1. How do I know whether my house needs earthquake improvements?

When, where, how and of what a home is built from are all factors that will play into its
ability to withstand a major earthquake. Homes constructed more than two decades ago
may need earthquake strengthening upgrades to their foundations. Check some criteria to
knowing earthquake improvement:

 The buildings have been designed according to a seismic code or not

 The buildings have been designed according to a seismic code, but code has
been upgraded in later years or not
 Building designed to meet the modern seismic code, but deficiencies exist in the
design or construction
2. How much does a complete residential earthquake retrofit cost?

Retrofitting of existing buildings and issues of their structural safety has not adequate
attention in the countries like Bangladesh, India etc. In some developed countries
research on repair and retrofitting has been undertaken during the last two decades. It is
suggested that the cost of retrofitting of a structure should remain below 25% of the
replacement as major justification of retrofitting.

3. My house has been through several earthquakes, without damage. Does that mean
that it does not need to be strengthened?

While it is fortunate that you did not have previous damage, and this certainly gives
comfort, it would be a mistake to rely on such a past experience to predict the effects of
any future earthquakes. There are a number of factors that affect the severity of
earthquake damage. These include soil conditions, how a house was built, length and
strength of the shaking. How is the distance between your home and the source of the
earthquake? If this happens, the strength of shaking will be much greater than in
previous. Relying on the previous experience is risky.

4. Are there any options regarding the amount of improvement to make?

Yes, certainly. Decisions about earthquake-related improvements are very much like
decisions about safety features to include when buying a new car. More features cost
more, but they will also provide greater reduction in the risk of personal injury and
property damage. The expression "earthquake proof" is used in common language, but
there is no such thing as an earthquake "proof" house. Also, there is no way to determine
the exact improvement needs of an individual home. This is because the actual seismic
stresses a home may experience are unpredictable. Engineers can make calculations
based on certain assumptions. Improvements can be made based on assumption of the

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 worst possible earthquake situation. However, there may be situations where it is not
possible for the homeowner to make all the recommended improvements because of
budget or other considerations. Also, given a choice, many of us would rather invest our
home improvement budget in something other than seismic improvements. We have
heard many variations in this homeowner dilemma: "... I would rather spend my limited
home improvement money on things I can see and enjoy, like remodeling my kitchen.
Yet, I don't want my remodeled kitchen to be lost if my house is ruined." There is a way
to make decisions about seismic improvements in spite of this dilemma. In order to both
reduce earthquake risk and still have funds left to remodel the kitchen, we suggest some
of the following as criteria for determining earthquake improvement priorities:

 Stage the improvements. Do some of the recommended improvements every year

or so until all the desired improvements have been made. Identify the weakest
and most vulnerable conditions in your home. Improve these first.
 Some improvements may be more important to improve safety rather than to
protect the property. Do the safety-related improvements first.
 Do the improvements that may be more cost-effective, or possibly the simplest
and most straightforward to install. Defer the more difficult or more disruptive
improvements for later.
 If any remodeling is planned, make improvements in other areas first; defer the
improvements in the planned remodel areas and make the seismic improvements
during the remodeling work.

Even though improvements can be staged and even deferred, it is important to

remember that full seismic protection will not be achieved until all recommended
work is completed.

5. Do I need to have my seismic improvement planned by an engineer?

An engineer’s consultation is certainly an option. But, it is not always required, since

seismic improvements are voluntary. It is common and accepted practice for seismic
improvements to be planned by a contractor, especially if the contractor is an
experienced seismic specialist. In addition, many cities now have “prescriptive plans”
which an experienced contractor can use in planning the retrofit. There are situations
where an engineer’s consultation is advisable, or where engineered plans are necessary.
These situations would be large, complex, multilevel houses; houses such as stilt houses
on steep hillsides; houses with very large openings in lower level walls; or houses with
severe foundation and/or drainage problems.

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6. How are seismic contractors qualified to recommend such earthquake
improvements?

All contractors are not qualified for earthquake improvement. Most experience
contractors are allowing only for install seismic improvements. Various governmental
agencies, private engineers, and university research groups have made extensive
examinations of failed buildings, identifying failure points and other weaknesses in
construction. The experience contractors work according their observations and their
recommendations for construction improvements.

7. Knowledgeable people have told me that my house is well built. Do I still need to
make improvements?

if your home was built before the seismic standards were adopted, particularly before the
1980s, to the extent that your home can be upgraded to meet or be closer to these
standards, you will be able to reduce its seismic risk. If your home was well built
originally, seismic improvements may be of even greater value, since you will have both
the quality of the original construction and the added improvements to reduce seismic
risk. If you cannot count your house as being originally a well-built home, seismic
improvement may be absolutely critical.

8. Will seismic recommendations follow the standards of the building code? Will they
bring my house up to code?

There is no current code for retrofitting for several reasons. Houses are very different in
construction style, accessibility, and seismic vulnerability; it is difficult if not impossible
to apply one standard to such a variety of situations and conditions. Attempts to develop
a consensus among experts regarding retrofitting standards have not been very
successful. Most importantly, though, is that the seismic retrofitting is voluntary; any
homeowner can do as much or as little as he or she wishes. Many local building
departments have developed a "prescriptive plan" for retrofitting. Again, though, because
houses differ so much in style and construction and, mainly, because homeowners differ
in their needs and their expectations, we have found that a customized plan will be
necessary to accommodate any given retrofitting situation.

9. Do I need a building permit to do my seismic improvements?

Why is a permit needed if there is no applicable retrofitting code?

Building departments require permits for seismic improvements, and charge a fee based
on the valuation of the proposed work. The building department does do what is
commonly referred to as a "plan check", meaning a review of the proposed work by a

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 staff engineer. At present no guideline or codes of practice available in the country of
retrofitting but some developed countries research on retrofitting. Various techniques of
seismic retrofitting have been developed and used in practice. These technique are
standards.

10. Can I do the retrofitting myself?

Or, can I do portions of the work myself in order to reduce the cost?

Of course you can retrofit your own home if you are eligible to do this. Prior to the
installation of a retrofit, a good plan is needed. Knowing what to do, where to do it, and
how to do it are extremely important. Retrofitting is very hard work. Very undesirable
and uncomfortable working conditions are found under most houses. Good tools and
equipment are needed to help the work, to make sure it is well done, and to protect
personal safety during the work. Many homeowners find they can save money by doing
some of the peripheral work themselves. Sometimes cabinets need to be removed and
replaced. Plaster and other wall coverings may need to be removed and the debris
handled. Many homeowners, especially if handy at all, choose to complete some of the
preparation and follow-up work themselves to save some money, and leave the critical
structural improvement work for the experts. We encourage this type of participation
whenever it is practical.

11. My house already has foundation bolts. Does it need more strengthening?
It probably does. The simple answer to this question is that it is not enough just to see
bolts. Weakened or insufficient bolt connections may lead to failure. Additionally,
bolting and bracing are both needed. If the walls supporting a house are weak they may
simply collapse from under it. Code requirements for bolting as well as standard
construction practice have changed in response to increased earthquake concerns,
especially since 1990. Many houses have half-inch diameter sill bolts placed at intervals
of six feet. The practice now is to install larger diameter bolts (5/8" or 3/4" depending on
the scale of the home) at closer intervals. Additionally, since bolts primarily prevent
lateral or sliding movements, other types of hardware called holdowns are installed to
resist effects of the house lifting off the foundation during seismic movement. The type
of washer used also makes a considerable difference in seismic resistance. Most
importantly, however, is that bolts do not last forever. Steel decays and loses its strength,
particularly when a home has not had good foundation drainage.
12. What kind of bolts do you use?
Is there any risk of damaging my foundation when bolts are added?
The bolt choice is influenced by several factors: cost, condition and quality of the
concrete, and the manner in which the bolt will be loaded. Most engineers recommend

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 epoxy bolts for all mud sill bolting. If there is any doubt about the better choice, use the
epoxy-set bolt. The risk of damaging the concrete while installing the bolts is very
minimal. Special drilling equipment is used in order to reduce this risk General practice is
to use either a mechanically anchored bolt, commonly referred to as an expansion bolt or
wedge anchor; or a bolt that is bonded to the concrete with epoxy adhesive, commonly
referred to as an epoxy bolt or epoxy-set bolt. The bolt is anchored to the concrete at its
base, and puts a tension load on the concrete as it is wedged in place. In older houses
where the concrete may be weaker, or when a bolt is going to be asked to resist the effect
of being pulled out of the concrete, the epoxy-set bolt should be used. Epoxy-set bolts are
installed by drilling a hole in the concrete slightly larger in diameter than the bolt, to give
room for the epoxy material. The epoxy material is inserted into the hole in a liquid form,
and the bolt is driven into the hole. After some set up time, the epoxy adheres to the
concrete in a bonded attachment usually stronger than the concrete itself. Epoxy bolts are
threaded the full length of the bolt. The epoxy material does not adhere well to the steel,
but sets within the openings of the threaded steel, anchoring the bolt much like a screw is
anchored within a hole in a piece of wood. There are several advantages of epoxy-set
bolts. They simply "rest" inside the hole in an unloaded, static state rather than placing a
wedging stress on the concrete, as the expansion bolt does. The strength of the connection
can be increased by installing a longer bolt, more deeply set into the concrete and with
more length of attachment. The epoxy anchoring material is also impervious to water.
Rusting and other decay of the bolt is reduced; bolt longevity is increased. Epoxy
materials have been tested. Bolt manufacturers tell us that there is no reason to expect
epoxy failure over time.
13. I have read that both bolting and bracing of a house are recommended. What is
bracing?
Bracing is highly efficient and economical method of resisting in horizontal forces in
frame structure. A braced bent consist of the usual columns and girders, whose primary
purpose is to support gravity loading, and diagonal bracing members that are connected so
that the total set of members forms a vertical cantilever truss to resist the horizontal
loading. Bracing has been used to stabilize laterally the majority of the world’s tallest
building members. Recently bracing has also been used to considerable structural
advantage in medium buildings.

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14. Are seismic improvements recommended if my house does not have a cripple wall?
Many houses, especially those built in the 1960s and 1970s or later, are constructed with
the floor framing set directly on the foundation sill. If this is the case, even if the bolting is
sound, the connections may not extend far enough into the floors and walls to keep the
house from sliding off its foundation. Homes without Cripple Walls Failures in past
earthquake situations show the floor framing sliding off the bolted sill; a failure in the
typically toe-nailed connection between bottom edge of the floor joist and the flat top
surface of the bolted sill. Recently, construction technique has improved to compensate
for this. Steel straps are set in the wet concrete as the foundation is poured. The straps then
extend upward, across the flat sill, to connect into either the floor or wall framing of the
house. This connection between the foundation and the floor framing can be improved by
retrofitting steel struts and/or foundation plates and framing clips. These add both lateral
or sliding resistance and vertical or lifting resistance to the main body of the house. They
improve the connection of the house framing to the foundation better than that provided
by mudsill bolts alone. You can determine whether your house has a cripple wall simply
by looking under it. If the sub-area walls are solid concrete extending to the floor, the
addition of the steel struts is to be considered. If there are short walls with vertical wooden
"studs", the sill will be bolted and the wall braced with plywood. Some houses will have a
combination of both of these.
15. Can you give me a brief summary of the purpose of bolting and bracing?
In engineering language we say that retrofitting increases the ability of the substructure of
a house to transfer the "loads" or stresses of an earthquake, especially lateral loads, from
the house to the ground so that everything moves together. In order to make this transfer,
all connections must be in place and must be strong enough to complete the transfer of
movement. Like the failure of the weakest link in a chain, if any transfer point fails, the
house itself may fall, slide, or otherwise be moved off its concrete foundation. If this
happens, extensive structural damage is likely to be the result. Retrofitting a house
consists of adding connectors, where they are found to be missing, improving existing
weak connections between the major structural elements of a house, and bracing of walls
that are weak and subject to failure under earthquake stress.
16. My foundation is pretty old and has a few cracks. Can I do the retrofit, or do I have
to replace the foundation?

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 It would be nice if all houses had new, steel reinforced foundations, but they do not. It
would also be nice if we all had the budget to replace foundations when they are in
marginal condition, but we do not. Quite a dilemma — to own an older home, with a weak
foundation, live in earthquake country, and have no money. New owners of older homes,
particularly, may experience this dilemma, given the recent rapid increases in the cost of
buying a home in the Bay Area. The most important question is whether the concrete is
strong enough to provide good anchorage for foundation bolts. In some cases, it is obvious
that foundation replacement is the only solution; one can simply see how weak the
concrete is. In less clear situations, there are several options. The strength of concrete can
be determined with test instrumentation. This process is fairly costly and not usually done
unless the foundation condition is highly suspect. Very few homeowners choose this
option. Foundations can be evaluated visually and by sound. It is easy to see the
crumbling of the concrete, signs of years of poor drainage, excessive subsidence, severe
cracking and other conditions which suggest that the concrete will fail if heavily loaded. A
light tap on the concrete with a steel hammer also reveals differential sounds, which say a
lot. A sharp "ping" sound indicates decent core strength; a dull "thud" sound indicates
poor strength. Minor cracks in the foundation are usually not a reason to forego a seismic
retrofit. Under marginal conditions and with foundation replacement costs very tight,
anchoring to the existing concrete may still a good decision. Weaknesses in the concrete
can be compensated for in a number of ways. With poorer concrete, epoxy-anchored bolts
should be used. In addition, both the strength of the connection and better distribution of
loads can be accomplished by using more bolts, placing them closer together, and by using
longer, more deeply set bolts. If only parts of the foundation are weak, it may be possible
to concentrate the improvements in the areas of the house with the better concrete, and
still achieve worthwhile seismic risk reduction.
17. My house has a brick foundation. Is retrofitting to a brick foundation advisable?
No. You will need to have the brick foundation (or any portions that are brick) replaced
before the remainder of the retrofitting can be done.

18. How big an earthquake will a retrofitted house go through without damage?

This question is asked frequently. Essentially, though, it is unanswerable. The movement

during an earthquake is too complex, and there are too many unknowns to be able to
answer this question directly. In past earthquake situations, two houses built at about the

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 same time, right next to each other and with many other similarities have performed very
differently. Size and shape of the house, condition of the concrete foundation, how well
it has been maintained, modifications and changes in the original construction which
may have created structural weakness, and many other variable factors will affect
earthquake damage. Given this, it is important to think of earthquake damage prevention
as a risk reducing practice rather than have a more absolute expectation as to what may
be accomplished.

19. Will my insurance company give me a better rate after retrofitting?

We recommend that you ask your insurance agent to answer this question. Insurance
company practices do change. At the time of this writing, the California Earthquake
Authority (CEA) which provides the earthquake insurance you receive through many of
the major home insurers, will reduce the cost of earthquake coverage by 5% if you have
your home retrofitted. Some other private insurance companies will also reduce the cost
of earthquake coverage. As far as we are aware, the cost of the more general
homeowner's coverage is not changed when you retrofit. Many prospective home buyers
have called us to say they needed to have their new houses improved (primarily bolted)
before they could get insurance coverage. But, again, this is a question to ask of your
insurance agent.

20. Does retrofitting increase a home’s value?

It depends on both market conditions and the earthquake consciousness of any potential
buyer of your property. A competed retrofit certainly adds to the marketing features of a
home. The purpose of retrofitting is not to increase property value, it is to help the
homeowner reduce financial loss, make a better and faster recovery from a disaster
situation, and protect the safety of the home's occupants. A decision against making
seismic improvements, regardless of the reason, is a gamble. It is a conscious decision to
bet against the forecasts and recommendations of seismologists and other earthquake
experts. Another word of caution also seems appropriate here. When buying a home, we
recommend having any previous seismic improvements inspected as a part of your
purchase process. The thoroughness and quality of a seismic retrofit are very important
when it comes to how the house will perform during an earthquake situation.

21. How long will it take to retrofit my house?

The average time for a complete retrofit is a week. Larger homes or homes where there
is need to open and re-close finished walls for work access will take longer. It is rare to
have a retrofit project take more than two weeks.

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22. How disruptive is retrofitting work?

The primary purpose of an earthquake retrofit is to make a building safer in the event of an
earthquake. Disruptions are related to the type of retrofit performed for examples: work
carried out outside the building less disruption compared to internal works which tend to
have strong impact on the daily activities of the users.

 Disruption of utilities: when retrofit works affect the continuity of utility supplies like
gas, electricity, water etc.

 Disruption of traffic: when retrofit works constrain the flow of tenants. Internal flow
interrupted access to the building blocked or limited.

 Disruption of physical space: when retrofit works restrict space for working or living.

 Disruption of internal environment: when retrofit works affect the internal

environment by generating different level of pollution. Noise provide by use of work
tools such as hammer and mallets dust.