Homebuilders’ Guide to Earthquake-Resistant Design & Construction (FEMA 232)
This FEMA guide, produced by the Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC), provides information on current best practices for earthquake-resistant house design and construction for use by builders, designers, code enformcement personnel, and potential homeowners. It introduces and explains the effects of earthquake loads on one- and two-family detached houses and identifies the requirements of the 2003 International Residential Code (IRC) intended to resist these loads.
A nonlinear time-history analysis was performed for a model building using the SAWS computer program developed as part of the CUREE-Caltech Woodframe Project. Details of the analysis are presented in Appendix A. Additional appendices feature checklists for builders, designers, and plan checkers; explain significant differences between the 2003 and 2006 editions of the IRC; and present a list of reference materials. (2006, 13.5 MB pdf)
