Keywords: Seismic performance. Hospitals. Health care facilities. Piping subassemblies. California. Welded connections. Threaded connections. Seismic bracing. Story drifts. Damage. Leaks.
Abstract: Two piping subassemblies with identical geometries were tested in the Large Scale Structures Laboratory at the University of Nevada, Reno. The experimental piping subassembly was modeled after a typical subassembly in a California hospital. The two subassemblies differed only by their connection details. One subassembly had welded connections; the other had threaded connections. Both subassemblies were then tested with and without seismic bracing. The braced welded subassembly was subjected to story drifts up to 4.34% with no damage; the braced threaded subassembly began to leak at 2.17% and failed at 4.34%. The unbraced welded subassembly was subjected to story drifts up to 4.34% with no damage. The unbraced threaded subassembly began to leak at 1.08% story drift. The welded piping subassemblies exceeded the 1997 UBC requirements on drift. The threaded piping systems do not meet the 1997 UBC requirement on drift without sustaining damage.