ICC-ES adds new evaluation services for alternative seismic force-resisting systems

The company will develop new acceptance criteria based on FEMA P695

Brea, Calif. – The ICC Evaluation Service (ICC-ES) is adding evaluations of alternative seismic force-resisting systems to its extensive list of product evaluations.

The 2018 International Building Code (IBC), released in September 2017, references the latest version of the American Society of Civil Engineers standard, Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures (ASCE/SEI 7-16). ASCE 7-16 allows for the use of rational methodology to validate design criteria for seismic force-resisting systems, which includes alternative systems that were not previously recognized. Before the 2018 IBC was released, ICC-ES evaluated only those seismic force-resisting systems recognized in ASCE 7-10, the prior version of the standard, or equivalent systems.

To set in place procedures as to how ICC-ES will evaluate alternative seismic force-resisting systems, the company will develop new acceptance criteria that outline provisions for the evaluation of alternative seismic force-resisting systems using the principles in the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Quantification of Building Seismic Performance Factors (FEMA P695). This publication outlines a method for determining seismic design coefficients and factors for alternative structural systems to limit the collapse probability of buildings using those systems to the nationally-recognized level of acceptability.

“We are pleased to announce the decision to evaluate alternative seismic force-resisting systems,” said ICC-ES Vice-President of Engineering Gary Nichols, P.E. “ICC-ES continually evaluates products to the latest codes, and we encourage all manufacturers to also comply with the latest codes for market acceptance.”

ICC-ES will post the proposed new acceptance criteria on the alternative criteria development process agenda for public comment soon.