Mount Pleasant Magazine Jan/Feb 2018

212 www.MPMcalendar.com | www.BestOfMP.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com feature and engineers to adhere to specific rules, building as if the Lowcountry is located on the San Andreas Fault in California. Sam Herin, architect at Stubbs, Muldrow, Herin architects in Mount Pleasant, said just about every component of a building is affected by seismic design, with many possibilities considered during the design process. “It begins with the type of soils on which the building is constructed and how they might behave during an earthquake,” he explained. “The data informs our engineers on how to design the foundations and determine what type of ground improvements or reinforced foundations need to be used.” Engineers must then design a structure to withstand various types of forces imposed on a building by an earthquake. “As architects, we work with engineers and product manufacturers in the selection and detailing of each component of the building to verify they can be adequately attached to the structure,” Herin said. “In an earthquake event, we don’t want these components to break away and injure someone.” Components include exterior wall systems, window attachments, ceiling systems, mechanical equipment and light fixtures. “Even tall furniture must be secured to a wall,” he added. Codes are only as strict as necessary for any given region. Geological maps showing seismic forces expected A geological map of expected seismic forces throughout the United States.