Bearing pressure REDUCED for seismic?

[cessna98j]

We are doing a candian project, and the Canadian building code uses LRFD for everything, including factored bearing pressures. Anyway, we have been given an allowable factored bearing pressure of 2100psf for static loading, and only 1500psf under seismic loading conditions.

Typically, I've always seen that you are allowed to INCREASE your bearing pressure for seismic, not the other way around. Could this be due to liquifaction? Have any of you encountered something similar?

Thanks

 

[JStephen]

Check with the source of the allowable bearing?

 

[JLNJ]

Maybe you can get your geotech to give you ultimate values to compare to.