Design and Construction of a Full-Scale 5-Story Base Isolated Building Outfitted with Nonstructural Components for Earthquake Testing at the UCSD-NEES Facility

This project involves earthquake and post-earthquake fire testing of a full-scale five-story building furnished with nonstructural components and systems (NCSs). A broad array of NCSs are incorporated in the test building, including a functioning passenger elevator, stairs, exterior walls, interior partition walls, piping, HVAC, ceiling, sprinklers, building contents, as well as passive and active fire systems. The NEES-UCSD outdoor shake table facility is utilized to support this full-scale testing program. In this paper, the design and construction of the test building and its NCSs are summarized. Testing is projected for March 2012, and pending this progression, preliminary data may be presented at the conference. Data obtained from this program will be used to evaluate and refine current code assumptions and computer models regarding nonstructural components and systems, and to find ways to minimize undesirable damage to NCSs during an earthquake.