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About the Earthquake Readiness Advisory Committee (ERAC) Report

University of Washington, 1991

In May 1991 the Executive Vice President of the University of Washington appointed an ad hoc Earthquake Readiness Advisory Committee with the following charge:

To develop recommendations and a plan of action for upgrading the University's major capital facilities so that they can withstand a major earthquake and provide for the safety of building occupants.

The ERAC Committee was chaired by Professor Colin Brown of the UW Department of Civil Engineering and included other faculty from that department as well as from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the College of Architecture and Urban Planning. University experts from the Facility Management Office and Environmental Health & Safety were also on the Committee. In addition to the expertise provided by the Committee members, the Committee was assisted by a consulting engineer well-known in the areas of structural analysis and design.

The ERAC Committee submitted their report on October 31, 1991. The study examined 166 campus buildings and ranked them in two ways: (1)The amount of damage they would likely incur in a major earthquake, and (2) The potential loss of life associated with the failure of these structures. Examination of the buildings included the condition of soils, the buildings' seismic force resisting systems, the buildings' structural details, their age, occupancy and potential importance (in providing patient care or emergency services, for instance) in a major emergency such as an earthquake.

The study found that 14 campus structures have both a high potential for seismic damage and also present a high "life safety hazard potential." These structures are (in alphabetical order): Architecture Hall, Art Building, Denny Hall, Edmundson Pavilion, Gowen Hall, Guggenheim Hall, Hansee Hall, Johnson Hall, Miller Hall, Music Building, Parrington Hall, Savery Hall, Smith Hall, and Suzzallo Library. The study recommended hiring structural consultants for a detailed examination and structural review of each building in order to develop retrofit designs.

A full copy of the ERAC Report is located at the Architecture and Urban Planning Library at the University of Washington, under the call number TH1095.U58 1991.