USG Knows Seismic: Behind the Scenes at Berkeley
We can’t stop earthquakes; all we can do is prepare for them.As a leader in seismic systems, USG goes above and beyond the minimum requirements because testing a ceiling system for its performance in seismic zones is imperative as a building materials manufacturer.
Not only does this help prepare for the seismic activity of today, but it also gives insight to help prepare for the future, ensuring that building occupants are safe and confident that USG ceiling systems will remain secure.
Test systems are installed on a 20’x20’ shake-table to effectively simulate the activity during an earthquake and ensure that USG systems remain in place over the course of a seismic event. The frame of the shake table has been designed to increase rigidity and limit additional motion for the most accurate test results.
Capturing the motion of the table translates to more accurate reporting and effectively illustrates the ICC’s AC156 requirements (Seismic Certification by Shake-Table Testing of Nonstructural Components).
When you specify a suspended ceiling from USG, you can rest assured that we’ve put it to the test to ensure that your spaces are safe and secure.
Testing
In order to get the most accurate data, USG goes beyond the minimum and tests to failure at the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center in Berkeley, CA.Not only does this help prepare for the seismic activity of today, but it also gives insight to help prepare for the future, ensuring that building occupants are safe and confident that USG ceiling systems will remain secure.
Test systems are installed on a 20’x20’ shake-table to effectively simulate the activity during an earthquake and ensure that USG systems remain in place over the course of a seismic event. The frame of the shake table has been designed to increase rigidity and limit additional motion for the most accurate test results.
Capturing the motion of the table translates to more accurate reporting and effectively illustrates the ICC’s AC156 requirements (Seismic Certification by Shake-Table Testing of Nonstructural Components).
When you specify a suspended ceiling from USG, you can rest assured that we’ve put it to the test to ensure that your spaces are safe and secure.
Installation
Seismic ceiling installation is a very stringent process and is much more involved than a traditional installation for acoustic grid.
There are additional requirements over non-seismic installations, including vertical and lateral bracing, both of which are needed to create a “restrained ceiling.” This lateral‑force bracing must be installed at specific intervals to limit the movement of the ceiling within the building’s structural envelope. USG also provides seismic clips, which limit movement at the perimeter and prevent the ceiling from falling down.
This is where USG’s support goes beyond testing and reporting. Our contractor representatives are always fielding questions from and interacting with our contractors and dealer customers and will often make trips to a jobsite to provide fine-tuned technical support. This ranges from insight on the number of screws to ideal locations for hanger wire.
By providing some of the most instructive and technically informative installation tech guides in the industry, USG can distill many different types of complex seismic installations to create clear, code-compliant solutions to assist where it matters most: the built environment.
Reporting
Due to its many parts, testing a suspended ceiling is difficult to evaluate, but necessary to provide the most accurate results.
The system will be reviewed exhaustively at every level throughout testing, with data for every facet of the system: every screw, every nut, every clip, every connection. This level of testing translates to the field, where contractors can gain insight into exactly what can keep the system compliant with building codes and seismic requirements.
USG creates a range of reports based on these test results to ensure we meet the highest safety standards and the highest required criteria. Seismic testing validates the engineering reports needed in California and in seismic zones across the country.
USG offers ESR, OPM, or engineering reports to our customers to give them additional confidence when specifying our products. Whether it's bidding on a hospital or a school project, USG already has these reports and data ready and available on our website for easy access.
"In my view, USG is leading the industry, and it’s good to be part of something big."
Dr. Shakhzod Takhirov
Director, Structures Lab, UC BerkeleyThe USG Solution
Seismic design and research at USG follow the guiding tenet of life safety above all else.This is why we provide the most relevant seismic details, approved for ICC-ES (International Code Compliance–Engineering Service) seismic design and installations, and extensively test our products to ensure they meet seismic code requirements set by IBC (International Building Code), CBC (California Building Code), ASCE-7, and ASTM.Learn more about USG’s Seismic Resources here.
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