U.S. Seismic Design Maps

Due to insufficient resources and the recent development of similar web tools by third parties, this spring the USGS will be streamlining the two U.S. Seismic Design Maps web applications, including the one described below. Whereas the current applications each interact with users through a graphical user interface (GUI), the new web services will receive the inputs (e.g. latitude and longitude) in the form of a web address and return the outputs (e.g. SDS and SD1) in text form, without supplementary graphics. Though designed primarily to be read by the aforementioned third-party web GUIs, the text outputs are also human-readable. To preview the new web services, please click here. Step-by-step instructions for using one of these web services, namely that for the recently published 2016 ASCE 7 Standard, are posted here.


Purpose: Retrieve seismic design parameter values for the design of buildings and bridges at sites in the U.S. and its Territories
Input:

Building code reference document:

  • 2012/09/06 International Building Code
  • 2010/05 ASCE/SEI 7 Standard
  • 2009/03 NEHRP Recommended Provisions
  • 2009 AASHTO Guide Specifications for LRFD Seismic Bridge Design

Site address, or latitude and longitude
Soil classification (for example, Site Class C for "very dense soil and soft rock"; not available from the USGS)

Note, the application can batch-process multiple sites.

Output:

Summary Report: mapped location; and design values and response spectra from the building code reference document
Detailed Report: the calculations underlying the design values, including any associated maps, tables, and equations

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