IS-8.A: Building for the Earthquakes of Tomorrow: Complying with Executive Order 12699

Adoption of zoning is a regulatory measure used by local governments to dictate how land in a certain area can be used, which can help mitigate the impact of natural disasters by preventing construction in high-risk areas.

Mitigation activities may include a wide range of actions aimed at reducing or eliminating long-term risk to people and property from hazards and their effects.
A community that is likely to incur a great deal of damage during an earthquake is referred to as having a high risk.
The Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act was a piece of legislation passed in the United States in 1977 with the aim of reducing the risks to life and property from earthquakes.
The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) was created as a result of the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act.
Executive Order 12699, drafted by the ICSSC, mandates that a building should be designed to prevent total collapse, significant loss of life, and significant economic impact.
The NEHRP Provisions addressed the effective methods of seismic design and construction of buildings and other structures.
Scientists use surface waves to find an earthquake's epicenter.
Surface waves cause most of the damage to the built environment during an earthquake.
Earthquake activity can be caused by both horizontal and vertical movement of tectonic plates.
A fault is a fracture in the earth's outer shell, on either side of which rock mass moves.
Seismic waves generally travel much shorter distances on the West Coast than on the East Coast because the soil composition is different in the two regions.
The Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale measures the impact of an earthquake.
The Richter Scale measures the magnitude of an earthquake.
Liquefaction occurs when ground motion causes loose, sandy soil to act like a fluid.
A tsunami refers to powerful ocean waves caused by an earthquake, landslide, or volcanic eruption on the sea floor.
When a building and the ground vibrate at the same rate, they resonate and the vibrations increase, putting more stress on the building.
Partitions, ceilings, and exterior walls can dampen a building's vibration.
A diaphragm is not a horizontal bracing system.
The types of structures built in an area were not considered in developing the NEHRP Provisions' seismic hazard maps.
Buildings are assigned to Seismic Use Groups on the basis of community's need.
The provisions consider a building's seismicity and its Seismic Use Group and assign it to a Seismic Design category in order to define its seismic safety requirements.
The clearest indication that your community is seismically safe is if earthquake hazard maps say the seismicity of your state is low.
If the region in which you live has not experienced an earthquake in 200 years, your earthquake hazard is low. (False)
Two of the objectives of NAHRP were to educate the public about earthquake risk reduction and increase the use of existing scientific and engineering knowledge to mitigate earthquake hazards. (True)
The owner of a new office building, currently under construction, is going to lease 20 percent of the building's space to the Federal Government and is therefore subject to the requirements of Executive order 12699. (True)
All federal agencies have the same seismic safety standards. (False)
Temporary as well as permanent structures built following a disaster using Federal funds through the Stafford Act must meet the requirements of Executive order 12699. (False)
A building constructed according to the NEHRP Provisions may sustain enough damage during an earthquake that it must be demolished. (True)
All faults will cause earthquakes. (False - Not all faults cause earthquakes; some are inactive and do not move.)
A tall building has a longer natural period than a short one. (True - The natural period of a building, which is the time it takes for one complete cycle of vibration, tends to increase with the height of the building.)
The ideal characteristics for building materials in seismically active areas are ductility and stiffness. (False - While stiffness is important, ductility - the ability to deform without breaking - is often more important in seismically active areas to absorb and dissipate the energy of an earthquake.)