Laboratory equipment; estimating losses and mitigation costs

The building code provides seismic design criteria for the structural and nonstructural systems in most building types, but there are no regulations to govern the installation of a building's contents. In certain building types, such as museums, libraries, high-tech fabrication facilities, and research laboratories, the contents are valuable or critical to operations, or both. This paper focuses on strategies for improving seismic performance for laboratory furnishings and equipment. A survey of science laboratories at the University of California, Berkeley, served as the basis for constructing a simplified taxonomy of laboratory equipment, mitigation designs, and cost estimates. Case studies of five laboratories in different disciplines, and one biological science laboratory building, demonstrate mitigation techniques and potential installation costs. The case studies also highlight the importance of considering the contents separately from the structural and nonstructural systems when developing vulnerability estimates for certain building types in earthquake loss modeling.