The REDi™ Rating System: A Framework for Resilience-based Earthquake Design

Synopsis

Modern building codes in the United States do not focus on earthquake resilience, the ability of an organization or community to achieve functional recovery after an earthquake. The primary intent of the code is to protect lives by providing an acceptably low probability of collapse in the Maximum Considered Earthquake (MCE). The building code accepts that significant structural and non-structural damage may occur which may not be economically feasible to repair. Recent research shows that the consequences of this damage are significant financial losses for repairs and many months (or even years) of downtime – the time it takes to get back in the building and use it again.

In recognition, the REDi™ Rating System has been developed (in collaboration with researchers and various stakeholders) - a framework for owners, architects, and engineers to implement ‘resilience-based earthquake design’, a holistic design, planning, and verification approach to achieve ‘beyond-code’ earthquake performance objectives. It is written as a set of guidelines with specific design criteria (based on the rating desired - Platinum, Gold, or Silver) which aim to minimize building damage and promote contingency planning for utility disruption and other threats to functional recovery. The success of the resulting design in meeting quantitative financial loss and downtime resilience objectives corresponding to each rating tier is then demonstrated by performing a modified FEMA P-58 loss assessment developed specifically for REDi™.

About the speaker

Ibrahim Almufti is a structural engineer in the Advanced Technology + Research (AT+R) group in Arup’s San Francisco office. He is currently Seismic Skills Network Leader for the America’s Region of Arup. He is a licensed Structural Engineer in the state of California.

Ibrahim has spent much of his time at Arup doing performance-based seismic design and analysis of complex and tall structures using advanced numerical simulation techniques. It is through this approach that he has developed and applied innovative concepts and alternative design strategies to provide ‘beyond-code’ seismic performance. He also focuses on seismic hazard and development of earthquake ground motions for response history analysis; he recently published a journal article on near-fault (velocity pulse) effects. He has also led research efforts to assess the influence of soil behaviour on structural performance, focusing on soil-structure interaction and site response analysis. Ibrahim maintains many research links, collaborating with Stanford University, University of California at Berkeley, University of Nevada, Reno and SUNY Buffalo.

Further information

This evening meeting is jointly organised by SECED and EEFIT and chaired by Damian Grant (Arup). Non-members of SECED/EEFIT are welcome to attend. Attendance at this meeting is free. Seats are allocated on a first come, first served basis. This meeting will be broadcast online at the following link:

https://ice-org.webex.com/ice-org/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=706411053

For further information, please contact Greg James (tel. 020 7665 2229).