mike Valley comes to ATC with more than 30 years of structural engineering experience in new design, evaluation and retrofit of existing buildings, applied research, and codes and standards development. Mike’s design experience includes the landmark Salesforce Tower in San Francisco, and his research and development experience includes the FEMA 356 Prestandard and Commentary for the Seismic Rehabilitation of Buildings, FEMA P-2012 Assessing Seismic Performance of Buildings with Configuration Irregularities (ATC-123 Project), and NIST GCR 10-917-9 Applicability of Nonlinear Multiple-Degree-of-Freedom Modeling for Design (ATC-76-6 Project).

Mike also has extensive experience as an ATC consultant serving as a reviewer, a technical contributor, and Project Director on multiple ATC projects. We look forward to how Mike’s unique experiences as a successful team member will contribute to ATC projects in the future.

Michael Mahoney
Michael Mahoney

Retired from federal service as a Senior Geophysicist with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Mike Mahoney comes to ATC with more than 30 years of experience in hazard mitigation program management and policy development, post-disaster response and recovery, and problem-focused research and development in support of FEMA’s efforts under the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP). He has led FEMA’s earthquake-related work with the International Code Council and has been involved with the development of national model codes and standards since 1984.

In his career at FEMA, Mike has led the development of countless major FEMA publications, including: FEMA 350 Recommended Seismic Design Criteria for New Steel Moment-Frame Buildings and its series of companion reports (ATC-41 Project series), FEMA P-58 Seismic Performance Assessment of Buildings, Methodology and Implementation (ATC-58 Project series), FEMA P-695 Quantification of Building Seismic Performance Factors (ATC-63 Project), FEMA P-2018 Seismic Evaluation of Older Concrete Buildings for Collapse Potential (ATC-78 Project), and FEMA P-2090/NIST SP-1254 Recommended Options for Improving the Built Environment for Post-Earthquake Reoccupancy and Functional Recovery Time (ATC-137 Project). With Mike’s extensive knowledge of federal government programs, and past collaboration with state and local agencies, hazard mitigation partners, and code development organizations, we look forward to how his unique experiences will help serve ATC’s client needs and objectives in the future.