Saturday, September 20, 2008

The Field Act and Related Legislation & Comparison of the Field Act and Uniform Building Code

Compiled by Alan Williams, courtesy of the Coalition for Adequate School Housing from  The Field Act: History and Issues for California Schools by Daniel Barclay

TABLE 1

The Field Act and Related Legislation

Year

Legislation

Effect

1933

Field Act

Sets seismic safety standards for new public school buildings.

1939

Garrison Act

Required overhaul of existing, unsafe public school buildings.

1967

First Greene Act

Set deadline for inspecting pre-Field Act public school buildings.

1968

Second Greene Act

Set deadline for upgrading pre-Field Act public school buildings.

1972

School Building Sites Act

Requires school districts to consider seismicity in selecting school sites.

1972

Seismic Safety Element Act

Requires city and county general plans to include a seismic safety element.

1972

Alquist-Priolo Act

Prohibits the construction of new buildings across known active earthquake faults.

1973

Hospital Seismic Safety Act

Sets seismic safety standards for new hospitals.

1977

Earthquake Hazard Reduction Act

Set broad goals for reducing earthquake hazards. (Federal legislation)

1985

Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act

Required the California Seismic Safety Commission to develop a statewide plan to reduce earthquake hazards.

1986

Essential Services Building Act

Sets seismic safety standards for critical facilities.

1990

California Seismic Hazards Mapping Act

Requires the design and use of seismic hazard maps in general plans.

1990

Private Schools Act

Extends the Field Act to new private schools.

1992

Charter Schools Act

Makes Field Act provisions optional for charter schools.

TABLE 2

Comparison of the Field Act and Uniform Building Code

Attribute

Field Act

Uniform Building Code

Load factor design for steelwork

Not allowed

Allowed

Aspect ratio of plywood diaphragms

3 : 1

4 : 1

Aspect ratio of plywood shear walls

2 : 1

3.5 : 1

Shear resistance of gypsum board

Not allowed

Allowed

Empirical masonry design

Not allowed

Allowed

Repetitive design of wood member

Not allowed

Allowed

Engineering geologic reports

Required

Optional

Force factor for wall anchors

1.2

0.75

Minimum size of framing member for highly loaded shear walls and diaphragms

3 x

2 x

Full time general inspector

Required

Not required

Continuous special inspector of prestressed concrete

Required

Not required

Continuous inspector of glued laminated timber

Required

Not required

Continuous inspection of manufactured wood trusses

Required

Not required

Inspection of steel shop fabricated member

Required

Not required

Continuous special inspection of masonry

Required

Optional

Maximum height of masonry grout pour

4 feet

6 feet

Frequency of concrete testing

50 cubic yards

150 cubic yards

Testing of prestressing tendons

Required

Optional

Testing of reinforcement

Required

Optional

Steel deck diaphragm thickness

20 gage minimum

No minimum

Masonry core testing

Required

Not required

Masonry, grout, and mortar testing

Required

Optional

Ceiling and lighting fixtures bracing

Required

Not required

Anchorage of cabinets 5 feet or higher

Required

Not required

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