
VA San Diego Building 1 Seismic Correction
Four things contributed to the structural integrity of the retrofit: installation of new foundations and exterior stair towers with an integrated braced-frame system; seismic upgrade of utilities entering the building; core strengthening of the Penthouse structure to the surrounding building; and Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) applied in structurally weak locations.
The seismic retrofit of the VA San Diego Hospital also included abatement, demolition, and the removal, and replacement of eight existing stair towers. Existing metal panels were removed and reinstalled to accommodate for the steel tie-in work. The braced frames provide seismic strengthening through continuous slab edge connections.
The renovation and seismic rehabilitation was completed in phases, allowing installation of new structural braced frames in the midst of a fully-functional medical facility. The project was delivered four months ahead of schedule, had zero lost time incidents, and was awarded the Partnering Award by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.