GENERAL

11.1.1 Purpose. Chapter 11 presents criteria for the design and construction of buildings and other structures subject to earthquake ground motions. The specified earthquake loads are based upon post-elastic energy dissipation in the structure, and because of this fact, the requirements for design, detailing, and construction shall be satisfied even for structures and members for which load combinations that do not contain earthquake loads indicate larger demands than combinations that include earthquake loads. Minimum requirements for quality assurance for seismic force-resisting systems are set forth in Appendix 11A.

11.1.2 Scope. Every structure, and portion thereof, including nonstructural components, shall be designed and constructed to resist the effects of earthquake motions as prescribed by the seismic requirements of this standard. Certain non building structures, as described in Chapter 15, are also within the scope and shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 15. Requirements concerning alterations, additions, and change of use are set forth in Appendix 11B. Existing structures and alterations to existing structures need only comply with the seismic requirements of this standard where required by Appendix 11 B. The following structures are exempt from this seismic requirements of this standard:

1. Detached one- and two-family dwellings that arc located where the mapped, short period, spectral response acceleration parameter, Ss, is less than 0.4 or where the Seismic Design Category determined in accordance with Section 11.6 is A, B, or C.
2. Detached one- and two-family wood-frame dwellings not included in Exception 1 with not more than two stories, satisfying the limitations of and constructed in accordance
with the IRC.
3. Agricultural storage structures that are intended only for incidental human occupancy.
4. Structures that require special consideration of their response characteristics and environment that are not addressed in Chapter 15 and for which other regulations provide seismic criteria, such as vehicular bridges, electrical transmission towers, hydraulic structures, buried utility lines and their appurtenances, and nuclear reactors.

11.1.3 Applicability. Structures and their nonstructural components shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the requirement of the following sections based on the type of structure or component:

a. Buildings: Chapter 12
b. Non-building Structures: Chapter 15
c. Nonstructural Components: Chapter 13
d. Seismically Isolated Structures: Chapter 17
e. Structures with Damping Systems: Chapter 18

11.1.4 Alternate Materials and Methods of Construction. Alternate materials and methods of construction to those prescribed in the seismic requirements of this standard shall not be used unless approved by the authority having jurisdiction. Substantiating evidence shall be submitted demonstrating that the proposed alternate, for the purpose intended, will be at least equal in strength, durability, and seismic resistance.