Appropriate Seismic Reliability for Critical Equipment Systems - Recommendations Based on Regional Analysis of Financial and Life Loss

Abstract

This study recommends a minimum seismic reliability level for critical equipment systems located in seismically vulnerable facilities. It describes a methodology to achieve cost-effective risk mitigation and applies that methodology to a test case involving an automatic sprinkler system in a high-risk building. The study builds on previously published works in this area that provide guidelines for identifying equipment systems that are important for either the normal operation of a facility or for life safety protection. By making it possible to calculate quantitative risk scores, the methodology provides a basis both for evaluating the seismic adequacy of equipment systems and for making cost-effective equipment retrofit decisions. The methodology is primarily for use in areas of high seismicity. In addition to this report, an inventory of taxable high-rise buildings in San Francisco (as of January 1997) in spreadsheet format (Excel 97 and Lotus 1-2-3 version 3, leaf “Inventory” or “B”, respectively) is located in the Publications section of MCEER’s web site (http://mceer.buffalo.edu/pubs.html).