Detailed structural evaluations were performed on multiple K-12 schools after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake.
Aftershock after Aftershock
Many aftershocks occurred which required multiple site visits to re-evaluate damages.
A Lesson on Earthquakes. In November of 2018, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake occurred near Anchorage, Alaska. The powerful earthquake prompted the Anchorage School District (ASD) to evaluate the structural safety of all its buildings. It was important to do this quickly, as these schools were not safe to enter until an engineer had evaluated them. Reid Middleton provided detailed structural (ATC-20) evaluations for all of the District’s facilities. Coordinating closely with the District, Reid Middleton partnered engineers one-on-one with ASD staff and started the systematic detailed structural evaluations the day of the earthquake. Using this teamwork, Reid Middleton and the District were able to accomplish the structural evaluations of all 91 facilities within seven weeks. Reid Middleton assembled photos and reports for each facility, and provided a GREEN, YELLOW or RED tag to clearly communicate the current school condition. Where required, we worked with the contractor to erect shoring to stabilize broken walls. Additionally, hundreds of aftershocks occurred, which prompted Reid Middleton to provide multiple site visits to facilities to re-evaluate the damage. After immediate repairs were completed, all but two facilities were able to reopen and resume their daily operations.
