Caribbean Disaster Mitigation Project

ImplementedbytheOrganizationofAmericanStates
UnitofSustainableDevelopmentandEnvironment
fortheUSAIDOfficeofForeignDisasterAssistanceandtheCaribbeanRegional
Program

DrawingstoAccompanytheBuilding
Guidelines
SectionA:GeneralConstructionPrinciples(Figures110)
Introduction|SectionA(110)|SectionA(1116)|SectionB|SectionC|SectionD|SectionE|SectionF|
SectionG
DownloadAutoCADDWGfiles(ziparchive):SectionA|SectionB|SectionC|SectionsDG

FigureA1:PlanShapesofBuildings
Thesuccesswithwhichabuildingsurvivesanearthquakeissignificantlyaffectedbyitsshapeinplan.Most
buildingswithasimplerectangularshape,withnoprojections,performwellunderearthquakeconditions,

providedtheconstructionisadequate.Longnarrowbuildingsshouldbeavoided.Longbuildingsshouldbedivided
intoseparateblockswithadequateseparation.

FigureA2:SizeandLocationofWallOpenings
Thelocationandsizeofopeningsinwallshaveasignificanteffectuponthestrengthofawallanditsabilityto
resistearthquakeforces.Openingsaretobelocatedawayfromacornerbyacleardistanceofatleastofthe
heightoftheopening.Itisrecommendedthataminimumdistancebe15".Thetotallengthoftheopeningsshould
notexceedthelengthofthewallbetweenconsecutivecrosswalls.Thehorizontaldistancebetweentwo
openingsshouldnotbelessthantheheightoftheshorteropenings.

FigureA3:TypicalWallCornerDetail

FigureA4:TypicalWallJunctionDetail

FigureA5:ReinforcedMasonryGableArrangement
Animportantfactorcontributingtotheearthquakeresistanceofconcretemasonrybuildingsisthedetailingand
placingofsteelreinforcement.Thereinforcingguidesgiveninthesefiguresareonlytobeusedforsimplesingle
storeybuildingsconstructedofgoodqualityconcreteblocks.Inadditiontotheminimumverticalwall
reinforcement,allwalls,cornersandjunctionsaretobereinforced.Allverticalreinforcementistobesecurely
fixedtotheringbeam.Horizontalreinforcementmustbeplacedevery3courses.Windowanddoorjambsshould
bereinforcedandtiedintothelintels.Gablewallsaretobereinforcedbybarsfixedtotheconcretebeamat
eavesheightandtotheslopingringbeamatthetopofthegable.

FigureA6:RecommendedMethodforConstructiononSlopingSites
Buildingssitedinexposedareas(e.g.onthebrowofahill)aremostvulnerable,whilethoseshelteredbynatural
topographyarelessvulnerable.Insitingthebuilding,therefore,steepslopesandedgesofcliffsshouldbe
avoided,aswellasotherconditionssuchassteepsidedvalleyswhereexceptionallyhighwindspeedsarefound.
Wherebuildingonasteepsiteisunavoidable,reinforcedconcretetiebeamsshouldbeconstructedtoreducethe
untiedheightofthecolumnstoamaximumof10feet,asshown.Onmoregentlyslopingsites,asatisfactory
suspendedslabmaybeachievedthroughtheuseoflooselycompactedgranularfillaspermanentformwork.

FigureA7:HipRoofConstruction

FigureA8:GableRoofConstruction

FigureA9:Rafter/RingBeamConnection

FigureA10:WallPlateConnectionandHurricaneStraps'Details
Experienceandresearchhaveshownthatflatroofsarevulnerabletohighwinds.Inanefforttoreducethe
upliftingwindforcesontheroof,theroofpitchshouldbenotlessthan25to30degrees.Hiproofsshouldbeused,
sincethisshapeofroofhasbeenfoundtobemorehurricaneresistantthanthegableofroof.Wheregableroofs
areusedtheyshouldbestronglyconstructed.Roofoverhangsalsoexperiencehighlocalpressuresand,where
possible,theseshouldbekepttoaminimumorremovedcompletely.Wherebuildingshaveroofedpatiosor
verandas,theirroofsshouldbeseparatestructuresratherthanextensionsofthemainbuildingroof,sothatthe
patioorverandahroofmaybelostwithoutendangeringthesafetyofthemainroof.Themainroofmustbe
securelyfixedtotheringbeamandridgebeams.Thismaybeachievedbytheuseofhurricanestraps.
Introduction|SectionA(110)|SectionA(1116)|SectionB|SectionC|SectionD|SectionE|SectionF|
SectionG

CDMPhomepage:http://www.oas.org/en/cdmp/

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PageLastUpdated:20April2001