How to analyze seismic loads for residential and light commercial buildings

About this event

Analyzing seismic loads is one of the critical considerations in structural design when designing residential or light commercial structures to ensure the safety of a building during an earthquake.

In the United States, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) publishes the Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures, commonly referred to as ASCE 7, as guidelines for the design of structures to resist various types of loads, including wind, snow, rain, and seismic loads.

Join ClearCalcs’ North America Engineering Team Lead, Laurent Gérin, P.Eng., on Wednesday, July 26th, 2023, from 1 pm to 2 pm Eastern Time (ET) to learn more about the procedures to determine seismic loads based on the ASCE 7-16. We’ll go into step-by-step procedures to identify the applicable site class to your building, how to obtain the required spectral parameters to model the building's response to ground motion and determine the forces that will be applied to the building's various components.

We’ll explain how you can save time in your design workflow by using the available tools and ClearCalcs calculators to analyze seismic loads for your design quickly.

In this webinar, we will cover the following:

 
• General overview of seismic load analysis and how it applies to residential and light commercial structural design in the United States
 
• Procedures of seismic load analysis using the linear static approach in Chapters 11 and 12 of the ASCE 7-16
 
• Worked examples using the Seismic Load Analysis calculator in ClearCalcs

Webinar Summary

The webinar covers topics such as the ASCE 7-16 standard, site class, seismic design categories, and analysis methods. The webinar aims to provide an understanding of how to calculate seismic loads and design for them in residential construction.

The webinar also discussed the different methods of seismic analysis, including linear response spectrum analysis and nonlinear response history analysis. It emphasized the importance of considering configuration irregularities in the design process and highlighted the features of ClearCalcs that can assist engineers in calculating seismic loads and designing for them.

The current segment of the webinar focuses on the importance of understanding the seismic hazard levels in different regions and how they affect the design process. It also discusses the factors that contribute to the determination of seismic design categories, such as the site's proximity to active faults and the type of soil present.

The webinar goes on to explain the process of determining the site class, which is based on the soil conditions at the construction site. It emphasizes the significance of conducting a geotechnical investigation to accurately assess the soil properties and determine the appropriate site class.

Furthermore, the speaker discusses the different seismic design categories (SDCs) outlined in the ASCE 7-16 standard. These categories are determined by considering factors such as the importance of the structure, occupancy type, and risk tolerance. The SDC plays a crucial role in determining the level of seismic loads that need to be considered during the design process.

The webinar also covers various methods of seismic analysis, including linear response spectrum analysis and nonlinear response history analysis. It highlights the importance of considering configuration irregularities in the design process, such as vertical and horizontal irregularities, and provides guidance on how to address these issues.

Throughout the webinar, the speaker emphasizes the importance of using reliable tools and resources to calculate seismic loads and design for them. ClearCalcs, a software platform, is introduced as a valuable tool that can assist engineers in performing accurate calculations and ensuring compliance with seismic design requirements.

In conclusion, this webinar provides a comprehensive overview of seismic loads and analysis in residential construction. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the seismic hazard levels, determining the appropriate site class, and considering configuration irregularities. By utilizing reliable tools like ClearCalcs, engineers can effectively calculate seismic loads and design structures that can withstand seismic events.