Seismic action. International approach?

[odradek7]

Hi all.

My company designs and manufactures different steel structures that are installed in very different countries. I have a problem when dealing with the seismic hazard because a lot of times is very difficult to find a construction code regarding earthquakes, even in countries with quite strong seismological activity.

I have been trying to find some kind of international "official" institution that could give a simplified mode of modelling the seismic action, for example a peak ground acceleration.

I would like to know if anybody has been in similar situatios.

Thank you.

 

[mrMikee]

Somewhere on the USGS site they have seismic risk maps for a few other countries or expect to have something soon. It is interesting but not "official."

Years ago when I designed concrete plant structures some of which shipped internationally, I had the same problem. First of all even under the best of circumstances the determination of the proper design codes would be a difficult thing to do. But mostly the problems were political. Additional cost to a project for seismic was viewed by the sales people and upper management as a deal killer, and the help engineering received was minimal.

Regards,
-Mike

 

[PEStructural]

This might be of some use to you. At least it's kind of interesting:

http://geology.about.com/library/weekly/aa010900a.htm

 

[PEStructural]

Here is a better link...

http://www.seismo.ethz.ch/gshap/

Hope this helps.