1. NZS 4219:2009 Seismic Performance of Engineering Systems in Buildings
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2. Over 15,000 Projects Completed
ISAT/VAICO Global Experience and Focus… Commercial, Institutional, Industrial, Hi-Tech and Essential IL4 Buildings
Over 15,000 Projects Completed

3. Project experience providing and enforcing compliant design

4. Continuous Load Path Verify Vertical Support Material and Anchorage
Verify Connection to Gravity Support
Verify Brace Arm Components
(Anchor, Strut, Bolts, Brackets, etc.)
Verify Trapeze Support Material

5. What we know VS What the contractor hires us to do
NZS 4219 requires that the SYSTEM be seismically sound. We tend to think within the box of Seismic Bracing for the HORIZONTAL SUSPENDED systems. In order to fully meet the requirements of the standard much more than bracing is required…
Anchor Calculations for floor mounted equipment.
Plinth Design
Riser Supports (both in shafts and at equipment)
Thermal Pipe Stress Analysis
Flex Joints at Equipment or Transitions
Flex Joints at Building Seismic Joints
Vertical Support and Trapeze Engineering
Seismic Bracing and Vertical Support of Floor Supported Distributed Utilities (i.e. roof mounted duct)
Inspection

6. Typical Non-Compliance
Contractor has a precise design supplied to install equipment however chooses not to install the design. Decision by others scoped out of final PS4.

7. Proper design and improper installation - Riser Design -

8. Proper design and improper installation - Riser Design cont-

9. Actual riser install – incorrect in spite of accurate design
- Enforcement is critical -

10. Incorrect Installations - Anchors
Non compliant anchor not installed correctly
Non compliant anchor not installed correctly

11. Incorrect Installations - Anchors
Non-compliant anchor installed in the lower flute of the metal pan deck. This violates the installation guidelines and catastrophically reduces the strength of the connection. There are no strength values available for these anchors in this condition.
Non-compliant anchor with two braces attached to the same anchor. No shear strength value.

12. Incorrect Installations - Equipment
Brackets used with rigid brace arms only have single bolt attachment to strut. Two bolts or a retention tab on the bracket are required to prevent the brace arm from pivoting around the axis of the bolt during a seismic event thus creating a ‘hinge’ in the center of what should be a rigid brace.
Bolted connection of brackets to brace arms is through the slotted holes on the backside of the strut. This will introduce slop and movement into the system and may allow enough displacement of the unit to cause damaging impact with other equipment and systems nearby.

13. Incorrect Installations - Equipment
Picture shows two brace arms at one corner of the unit. NZS4219:2009 clause 3.8 (and common sense) dictates that the brace arms be symmetrical about the unit. With the brace arms at one corner of the unit, the unit will simply pivot around that point.

14. Incorrect Installations - Equipment
Pipe connections to equipment do not appear to be flexed at the point of connection. Unless the pipe is braced at the point of connection, the pipe and equipment will be subject to differential displacement resulting in pipe breaks at the point of connection to the equipment. This is a requirement of NZS4219:2009 as per clause This concern is amplified by what appears to be the use of plastic (non-ductile) pipe at the point of connection to the equipment.

15. How we field verify compliance..

16. How we field verify compliance..

17. Restraint locations are documented during field review

18. PS4’s Include Associated Design and Inspection Docs to
Show All Parties the Project is Compliant!

19. On BIM Projects… Seismic Bracing Is Inserted and Coordinated Within The Model

20. Seismic Bracing and Vertical Supports Shown with Required Anchor Spacing Halos

21. How We Document Non-Structural Loads to the Structure.
Point Load Diagrams.

22. Bracing on HVAC Systems

23. Fully coordinated model drastically reduces field labor and construction delays. Cast in place anchors vs post installed anchors is a major labor saving process.

24. Custom Bracing Installation Solutions