[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 33, Volume 3]

[Revised as of July 1, 2006]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 33CFR222.4]



[Page 221-223]

 

                TITLE 33--NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS

 

 CHAPTER II--CORPS OF ENGINEERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY, DEPARTMENT OF 

                                 DEFENSE

 

PART 222_ENGINEERING AND DESIGN--Table of Contents

 

Sec.  222.4  Reporting earthquake effects.



    (a) Purpose. This regulation states policy, defines objectives, 

assigns functions, and establishes procedures for assuring the 

structural integrity and operational adequacy of major Civil Works 

structures following the occurrence of significant earthquakes. It 

primarily concerns damage surveys following the occurrences of 

earthquakes.

    (b) Applicability. This regulation is applicable to all field 

operating agencies having Civil Works responsibilities.

    (c) References. (1) ER 1110-2-100 (Sec.  222.2).

    (2) ER 1110-2-1806.

    (3) ER 1110-2-8150.

    (4) ER 1130-2-419.

    (5) State-of-the-Art for Assessing Earthquake Hazards in the United 

States--WES Miscellaneous Papers S-73-1--Reports 1 thru 14. Available 

from U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station, P.O. Box 631, 

Vicksburg, Mississippi 39180.

    (d) Policy. Civil Works structures which could be caused to fail or 

partially fail by an earthquake and whose failure or partial failure 

would endanger the lives of the public and/or cause substantial property 

damage, will be evaluated following potentially damaging earthquakes to 

insure their continued structural stability, safety and operational 

adequacy. These structures include dams, navigation locks, powerhouses, 

and appurtenant structures, (intakes, outlet works, buildings, tunnels, 

paved spillways) which are operated by the Corps of Engineers and for 

which the Corps is fully responsible. Also included are major levees, 

floodwalls, and similar facilities designed and constructed by the Corps 

of Engineers and for whose structural safety and stability the Corps has 

a public obligation to be aware of although not responsible for their 

maintenance and operation. The evaluation of these structures will be 

based upon post-earthquake inspections which will be conducted to detect 

conditions of significant structural distress and to provide a basis for 

timely initiation of restorative and remedial measures.

    (e) Post-earthquake inspections and evaluation surveys--(1) 

Limitations of present knowledge. The design of structures for 

earthquake loading is limited by the infrequent opportunity to compare 

actual performance with the design. Damage which would affect the 

function of the project is unlikely if peak accelerations are below 

0.1g.; but it cannot be assumed that a structure will not be damaged 

from earthquake loadings below that for which it was designed. 

Furthermore, earthquakes have occurred in several parts of the country 

where significant seismic activity had not been predicted by some 

seismic zoning maps. This indicates the possibility that earthquake 

induced loads may not have been adequately considered in the design of 

older structures.



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    (2) Types of reportable damage. Many types of structural damage can 

be induced by ground motion from earthquakes or from large nuclear 

blasts (which also tend to induce ground vibrations in the more damaging 

lower frequency ranges). Any post-earthquake change in appearance or 

functional capability of a major Civil Works structure should be 

evaluated and reported. Examples are symptoms of induced stresses in 

buildings made evident by cracked plaster, windows or tile, or in 

binding of doors or windows; cracked or shifted bridge pier footings or 

other concrete structures; turbidity or changed static level of water 

wells; cracks in concrete dams or earth embankments; and misalignment of 

hydraulic control structures or gates. Induced dynamic loading on earth 

dams may result in loss of freeboard by settlement, or cause localized 

quick conditions within the embankment sections or earth foundations. 

Also, new seepage paths may be opened up within the foundation or 

through the embankment section. Ground motion induced landslides may 

occur in susceptible areas of the reservoir rim, causing embankment 

overtopping by waves and serious damage. All such unusual conditions 

should be evaluated and reported.

    (f) Inspection and evaluation programs. (1) If the project is 

located in an area where the earthquake causes significant damage 

(Modified Mercalli Intensity VII or greater) to structures in the 

vicinity, the Chief, Engineering Division, should be immediately 

notified and an engineering evaluation and inspection team should be 

sent to the project.

    (2) If the project is located in an area where the earthquake is 

felt but causes no or insignificant damage (Modified Mercalli Intensity 

VI or less) to structures in the vicinity of the project, project 

operations personnel should make an immediate inspection. This 

inspection should determine: (i) Whether there is evidence of earthquake 

damage or disturbance, and (ii) whether seismic instrumentation, where 

present, has been triggered. The Chief, Engineering Division should be 

notified by phone of the results of the inspection. If damage is 

observed, which is considered to threaten the immediate safety or 

operational capability of the project, immediate action should be taken 

as covered in paragraph (f)(1) of this section. For other situations, 

the Chief of Engineering Division will determine the need for and 

urgency for an engineering inspection.

    (3) When an engineering inspection of structures is deemed necessary 

following a significant earthquake, HQDA (DAEN-CWE) WASH DC 20314 will 

be notified of the inspection program as soon as it is established.

    (4) As a general rule, the structures which would be of concern 

following an earthquake are also the structures which are involved in 

the inspection program under ER 1110-2-100. Whenever feasible, 

instrumentation and prototype testing programs undertaken under ER 1110-

2-100 to monitor structural performance and under ER 1110-2-8150 to 

develop design criteria will be utilized in the post-earthquake safety 

evaluation programs. Additional special types of instrumentation will be 

incorporated in selected structures in which it may be desirable to 

measure forces, pressures, loads, stresses, strains, displacements, 

deflections, or other conditions relating to damage and structural 

safety and stability in case of an earthquake.

    (5) Where determined necessary, a detailed, systematic engineering 

inspection will be made of the post-earthquake condition of each 

structure, taking into account its distinctive features. For structures 

which have incurred earthquake damage a formal technical report will be 

prepared in a format similar to inspection reports required under ER 

1110-2-100. (Exempt from requirements control under paragraph 7-2b, AR 

335-15.) The report will include summaries of the instrumentation and 

other observation data for each inspection, for permanent record and 

reference purposes. This report will be used to form a basis for major 

remedial work when required. Where accelerometers or other types of 

strong motion instruments have been installed, readings and 

interpretations from these instruments should also be included in the 

report. The report will contain recommendations for remedial work when 

appropriate, and will be



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transmitted through the Division Engineer for review and to HQDA (DAEN-

CWE) WASH DC 20314 for review and approval. For structures incurring no 

damage a simple statement to this effect will be all that is required in 

the report, unless seismic instrumentation at the project is activated. 

(See paragraph (h)(4) of this section.)

    (g) Training. The dam safety training program covered by paragraph 6 

of ER 1130-2-419 should include post-earthquake inspections and the 

types of damage operations personnel should look for.

    (h) Responsibilities. (1) The Engineering Divisions of the District 

offices will formulate the inspection program, conduct the post-

earthquake inspections, process and analyze the data of instrumental and 

other observations, evaluate the resulting condition of the structures, 

and prepare the inspection reports. The Engineering division is also 

responsible for planning special instrumentation felt necessary in 

selected structures under this program. Engineering Division is 

responsible for providing the training discussed in paragraph (g) of 

this section.

    (2) The Construction Divisions of the District offices will be 

responsible for the installation of the earthquake instrumentation 

devices and for data collection if an earthquake occurs during the 

construction period.

    (3) The Operations Division of the District offices will be 

responsible for the immediate assessment of earthquake damage and 

notifying the Chief, Engineering Division as discussed in paragraphs 

(f)(1) and (2). The Operations Division will also be responsible for 

earthquake data collection after the construction period in accordance 

with the instrumental observation programs, and will assist and 

participate in the post-earthquake inspections.

    (4) The U.S. Geological Survey has the responsibility for servicing 

and collecting all data from strong motion instrumentation at Corps of 

Engineers dam projects following an earthquake occurrence. However, the 

U.S. Army Waterways Experiment Station (WES) is assigned the 

responsibility for analyzing and interpreting these earthquake data. 

Whenever a recordable earthquake record is obtained from seismic 

instrumentation at a Corps project, the Division will send a report of 

all pertinent instrumentation data to the Waterways Experiment Station, 

ATTN: WESGH, P.O. Box 631, Vicksburg, Mississippi 39180. The report on 

each project should include a complete description of the locations and 

types of instruments and a copy of the instrumental records from each of 

the strong motion machines activated. (Exempt from requirements control 

under paragraph 7-2v, AR 335-15).

    (5) The Engineering Divisions of the Division offices will select 

structures for special instrumentation for earthquake effects, and will 

review and monitor the data collection, processing, evaluating, and 

inspecting activities. They will also be specifically responsible for 

promptly informing HQDA (DAEN-CWE) WASH DC 20314, when evaluation of the 

condition of the structure or analyses of the instrumentation data 

indicate the stability of a structure is questionable. (Exempt for 

requirements control under paragraph 7-2o, AR 335-15.)

    (6) Division Engineers are responsible for issuing any supplementary 

regulations necessary to adapt the policies and instructions herein to 

the specific conditions within their Division.

    (i) Funding. Funding for the evaluation and inspection program will 

be under the Appropriation 96X3123, Operations and Maintenance, General. 

Funds required for the inspections, including Travel and Per Diem costs 

incurred by personnel of the Division office or the Office, Chief of 

Engineers, will be from allocations made to the various projects for the 

fiscal year in which the inspection occurs.



[44 FR 43469, July 25, 1979. Redesignated at 60 FR 19851, Apr. 21, 1995]