NOTE: This guide specification covers the requirements for seismic protection of electrical equipment, conduit, and exterior utilities. This guide specification will be used in conjunction with Section 13080 SEISMIC PROTECTION FOR MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT.

Comments and suggestions on this guide specification are welcome and should be directed to the technical proponent of the specification. A listing of technical proponents, including their organization designation and telephone number, is on the Internet.

Recommended changes to a UFGS should be submitted as a Criteria Change Request (CCR).

Use of electronic communication is encouraged.

Brackets are used in the text to indicate designer choices or locations where text must be supplied by the designer.

NOTE: The intent of this specification is to provide for adequate resistance to lateral forces induced by earthquakes for electrical equipment and systems described herein. The design seismic lateral forces are in addition to the "normal" gravity forces (weight) acting on the components of a system.

Equipment in the following seismic design categories do not require protection from seismic events (refer to Chapter 4 of TI 809-04 for definition of categories A through F; note that Chapter 10 of TI 809-04 uses the word "components" instead of "equipment").

a. Equipment in Seismic Design Categories A and B.

b. Equipment in Seismic Design Category C when the importance factor is equal to 1.0.

c. Equipment in Seismic Design Categories D, E, and F that are mounted at 1.2 m (4 feet) or less above a floor level and weigh 1780 N (400 lbs) or less and are not critical to the continued operation of the structure.

d. Equipment in Seismic Design Categories C, D, E, and F weighing 95 N (20 lbs) or less or distribution systems weighing 7 N/m (5 lb/ft) or less.

This section can be used for bracing details of medical equipment by editing the specification accordingly.

NOTE: This paragraph is used to list the publications cited in the text of the guide specification. The publications are referred to in the text by basic designation only and listed in this paragraph by organization, designation, date, and title.

Use the Reference Wizard's Check Reference feature when you add a RID outside of the Section's Reference Article to automatically place the reference in the Reference Article. Also use the Reference Wizard's Check Reference feature to update the issue dates.

References not used in the text will automatically be deleted from this section of the project specification when you choose to reconcile references in the publish print process.

NOTE: Review submittal description (SD) definitions in Section 01330 SUBMITTAL PROCEDURES and edit the following list to reflect only the submittals required for the project. Submittals should be kept to the minimum required for adequate quality control.

A “G” following a submittal item indicates that the submittal requires Government approval. Some submittals are already marked with a “G”. Only delete an existing “G” if the submittal item is not complex and can be reviewed through the Contractor’s Quality Control system. Only add a “G” if the submittal is sufficiently important or complex in context of the project.

For submittals requiring Government approval on Army projects, a code of up to three characters within the submittal tags may be used following the "G" designation to indicate the approving authority. Codes for Army projects using the Resident Management System (RMS) are: "AE" for Architect-Engineer; "DO" for District Office (Engineering Division or other organization in the District Office); "AO" for Area Office; "RO" for Resident Office; and "PO" for Project Office. Codes following the "G" typically are not used for Navy, Air Force, and NASA projects.

Choose the first bracketed item for Navy, Air Force and NASA projects, or choose the second bracketed item for Army projects.

NOTE: Designer should verify that specified details do not interfere with the performance of the cathodic protection system (when used) or of the vibration isolation systems.

For systems and equipment in buildings that have a performance objective higher than life-safety, the designer should show a "GA" classification for the items under SD-02 Shop Drawings in the SUBMITTALS paragraph. The Engineer of Record (EOR) should review the details of these essential systems and assess their impact on the structural supporting system of the essential building.

NOTE: The designer must ensure that the list below includes all electrical items to be braced. Delete the items which are not part of the project and add items which are not included in the list.

For equipment and systems in buildings with a performance objective greater than life-safety, the designer should provide two separate lists of equipment and systems: 1) Items that are essential to the higher level of post-earthquake performance, and 2) Items that are not essential but are necessary to provide a life-safety level of earthquake protection.

NOTE: The designer must list below all electrical systems which are to be installed or modified.

NOTE: Retain this paragraph when the Contractor will design the bracing. The designer will refer and/or modify the listings above or will list below the equipment and systems to receive seismic bracing. Delete this paragraph when all bracing details and locations are indicated on the drawings.

NOTE: Retain only those items found in the project for this list of conduits that do not require seismic restraints. For facilities designated as critical, hazardous, or essential, delete or make exceptions for conduits which will require seismic restraint.

NOTE: Seismic control does not guarantee that the equipment itself is rugged enough to survive earthquake shaking. When a piece of equipment is required to remain operational after an earthquake, the manufacturer should be consulted regarding the capabilities of the equipment to withstand seismic loading.

NOTE: Rigidly mounted equipment is defined as having a period of vibration of 0.06 seconds or less for the equipment plus its mounting. Equipment with a fundamental period greater than 0.06 seconds should be assumed to be flexibly mounted or nonrigid and designed in accordance with the next paragraph below.

List items that may require additional reinforcements (internally) to prevent permanent deformation, dislocations, separation of components, or other damage, which would render the equipment inoperative for significant periods of time following a seismic event and to meet the specified requirements (such as engine-driven generators, etc., which consist of a number of individual components built into an assembly by the manufacturers). For emergency generators include auxiliary items required for the generator to operate, such as battery racks and day tanks.

NOTE: The appropriate lateral force coefficient, based on the guidelines in Section 13080 SEISMIC PROTECTION FOR MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT for nonrigid or flexibly-mounted equipment, should be calculated and inserted in the second bracketed blank space.

NOTE: Appropriate materials for structural supports must be used in corrosive environments. Dissimilar metals must be isolated.