CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Seismic Design Category (SDC) is a structure classification, which ranges from

“A –F.” The criteria needed for the SDC is the areas’ location, building use and the type

of soil in the area. The severity of the earthquake ground motion and its occupancy

category will aide in determining the SDC of a certain area. It helps give information to

site engineers as to what type of structure they will build in a certain area.

In Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental, there is still no data about the

SDC for the whole boundary of the said barangay. The barangay is known to be soon

one of the busiest part of Cagayan de Oro, since it is one of the booming barangays in

the whole city. The researchers planned to analyze the SDC of the whole boundary of

the barangay, to help people construct their proposed structures in the perfect area and

to lessen the structural analysis of civil engineers.

The research paper presents a promising solution for the determination of the

SDC by the use of PLAXIS and QGIS softwares

1.2 Statement of the Problem

This study will be conducted to determine the seismic design category in

Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City. It seeks to answer the following questions:

1. What are the occupancy categories of a building according to International

Building Code (IBC)?

2. What is the spectral response acceleration of a certain site class in Kauswagan,

Cagayan de Oro City?

3. What are the seismic design categories of different areas according to their soil

properties in Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City?

1.3 Objectives of the Study

This study focuses on categorizing the seismic design of specific areas in

Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro which will allow us to determine the possible buildings

that can be constructed on these specific areas.

Specifically, it aims to:

1. To know the occupancy categories of a building according to IBC.

2. To determine the spectral response acceleration of a certain site class in

Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City.

 3. To find out the seismic design category of different areas according to their soil

properties in Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City.

1.4 Significance of the Study

This study seeks to find out the seismic design categories in every area of

Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City. The datas that will be gathered in this study will help

some people in the society. Many people will benefit in this study considering that soil is

the main foundation of every structure. As well as, earthquake or seismic activities are

unpredictable. Furthermore, the study could be significant to the following:

Future Researchers. The datas and ideas gathered in this study may be used in

conducting new researches related to seismic activity studies and other different

studies. This will also act as their source book that will give them overviews,

backgrounds, and insights about seismic design categories.

Developers. The findings of this study will give hint to future developers of

Kauswagan on what type of building according to occupancy category they are going to

construct in the area. This will also help them on what to develop in a certain area.

Designers. This is also a big help to future designers like engineers and architects

on the design that they are going to make in terms of the structures’ resistance to

seismic activities for their clients in the future.

1.5 Scope and Limitation

The scope of the study focuses on determining the seismic design categories in the

areas within the boundaries of Kauswagan, as well as the buildings that can be

constructed in Kauswagan with respect to the building occupancy categories. The study

independently relies on the various soil analysis data being collected from the

government and private sectors inside the city. Data analysis were based on American

Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), International Building Code (IBC) 2000, Philippine

Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) and Department of Public Works

and Highways (DPWH). However, the researchers will not perform any significant tests

in the area. The part of the area that is within the river is not included in this study.

1.6 Conceptual Framework

1.7 Definition of terms

Spectral Design Category (SDC) - is a classification assigned to a structure based on

its occupancy category, and the severity of the design earthquake ground motion. The

category assignment can range from A-F

Earthquake – is the shaking of the surface of the Earth, resulting from the sudden

release of energy in the Earth’s lithosphere that creates seismic waves.

Seismic – pertaining to, of the nature of, or caused by an earthquake or vibration of the

Earth, whether due to natural or artificial causes.

Seismic Wave – are waves of energy that travel through the Earth’s layer, and is a

result and are a result of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, magma movement,

large landslides and large man-made explosions that give out low-frequency acoustic

energy.

Magnitude - is a number that characterizes the relative size of an earthquake.

Magnitude is based on measurement of the maximum motion recorded by

a seismograph.

Intensity - is a number (written as a Roman numeral) describing the severity of an

earthquake in terms of its effects on the earth's surface and on humans and their

structures.

Spectral Acceleration - is approximately what is experienced by a building, as

modeled by a particle on a massless vertical rod having the same natural period of

vibration as the building.

PLAXIS - is program that has been developed specifically for the analysis of

deformation, stability and flow in geotechnical engineering.

QGIS(Quantum Geographic Information System) - is a free and open-source cross-

platform desktop geographic information system (GIS) application that supports viewing,

editing, and analysis of geospatial data

 SAMPLE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

INPUT METHOD OUTPUT

Criteria for
Seismic Design
Categorization
1. Location QGIS

2. Building Use
3. Soil Type in
Area