FEMA P-58 – Next-generation performance assessment of buildings

In 2001, the Applied Technology Council (ATC) initiated the ATC-58 Project under contract to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Under this project, ATC is developing next-generation performance-based seismic design criteria for new and existing buildings that will be published as FEMA P-58. Unlike present-generation performance-based design criteria, which characterize structural and nonstructural performance in terms of standardized damage states, the P-58 criteria characterize structural performance in terms of the consequences of earthquake damage including: casualties; repair and reconstruction costs, expressed both in monetary and energy/carbon expenditures; and occupancy interruption time. The performance of nonstructural building components including architectural, electrical and mechanical components and systems is integrally considered with that of the structure. Following a methodology originally developed by the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center, the P-58 procedures revolve around a building performance model that includes fragility and consequence functions for each of the damageable components and systems of significance. Monte Carlo simulation procedures are used to assess potential losses for: individual earthquake shaking intensities scenario earthquake events, considering uncertainty in ground motion intensity and, over a period of time, considering uncertainty in the magnitude and distances of scenario events that will occur. Project completion is scheduled for late 2011.

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