1. Utah County Elementary Schools Seismic Hazards Survey Azimuth Engineering Ashley Blood, Cody Hatch, Amy Fredrickson
Problem Statement:
Many geologists predict the near future will bring a major earthquake (M7.0) along the Wasatch Fault, which cuts through Utah County. Many school buildings in this county were built before seismic building codes were introduced, which puts schoolchildren at risk many hours each day.
Results:
The RVS results show that 22% of the elementary schools require further investigation to evaluate the extent of seismic hazards. This was due to vertical and plan irregularities, the use of unreinforced masonry, and construction before the implementation of modern seismic building codes. These schools require detailed evaluations by professional engineers to assess the extent of the seismic hazard. If substantial hazards are found, then renovations may be required to bring the schools up to seismic code.
Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to identify elementary school buildings with potential risk of significant damage during a major earthquake. This was accomplished by performing Rapid Visual Screenings (RVS), or “sidewalk surveys,” to evaluate the seismic hazards at all 93 elementary schools in Utah County.
Map showing results of RVS
Breakdown of screened schools by building type
Results of iRVS database input.
Number of at risk schools and safe schools based on RVS scores