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PEER Service to Industry

The PEER-UC Berkeley lab at the Richmond Field Station partners with private industry and performs shaking table testing of critical equipment— e.g., emergency power generators, air handlers, electrical switchgear—under varying earthquake excitations. The shaking table testing is performed to ensure compliance with seismic regulations and to confirm the effectiveness of seismic retrofit strategies with the goal of reducing damage and injury in the event of an earthquake.

17025-2005 IAS Lab Accreditation for AC156 and IEEE-693 Testing

The PEER-UC Berkeley Lab is accredited by IAS (TL450), to perform both AC-156 and IEEE-693 test protocols utilizing the 6 DOF Shaking Table. The Shaking Table is able to impose the highest required amplitude inputs of both of these standards.

IEEE693, Recommended Practice for Seismic Design of Electrical Substations - These recommendations include discussions of qualification of each equipment type. Design recommendations consist of seismic criteria, qualification methods and levels, structural capacities, performance requirements for equipment operation, installation methods, and documentation.

AC156, Seismic Certification by Shake-table Testing of Non-structural Components - This standard establishes criteria for a specific input motion, duration, and range of frequencies to which nonstructural components should be subjected.

Watch the PEER Lab Highlight - Service to Industry & Seismic Qualification Testing video.

Download a PEER UC Berkeley Lab brochure [PDF]

For inquiries about lab availability and services, please contact peer_center@berkeley.edu

Expanded Accreditation: ASTM E2126 & ANSI / AISC 341

In March, 2015 the PEER-UC Berkeley lab was assessed by the International Accreditation Services (IAS) and granted expansion of PEER Labs' accreditation to include three additional tests:

Panel testing in accordance with ASTM E2126-11;

Beam-column testing in accordance with ANSI/AISC 341-10, Chapter K; and

Steel frame testing in accordance with ANSI/AISC 341-10, Chapter K

ASTM E2126-11, Standard Test Methods for Cyclic (Reversed) Load Test for Shear Resistance of Vertical Elements of the Lateral Force Resisting Systems for Buildings - The purpose of this test is to determine the performance of a shear panel to determine the shear resistance for panels for building construction when subjected to quasi-static loading applications. The outcome of the tests is to show that a given joint and frame will sustain a given load. Measurements include displacements, strain, force, and moment-curvature. Items of behavior include the ductility ratio, envelope of load-displacement behavior, hysteresis and energy determinations. The test is for reversed sequential phased displacement loading up to a "first major event" followed by optional degradation cycles and then progressing to higher levels of reversed sequential displacement loading. The test is not conducted in real time but is performed as quasi-static testing to allow for viewing of cracks and other signs of progressive failures.

ANSI / AISC 341-10, Pre-qualified Connections for Special and Intermediate Steel Moment Frames for Seismic Applications, Chapter K - AISC 341 establishes criteria for two types of tests, namely 1) beam-column testing, and 2) steel frame testing. The purpose of these tests is to qualify steel connections for moment-frame for seismic and static applications. The outcome of the tests is to show that a given joint and frame will sustain a given load. Measurements include displacements, strain, force, and moment-curvature.