The PEER lab at UC Berkeley’s Richmond Field Station collaborated with Estructure, an Oakland-based engineering firm, and performed shake table testing of non-structural objects (e.g., refrigerators and book shelves) under varying earthquake excitations. The objective of the research project was to determine the effectiveness of anchorage, with the goal of reducing damage and injury in the event of an earthquake.
The research project, which took place earlier this year, also provided useful data that extended beyond the scope of the project. “We took a look at building codes,” Estructure President, Maryann Phipps, S.E. explained. “We wanted to see if existing code design requirements are appropriate for protecting non-structural components.”
The PEER Lab Highlight video with Maryann Phipps, S.E., and Chiara McKenney, P.E., is now available for viewing.
Project Sponsors
- Special Projects Initiative Program, Structural Engineers Association
of Northern California (SEAONC) - Safe-T-Proof
Project Technical Lead
- Estructure
Testing and Support
- PEER – Dr. Stephen A. Mahin (Director)
- UC Berkeley – Prof. Mary Comerio (Principal Investigator)
Additional Support
- University of California, San Francisco
- Hilti Corporation
- Maffei Structural Engineering
- Earthquake Protection Systems
See more videos on PEER’s YouTube Channel.