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Trimble > Case Studies > California Hospitals Seismic Safety Laws: Instrumentation of the New San Francisco General Hospital

California Hospitals Seismic Safety Laws: Instrumentation of the New San Francisco General Hospital

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Customer Company Size
Large Corporate
Region
  • America
Country
  • United States
Product
  • Trimble REF TEK Model 130-MC/12A Multi-Channel Accelerographs
  • Trimble REF TEK Model 131B01/1 Accelerometer, Uniaxial, 4G
  • Trimble REF TEK 130-SMA Accelerograph
Tech Stack
  • Seismic Instrumentation
  • Accelerographs
  • Accelerometers
Implementation Scale
  • Enterprise-wide Deployment
Technology Category
  • Sensors - Accelerometers
Applicable Industries
  • Healthcare & Hospitals
  • Construction & Infrastructure
Applicable Functions
  • Facility Management
Use Cases
  • Structural Health Monitoring
Services
  • System Integration
  • Testing & Certification
About The Customer
The San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center (SFGH) is a major healthcare facility in California, treating over 100,000 patients annually. It is a critical component of the state's healthcare infrastructure, providing essential medical services to the community. The hospital is undergoing a significant rebuild to replace its existing main building with a new facility that meets California's stringent seismic safety requirements for acute care facilities. The new hospital building is designed to be the most seismically resistant in the world, featuring advanced technology to ensure it remains operational even after a significant earthquake. This includes a steel-framed structure with 115 base isolators that allow the building to slide 30 inches in any direction during an earthquake, minimizing movement and potential damage. The hospital's commitment to seismic safety is part of a broader effort to ensure that critical healthcare services remain available in the aftermath of a major seismic event, reflecting the importance of resilience in healthcare infrastructure.
The Challenge
California is the most seismically active state in the USA, having experienced numerous catastrophic earthquakes, including the devastating 1906 San Francisco quake. In response to these seismic threats, California has implemented stringent building codes, particularly for critical infrastructure like hospitals, to ensure they remain operational after major earthquakes. The Alfred E Alquist Seismic Safety Act of 1983 mandates that acute care hospitals built after March 1973 must withstand major earthquakes and remain functional immediately afterward. The 1994 Northridge earthquake highlighted the poor performance of pre-1973 hospital buildings, prompting a program of retrofits and rebuilds to ensure compliance with seismic safety standards. The California Strong Motion Instrumentation Program (CSMIP) was established to record ground and structural shaking during earthquakes, aiding in emergency response and improving building codes. However, at the time of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, no hospitals were instrumented, underscoring the need for enhanced seismic monitoring in healthcare facilities.
The Solution
To address the seismic safety requirements for the new San Francisco General Hospital, Trimble was contracted to supply its REF TEK strong motion seismic instrumentation. This includes the installation of Trimble REF TEK Model 130-MC/12A Multi-Channel Accelerographs, Model 131B01/1 Uniaxial Accelerometers, and 130-SMA Accelerographs. These instruments are strategically placed throughout the hospital, with accelerometers on every floor and additional units at a reference ground station outside the building. The accelerographs measure the vertical and horizontal response of the building and surrounding soil during an earthquake, providing critical data on acceleration, velocity, and displacement. This data is transmitted to CSMIP's central computers for processing and dissemination to relevant stakeholders, including seismologists, engineers, and emergency response personnel. The use of Trimble's REF TEK equipment ensures that the hospital's seismic monitoring capabilities are state-of-the-art, providing real-time data to support emergency response and future building code improvements. The integration of this technology into the hospital's infrastructure is part of a larger effort to enhance the seismic resilience of healthcare facilities across California.
Operational Impact
  • The new hospital building is designed to remain operational after a significant seismic event, ensuring continuous healthcare services.
  • The integration of advanced seismic instrumentation enhances the hospital's ability to withstand earthquakes, improving safety for patients and staff.
  • The data collected from the seismic instruments supports emergency response efforts and informs future building code improvements.
  • The hospital's seismic monitoring capabilities are part of a broader program to enhance the resilience of healthcare infrastructure in California.
  • The use of Trimble's REF TEK equipment ensures state-of-the-art seismic monitoring, providing real-time data to relevant stakeholders.
Quantitative Benefit
  • The new San Francisco General Hospital building is 9 stories high, covering 448,000 square feet.
  • The hospital features 115 base isolators that can slide 30 inches in any direction during an earthquake.
  • Approximately 50 hospitals in California are now instrumented with seismic monitoring equipment.

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