Policies and Standards for Reoccupancy Repair of Earthquake-Damaged Buildings

Abstract

Following a damaging earthquake, many buildings may be closed pending determination of safety and necessary repairs. A lack of repair standards and criteria for reoccupancy created controversy and denied owners use of their buildings after recent earthquakes. Conservative standards may delay the economic recovery of the community. Unconservative standards could lead to an equal or worse situation in the next earthquake. In order to develop technical standards that will solve this problem, the acceptable levels of safety for reoccupancy first must be established. Development of rational standards has been hindered by a limited ability to estimate actual lateral-load capacity of buildings of various materials and in various damage states. Once a policy for acceptable levels of safety is established, however, technical guidelines could be developed which would improve the current situation.