CA Seismic case studies
CA Seismic · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The California Civil Seismic Principles Examination is one of the California-specific exams administered by the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists (BPELSG) for civil engineering licensure in the state. It is intended for civil engineer applicants who must demonstrate knowledge of seismic design principles as part of the California licensing process. The CA Seismic case studies are 5 cases and about 2,369 words.
1Soft-Story Retrofit: Plywood vs. Steel Moment Frame in a Tuck-Under
A 1972 three-story wood-frame apartment building over a tuck-under parking level has a 28-ft-wide ground-floor opening along the street side where a continuous shear wall previously existed. The upper two floors are 2,400 sq ft each with stucco and gypsum finishes.
577 words, about 3 min2Nonductile Concrete Frame: Evaluation vs. Voluntary Upgrade Scope
A 1965 four-story reinforced concrete office building has perimeter moment frames with widely spaced transverse reinforcement in columns (No. 3 ties at 12 in., 90-degree hooks) and interior gravity columns.
498 words, about 2 min3Liquefaction and Lateral Spreading at a Pile-Supported Warehouse
A new single-story warehouse is planned on a site with 12 ft of loose silty sand over stiff clay. Groundwater is at 6 ft.
428 words, about 2 min4Diaphragm Flexibility and Torsion in a Long Narrow Retail Building
A 300-ft by 60-ft single-story retail building has a wood structural panel roof diaphragm and masonry shear walls at the two short ends. An expansion joint divides the building into two 150-ft segments.
464 words, about 2 min5Ordinary vs. Special Moment Frame Selection for a Two-Story Office
A two-story steel office building in a region with Ss = 1.8g and S1 = 0.7g is being designed with a special steel moment frame (SMF) perimeter system. The fabricator proposes substituting an ordinary moment frame (OMF) to reduce cost, arguing the building is only two stories and the frame is not highly stressed.
402 words, about 2 min