Provides the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Mitigation Directorate with 25 recommended tasks that should be undertaken through the agency's Existing Buildings Program (EBP) in the coming years. The EBP's expanded but continuing mission in seismic rehabilitation is to limit fatalities, life-threatening injuries, & property & economic losses from earthquakes by increasing the number of seismically resistant buildings in all areas of identified earthquake risk. Identifies 4 objectives & 25 tasks to help make our building stock less vulnerable to earthquake damage. Seeks to provide the continuity necessary for an effective Existing Buildings Program.

Acquaints users with typical problems unrelated to design and construction processes that might arise when planning or engaging in seismic rehab. projects and programs. Alerts readers to the difficulties inherent in implementing seismic rehab. recommendations. Emphasizes 2 basic user-oriented concepts. The first is a process that outlines a set of decision points so the user can determine whether seismic rehab. efforts are needed &, if so, their potential scope. The 2nd offers a simple "escalation ladder" to help users understand the degree of conflict inherent in and the implications of choosing what, if any, seismic rehab. strategies to follow.

Prior to the 1994 Northridge and 1995 Kobe earthquakes, engineers believed that steel moment-frames would bend under earthquake loading, but not break. As a result, this became one of the most common types of construction used for major bldgs. in areas subject to severe earthquakes. The discovery of the potential for fracturing in these frames called to question the adequacy of the building code provisions dealing with this type of construction and created a crisis of confidence. In response, FEMA issued this policy guide to provide a non-technical summary of valuable information, an understanding of the risk associated with steel moment-frame buildings, and the practical measures that can be taken to reduce this risk. Illustrations.

The Rapid Visual Screening (RVS) handbook can be used by trained personnel to identify, inventory, and screen buildings that are potentially seismically vulnerable. The RVS procedure comprises a method and several forms that help users to quickly identify, inventory, and score buildings according to their risk of collapse if hit by major earthquakes. The RVS handbook describes how to identify the structural type and key weakness characteristics, how to complete the screening forms, and how to manage a successful RVS program.

Recent earthquakes have demonstrated that despite the continuous developments of novel materials and new strengthening techniques, the majority of the existing structures are still unprotected and at high seismic risk. The repair and strengthening framework is a complex process and there are often barriers in the preventative upgrade of the existing structures related to the cost of the applications and the limited expertise of the engineers. The engineers need to consider various options thoroughly and the selection of the appropriate strategy is a crucial parameter for the success of these applications. The main aim of this collection is to present a number of different approaches applied to a wide range of structures with different characteristics and demands acting as a practical guide for the main repair and strengthening approaches used worldwide. This document contains a collection of nine case studies from six different countries with different seismicity (i.e. Austria, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Nepal and New Zealand). Various types of structures have been selected with different structural peculiarities such as buildings used for different purposes (i.e. school buildings, town hall, 30 storey office tower), a bridge, and a wharf. Most of the examined structures are Reinforced Concrete structures while there is also an application on a Masonry building. For each of the examined studies, the local conditions are described followed by the main deficiencies which are addressed. The methods used for the assessment of the in-situ conditions also presented and alternative strategies for the repair and strengthening are considered.