Rapid Visual Screening of Buildings For Potential Seismic Hazards - Part III

This online engineering PDH course provides overview about optional electronic scoring and how it changed and compared with original paper forms. Also, this course provides examples of rapid visual screening (RVS) programs. (Levels 1 and 2). 

This course presents an optional methodology that provides an approach to more accurately assess the seismicity for a site. Electronic scoring methodologies that use smartphones or other electronic devices in the field can also reduce the effort and the error in transferring data from paper forms to a database, as this information can be directly transferred from the device. The Supervising Engineer should consider whether the benefits of implementing an electronic scoring methodology outweigh the cost of resources needed to develop the methodology.

The major difference in the scores between the paper form and an electronic scoring approach will depend primarily on the difference in seismic hazard at a specific site and the median response values that were used to generate the Basic Scores and Score Modifiers on the paper forms.

Furthermore, presented in this course are two illustrative examples of rapid visual screening programs. In the first scenario, Level 1 screenings are performed in the hypothetical community of Anyplace, USA. In the second scenario, Level 1 and Level 2 screenings are performed on K-12 school buildings in the hypothetical state of Any State, USA. The RVS implementation process is described, from development of program scope to selection of the appropriate Data Collection Form, to the screening of individual buildings in the field.

This 2 PDH online course is relevant for civil or structural engineering professional, architect, or graduate student with a background in seismic evaluation or design of buildings. It is particularly useful for those responsible for planning and conducting preliminary assessments of building structures in regions with seismic activity.