The seismic upgrades made staff able to service Alaska Airlines’ fleet after earthquakes.
A Work of Friction
Friction dampers absorb earthquake energy during a seismic event… so really, it’s non-friction.
Engineering for an Engineering Building. Alaska Airlines takes care of its planes so its passengers are safe and comfortable. The Maintenance & Engineering facility at Sea-Tac Airport is critical to servicing and maintaining Alaska Airlines’ fleet of aircraft, the building needed a seismic retrofit to meet Immediate Occupancy Performance using ASCE 41-06 criteria. Reid Middleton’s seismic design included installing 56 friction dampers in braced frames throughout the building. In addition to adding friction dampers the project also included column strengthening, foundation improvements, and non-structural upgrades. Through the use of phasing and efficient design, the building remained occupied and operational during the implementation of the structural upgrades for this project.
