Due to each building design and each trade needing to comply with varying minimum seismic requirements, it can be challenging for all on site trades, builders, installers and designers to fully understand how to achieve the base level requirements to ensure compliance. AS1170.4 is in some areas difficult to interpret.
At ACURA Group, we have dedicated years to understanding compliance requirements, visiting both the USA and Europe to ensure we are on top of industry standards.
There are strict performance criteria for each seismically approved product to ensure that certain structures, based on their level of performance, are able to continue to perform during a seismic event. Buildings that fall within importance level three and four are those that ACURA Group have in-depth knowledge of, paired with extensive history of working.
The table of importance levels is as follows:
Importance One
Structures presenting a low degree of hazard to life and other property in the case of failure
Farm Buildings, minor storage facilities
Importance Two
Buildings or structures of ordinary occupancy
Residential, commercial and industrial buildings. (Except those stated in other categories)
Importance Three
Buildings and structures that:
Have large numbers of occupants (high-rise offices, sports arenas)
Shelter persons with limited mobility (Jails, schools, healthcare facilities)
Support lifelines and utilities important to a community’s welfare
Contain materials that pose some risk to the public if released
Importance Four
Buildings and structures that:
Are essential to post-earthquake response (hospitals, police/fire stations and emergency communication centres)
Housing large quantities of hazardous materials
To ensure seismic compliance, all products undergo tension and shear load testing, and if successful, are placed within one of two performance categories: C1 and C2, C2 holding a more demanding testing regime, thus a higher level of seismic compliance.
Performance Category C1
Maximum crack width of 0.5mm
Performance stated in terms of strength at ultimate limit state
Scope of testing
- Pulsating tension load
- Alternating shear load
Performance Category C2
Maximum crack width of 0.8 mm
Performance stated in terms of strength at ultimate limit state, as well as displacement at damage limit state and ultimate limit state
Scope of testing
- Reference tests to failure
- Pulsating tension load
- Alternating shear load
- Crack cycling and tension load
With all this in mind, it is imperative that the supporting documentation is supplied for each compliant product. When partnered with ACURA Group, everyone on site can rest assured that we produce the required documentary evidence to demonstrate the seismic solution we have provided is in fact compliant with the requirements of the Earthquake Standard.
ACURA Group supplies trade professionals with a great range of seismic and load rated products, designed to help ensure your project is compliant. See below for some innovative time-saving and compliant products ACURA Group recommends:
siFramo – modular high-performance framing system with seismic loadings
Zip-Clip Wire & Bracing – the fast, easy and stylish option for hanging support and bracing
Rod Stiffener – allowing for seismic compliance of threaded rod to avoid rod shearing in a seismic event
Fischer FBS fixings - high performance seismically rated screw anchor (also rated for fire resistance)
ACURA Group partners with highly qualified engineers who will design, implement seismic solutions in to plans and keep projects compliant.