Assessment of the National Institute of Building Sciences 1997 Edition NEHRP Recommended Provisions for the New Madrid Seismic Zone:
An Alternative View
Joseph Tomasello, P.E.; Seth Stein, Ph.D.; William T. Gavin, P.E.; David N. Fanning, P.E.

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Authorities in Memphis and Shelby County Tennessee area may soon consider adopting
a new building code addressing earthquake hazards by requiring a radical increase
to the structural integrity of new buildings to levels as high as those in
California’s high seismic areas. Adoption of the IBC 2000, which is essentially
a copy of the NEHRP 97 seismic safety provisions, will result in building costs
increasing by 10-35% without comparable benefits in public safety. We recommend
an alternative and less expensive strategy because large earthquakes in the
New Madrid Seismic Zone are far less common than in California.
Email comments to: Joseph Tomasello or Seth Stein