Disaster Mitigation Preparedness Response (DMPR)

Structural Safety Evaluators’ Manual

Module 8a

Introduction
Immediately after and during the first days after a strong earthquake occurs, hundreds of
buildings may be damaged. Local government units and other national government agencies in
charge of building safety assessment might be swamped by the task of building safety evaluation.
Even with an influx of volunteers, there is normally much work that must be completed within a
short period of time. Subsequent strong aftershocks usually follow the main shock and affected
buildings might suffer much severe damage. It is therefore necessary to carry out as quickly as
possible and within a short period of time the evaluation of building safety in order to identify
which buildings are safe for immediate use or safe for entry. Moreover, widespread damage may
be expected and expert engineers may be insufficient to undertake all building safety evaluations
within a limited timeframe. The procedure for rapid building safety evaluation would therefore be
the more appropriate procedure that take into account this post earthquake incident.

Post-Earthquake Damage Assessment Methodologies

A three level procedure for post-earthquake safety evaluation was developed by the
Applied Technology Council (ATC-20). This procedure, used since the first ASEP Disaster Quick
Reaction Survey Teams (DQRST), will still be the same procedure recognized by the ASEP DMPR
as appropriate for damage assessment of buildings after a damaging earthquake event. The Three
level procedure are shown in the flowchart of normal building safety evaluation and posting
process as follows:

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Disaster Mitigation Preparedness Response (DMPR)
Structural Safety Evaluators’ Manual

Posting Classification System

An important aspect of any evaluation system is the selection of damage rating or

posting classification scheme. The ASEP DMPR adopts the three (3) posting classification which
are color coded as follows:

Posting Color Description

Classification
• No apparent hazard found, although repairs ay be
INSPECTED Green
required
• Original lateral load capacity not significantly decreased
• Observed damage, if any, does not appear to pose a
safety risks
• Entry, occupancy, and use permitted
• No evidence of major structural damage (including
foundation), structure is plumb
• No falling or other life-safety risks
• No evidence of ground displacement
• Main exits usable (including doors)
• No other apparent unsafe condition

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Structural Safety Evaluators’ Manual

• Caveat: damage can accumulate

• Some safety risks from damage in all or part of the
RESTRICTED Yellow
building
USE • Restricted

- Duration of occupancy
- Areas of occupancy
- Usage
• Covers broad range of damage
• Cladding damage may result in further damage
• Interior finish or ceiling damage may lead to falling
hazards or air quality issues
• Possible presence of other risks (toxic materials release,
etc.)
• Portion of the building cannot be safely occupied
• Safety issues can only be resolved by removal of
architectural elements or by an Engineering Evaluation
• Falling, collapse, or other hazard
OFF-LIMITS Red
• Does not necessarily indicate that demolition is required
• No entry permitted, except by authorities
• Obvious safety risks are present
• Structure is believed to be is danger of collapse from
static conditions, subsequent events, or addition of
occupant loads
• Another dangerous condition is present

Building Evaluation Procedure

1. Rapid Evaluation Procedure. The objective of Rapid Evaluation is to quickly, and with
minimum of manpower, inspect and evaluate building in the damage area. This procedure
is designed to be used to quickly post the apparent safe (INSPECTED posting) and the
obviously unsafe structures (OFF LIMITS posting). Those structures that have totally or
selected areas with questionable strength and safety are designated for the interim
RESTRICTED USE, meaning entry is restricted in the entire area or in selected areas with
questionable safety requirements. Once all buildings in a given area have been inspected
and those that are apparently safe or obviously unsafe have been posted, the remaining
structures, the so called gray-area buildings, are left for a Detailed Evaluation by a
structural engineer. This is the second level procedure which is generally performed within
a few hours to a few days after the Rapid Evaluation.

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Disaster Mitigation Preparedness Response (DMPR)
Structural Safety Evaluators’ Manual

Rapid Evaluation procedure begins with the reconnaissance of a damage area. The
general level of damage or lack of damage should be noted because this is often an
important clue to the likelihood of finding damage and to its severity. When a building is
selected for evaluation, Rapid evaluation is done by first examining the outside of the
structure. The inspector should walk around the entire structure, if this is possible.
Ordinarily, only the exterior of the building is inspected at this time, unless there is a
suspected or reported problem. This is done primarily to maximize the number of
inspections in the immediate post event period. If the building is clearly in an unsafe
condition, it should not be entered.

Each building is evaluated using the six Basic Rapid Evaluation criteria presented in
Table 1. These are used to rate the building’s condition with respect to safety of occupants
and the public. The six criteria selected for the Rapid Evaluation process were chosen for
being externally observable conditions or items of damage that, individually or collectively,
are sufficient to warrant use of the OFF-LIMITS or, in case of falling or other hazards, the
AREA OFF LIMITS posting categories. Because the Rapid Evaluation process is designed to
conserve anticipated limited manpower resources, the damage assessments are
necessarily coarse. Inspectors are to look for readily observable, gross kinds of structural
distress, such as partial collapse, leaning buildings, and partial chimney collapse. In
addition, geotechnical conditions such as slope movement that threaten building safety
are grounds for posting a structure as OFF LIMIT.

Buildings that are apparently safe are to be posted Inspected, and the INSPECTED
placard is to be marked to indicate whether this inspection was “exterior” only or “exterior
and interior”. Generally, an initial Rapid Evaluation will be only of the exterior for reasons
discussed above. If the occupants report a problem, or if the building cannot be adequately
viewed from the outside or if a problem is suspected, the interior should also be inspected.

Unsafe buildings must be posted as soon as possible with the OFF-LIMIT placard
and the occupants informed that they must leave the premises immediately.

Because many structures will not fall easily into either INSPECTED (i.e., apparently
safe) or OFF-LIMIT classification, the third posting classification, RESTRICTED USE, will also
have to be used. This is to be used when the level of safety concern is doubtful and the
structure’s condition is neither apparently safe nor obviously unsafe. RESTRICTED USE
placard are to be placed at each entrance, and the occupants informed of the significance
of the damage. A structure designated RESTRICTED USE must be given a subsequent
Detailed Evaluation and this requirement is indicated by the inspector on the Rapid
Evaluation form.

The Rapid Evaluation procedure is summarized in Table 2.

Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines, Inc. (ASEP)

Disaster Mitigation Preparedness Response (DMPR)
Structural Safety Evaluators’ Manual

Table 1: Basic Rapid Evaluation Criteria

Condition Posting
1. Building has collapsed, partially collapsed or moved off its
OFF-LIMITS
foundation.
2. Building or any story is significantly out-of-plumb
OFF-LIMITS
3. Obvious severe damage to primary structural members, severe
OFF-LIMITS
racking of walls, or other signs of severe distress present.
4. Obvious parapet, chimney, or other falling hazards present
AREA OFF-LIMITS
5. Large fissures in ground, massive ground movement, or slope
OFF-LIMITS
displacement present.
6. Other hazards present (e.g. Toxic spill, asbestos contamination,
OFF-LIMITS or AREA
broken gas line, fallen power line).
OFF-LIMITS

Table 2: Rapid Evaluation Inspection Procedure

1. Examine the entire outside of the structure.

2. Examine the ground in the general area of the structure foe fissures, bulged ground,
signs of slope movement, or signs of liquefaction.

3. Ordinarily enter a building only when the structure cannot be viewed sufficiently from
the outside or when there is suspected, or reported, problem such as gross nonstructural
distress (e.g. fallen ceiling or badly damaged partitions visible from the outside.) Do not
enter obviously unsafe structure.

4. Evaluate the structure or area using the six criteria (Table 1), and complete the Rapid
Evaluation Form. Doubtful buildings should be slated for Detailed Evaluation. Make sure
exitways are clear.

5. Post the structure according to the result of the evaluation. Use one of the three
placards: INSPECTED, RESTRICTED USE, or OFF LIMITS. When posting INSPECTED, check
the appropriate box to indicate whether only the “exterior” or the “exterior and interior”
was inspected. Post every entrance to a building classified OFF LIMITS or RESTRICTED
USE.

6. Explain the significance of the RESTRICTED USE or OFF-LIMIT postings to building

occupants, and advise them to leave immediately. Areas designated as AREAS OFF-
LIMITS must also be evacuated.

Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines, Inc. (ASEP)

Disaster Mitigation Preparedness Response (DMPR)
Structural Safety Evaluators’ Manual

Posting Placards for Rapid Evaluation

Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines, Inc. (ASEP)

Disaster Mitigation Preparedness Response (DMPR)
Structural Safety Evaluators’ Manual

Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines, Inc. (ASEP)

Disaster Mitigation Preparedness Response (DMPR)
Structural Safety Evaluators’ Manual

Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines, Inc. (ASEP)

Disaster Mitigation Preparedness Response (DMPR)
Structural Safety Evaluators’ Manual

Rapid Evaluation Safety Assessment Form

Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines, Inc. (ASEP)

Disaster Mitigation Preparedness Response (DMPR)
Structural Safety Evaluators’ Manual

SAMPLE APPLICATION OF RAPID EVALUATION CRITERIA

1. Building has collapsed, partially collapsed or move off of its foundation.

OFF-LIMITS
2. Building or any story is significantly out-of-plumb.

OFF-LIMITS

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Disaster Mitigation Preparedness Response (DMPR)
Structural Safety Evaluators’ Manual

3. Obvious severe damage to primary structural members, severe racking of walls, or other
signs of severe distress present.

OFF-LIMITS
4. Obvious parapet, chimney, or other falling hazards present

OFF-LIMITS

Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines, Inc. (ASEP)

Disaster Mitigation Preparedness Response (DMPR)
Structural Safety Evaluators’ Manual

5. Large fissures in ground, massive ground movement, or slope displacement present.

OFF-LIMITS

6. Other hazards present (e.g. Toxic spill, asbestos contamination, broken gas line, fallen
power line).

1995 Kobe EQ

1999 Izmit Turkey EQ

OFF-LIMITS or AREA OFF LIMITS

Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines, Inc. (ASEP)

Disaster Mitigation Preparedness Response (DMPR)
Structural Safety Evaluators’ Manual

References.

1. Applied Technology Council (1989). Procedures for Post-Earthquake Safety Evaluation of

Buildings ( ATC 20)

2. Applied Technology Council (1995). Rapid Safety Assessment Form (ATC 20)

2. Vidal F., Feriche, and M., Ontoveros, A., (2009). Basic Techniques for Quick and Rapid Post-
Earthquake Assessments of Building Safety, 8th Conference Workshop on Seismic Microzoning
and Risk Reduction, Spain

Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines, Inc. (ASEP)