Seismic Improvements
Thousands of buildings and structures throughout the West are unprepared to handle the impact of a large earthquake. With our proximity to the Cascadia fault zone, Ward-Henshaw actively manages seismic improvements for industrial, municipal, and private clients, so they can prepare for what many seismologists say is inevitable.
Providing large-scale seismic improvements and upgrades
Older structures, especially those that provide vital services, clean drinking water, health care, and education, can be modernized and retrofitted ahead of a seismic event—often at a fraction of what it costs to repair or rebuild after an earthquake.
Our seismic improvements help strengthen buildings and increase their global capacity. Based on the needs of a building or site, projects may call for solutions such as:
- Adding cross braces
- Adding new structural walls
- Increasing the capacity of structural elements
- Allowing sliding connections (such as bridges, passages, etc.) which can allow for additional movement between independent structures
As with all of our services, we partner with officials, engineers, communities, and other stakeholders in order to solve seismic improvement needs.