SAC Steel Project Database

The SAC Joint Venture was formed in mid-1994 with the specific goal of investigating the damage to welded steel moment frame buildings in the 1994 Northridge earthquake and developing repair techniques and new design approaches to minimize damage to steel moment frame buildings in future earthquakes. From the outset, it was recognized that an interdisciplinary approach to the solution was required, involving practicing structural engineers, engineering researchers, and building officials and other representatives of regulatory agencies. The directors of the three Joint Venture partners - the Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC), the Applied Technology Council (ATC), and Consortium of Universities for Research in Earthquake Engineering (CUREE)- realized that their diverse memberships were uniquely qualified in this regard, and the SAC Joint Venture was formed. With funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the California Office of Emergency Services (OES), SAC initially embarked on a 2-year problem-focused research program to develop interim solutions for the identification, evaluation, repair, and modification of damaged welded steel moment frame buildings. Effort was also devoted to new design and construction approaches. Numerous other technical reports and guidelines have been produced. The project concluded in 2000.