Valid Through January 2003

FM Global
Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets

1-2
February 1987
Revised September 2001
Page 1 of 64

EARTHQUAKES

Table of Contents
Page
1.0 SCOPE ................................................................................................................................................... 3
1.1 Changes ............................................................................................................................................ 3
2.0 LOSS PREVENTION RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................................................... 3
2.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 3
2.2 Construction and Location ............................................................................................................. 3
2.2.1 Protecting New Construction From Earthquake Forces ....................................................... 3
2.2.2 Protecting the Building From Earthquake Forces ................................................................. 3
2.3 Occupancy ....................................................................................................................................... 3
2.3.1 Protecting Building Contents from Earthquake Forces ......................................................... 3
2.4 Protection ......................................................................................................................................... 4
2.5 Equipment and Processes .............................................................................................................. 5
2.5.1 Protection From Fire .............................................................................................................. 5
2.6 Operation and Maintenance ............................................................................................................ 5
2.7 Human Element ............................................................................................................................... 5
2.7.1 Earthquake Emergency Organization ................................................................................... 5
3.0 SUPPORT FOR RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................... 5
3.1 General ............................................................................................................................................ 5
4.0 REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................................... 6
4.1 FM Global ........................................................................................................................................ 6
4.2 Others .............................................................................................................................................. 6
APPENDIX A GLOSSARY OF TERMS ....................................................................................................... 6
APPENDIX B DOCUMENT REVISION HISTORY ....................................................................................... 8
APPENDIX C SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION ........................................................................................ 9
C.1 General ........................................................................................................................................... 9
C.2 Faults ............................................................................................................................................... 9
C.3 Seismic Waves .............................................................................................................................. 11
C.4 Ground Motion ............................................................................................................................... 11
C.5 Earthquake Measurement ............................................................................................................. 12
C.5.1 Magnitude ........................................................................................................................... 12
C.5.2 Intensity ............................................................................................................................... 13
C.5.3 Magnitude and Intensity Implications ................................................................................. 13
C.6 Response of Buildings .................................................................................................................. 14
C.6.1 General ............................................................................................................................... 14
C.6.2 Box System ......................................................................................................................... 15
C.6.3 Braced Frame ..................................................................................................................... 15
C.6.4 Ductile Moment-Resisting Space Frame ............................................................................ 15
C.7 Dynamic Analysis .......................................................................................................................... 15
C.8 Response of Soils ......................................................................................................................... 16
C.9 Foundations .................................................................................................................................. 17
C.10 Structures .................................................................................................................................... 18
C.10.1 General ............................................................................................................................. 18
C.10.2 Wood Frame Structures .................................................................................................... 18
C.10.3 Steel Frame Structures ..................................................................................................... 19
C.10.4 Masonry Structures ........................................................................................................... 19
C.10.5 Concrete Structures .......................................................................................................... 20
C.10.6 Other Design Considerations ........................................................................................... 20

2001 Factory Mutual Insurance Company. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of Factory Mutual Insurance Company.

Valid Through January 2003

1-2
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Earthquakes
FM Global Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets

C.10.7 Precast Facades and Other Appurtenances .................................................................... 21

C.11 Recent Technological Developments .......................................................................................... 21
C.12 Seismic Risk And Fault Maps ..................................................................................................... 21
C.13 Seismic Risk Evaluation and Loss Prevention ........................................................................... 22
C.13.1 General ............................................................................................................................. 22
C.13.2 Contents and Occupancy ................................................................................................. 22
C.13.3 Sprinkler Systems ............................................................................................................. 23
C.13.4 Flood Exposure ................................................................................................................. 23
C.13.5 Emergency Action ............................................................................................................. 24
C.14 Maps of Earthquake Zones ........................................................................................................ 24
C.14.1 Scope ................................................................................................................................ 24
C.14.2 General ............................................................................................................................. 24
C.14.3 Earthquake Zone Maps .................................................................................................... 25

List of Figures
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.

1. Types of fault movement. ................................................................................................................. 10

2. Earthquake zones, North America, for engineering purposes. ......................................................... 26
2A. Earthquake zones, United States for engineering purposes. ......................................................... 27
2A. (part 2) Western United States. ...................................................................................................... 28
2A. (part 3) Midwest United States. ...................................................................................................... 29
2A. (part 4) Eastern United States. ....................................................................................................... 30
2A. (part 5) California/Nevada. .............................................................................................................. 31
2B. Earthquake zones, Canada, for engineering purposes. ................................................................. 32
2B. (part 2) Southeast Canada. ............................................................................................................. 33
2B. (part 3) Southwest Canada. ............................................................................................................ 34
2B. (part 4) Northwest Canada. ............................................................................................................. 35
2C. Earthquake zones, Alaska, for engineering purposes. ................................................................... 36
2D. Earthquake zones, Mexico, for engineering purposes. .................................................................. 37
3. Earthquake zones, South America, for engineering purposes. ........................................................ 38
3A. Earthquake zones, Central America, for engineering purposes. ................................................... 39
3B. Earthquake zones, Colombia, for engineering purposes. .............................................................. 40
3C. Earthquake zones, Venezuela, for engineering purposes. ............................................................. 41
4. Earthquake zones, Africa, for engineering purposes. ...................................................................... 42
5. Earthquake zones, Europe, for engineering purposes. .................................................................... 43
5A. Earthquake zones, Eastern Europe, for engineering purposes.. ................................................... 44
5A. (part 2) ............................................................................................................................................. 45
5A. (part 3). ............................................................................................................................................ 46
5B. Earthquake zones, Southwest Germany, for engineering purposes. ............................................. 47
5C. Earthquake zones, Switzerland, for engineering purposes. ........................................................... 48
5D. Earthquake zones, East France, for engineering purposes. .......................................................... 49
5D. (part 2) South France. ..................................................................................................................... 50
5E. Earthquake zones, Spain, for engineering purposes. ................................................................... 51
5F. Earthquake zones, Portugal, for engineering purposes. ................................................................. 52
6. Earthquake zones, Asia, for engineering purposes. ........................................................................ 53
6 (part 2). ............................................................................................................................................... 54
7. Earthquake zones, China, for engineering purposes. ....................................................................... 55
7. (part 2). .............................................................................................................................................. 56
7. (part 3). .............................................................................................................................................. 57
7. (part 4). .............................................................................................................................................. 58
8. Earthquake Zones, Oceania, for engineering purposes. ................................................................. 59
8. (part 2). ............................................................................................................................................. 60
8A. Earthquake zones, Australia, for engineering purposes. ............................................................... 61
8B. Earthquake zones, New Zealand, for engineering purposes. ........................................................ 62
8C. Earthquake zones, Taiwan, for engineering purposes. .................................................................. 63
8D. Earthquake zones, Hawaii, for engineering purposes. ................................................................... 64

List of Tables
Table 1. Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale, 1956 Version ........................................................................... 14

2001 Factory Mutual Insurance Company. All rights reserved.

Valid Through January 2003

Earthquakes

1-2

Page 38

FM Global Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets

90

80

70

G ULF OF
MEXICO

60

50

40

BAHAMAS

CUBA

20
MEXICO

BELIZE

GUATEMALA

EL SAL VAD OR

VIR GIN
IS LAN DS

CENTRAL
AMERICA
See Fig. 3A

DOMIN ICAN
REP UB LI C

JAMAI CA

HONDURAS

P UERT O
RIC O

ANTIGU A
GU ADELOUPE

NORTH
ATLANTIC
OCEAN

MARTINI QU E
ST. LU CIA
S T. VI NCENT
ARU BA

BARBADOS

BONAI RE

CURACAO

10

S T. MARTI N
BARBU DA

DOMINI CA

VENEZUELA
See Fig. 3C

NICARAGU A

20
ANGU ILLA

ST .
ST.
CR OI X KITTS
NEVIS

GRENADA

10

CO STA
RI CA

PANAMA

COLOMBIA

COLOMBIA
See Fig. 3B

FRENCH
GUIANA

VENEZUELA
SURINAME
GUYANA

ECUADOR

PERU

10

10
BRAZIL

BOLIVIA

20

20
PARAGUAY

CHILE

SOUTH
PACIFIC
OCEAN

30

30
URUGUAY

ARGENTINA

40

40

SOUTH AMERICA
Legend (Fig. 3)
Zone 40

SOUTH
ATLANTIC
OCEAN

Zone 70
Zone 150
Zone 1000
Not Zoned
February 2001

50
0

400

800

50

FALKLAND
ISLANDS

1200

Kilometers
0

200

400

600

Miles

90

80

70

60

50

Fig. 3. Eartquake zones, South America, for engineering purposes.

For Central America, Columbia and Venezuela see Figs.3A, 3B, and 3C.

2001 Factory Mutual Insurance Company. All rights reserved

40

Valid Through January 2003

1-2

Earthquakes

FM Global Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets

90

Page 39

85

80
Kingsto

Belmopan
BELIZE

GUATEMALA

HONDURAS

15
Guatemala City

15

Tegucigalpa

San Salvador

NICARAGUA

EL SALVADOR
Managua

COSTA RICA

10

San Jose

Panama City

PANAMA

90

85

80

CENTRAL AMERICA
Legend (Fig. 3A)
Zone 40
Zone 70
Zone 150
Zone 1000

50

100

200

Kilometers
50

50

100

Miles

Not Zoned
June 2001

Fig. 3A. Earthquake zones, Central America, for engineering purposes.

2001 Factory Mutual Insurance Company. All rights reserved

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Valid Through January 2003

Earthquakes

1-2

Page 40

79

FM Global Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets

78

12

77

76

75

74

73

72

71

70

69

68

67
12

Riohacha
Santa Marta
Barranquilla
Cartagena

11

11

10

10
Sincelejo

9
Monteria

Cucuta
Bucaramanga

Arauca

7
~
Puerto Carreno

Medellin

6
Quibdo

Manizales

Pereira
Armenia

Tunja Yopal

Bogota
Villavicencio

Ibague

Cali

San Jose Del Guaviare

Popayan Neiva

Puerto Inirida

Florencia
Pasto Mocoa

Mitu

0
COLOMBIA
Legend (Fig. 3B)

Zone 40
Zone 70

Zone 150
Zone 1000

February 2001

Leticia

79

78

77

76

75

74

73

72

71
50

70

69

100

200

Kilometers
50

50

100

Miles

Fig. 3B. Earthquake zones, Colombia, for engineering purposes.

2001 Factory Mutual Insurance Company. All rights reserved

68

67

2001 Factory Mutual Insurance Company. All rights reserved

Maracaibo

72

February 2001

Zone 1000

Zone 150

Zone 70

Zone 40

Legend (Fig.3C)

VENEZUELA

73
70

0
50

S. Fernando

Charallave

64

62

Ciudad Guayana

Tucupita

TRINIDAD

Maturin

63

Ciudad Bolivar

Anaco

Barcelona

Note: Zone 1000

below 2 degree latitude

La Victoria

65

Pto La Cruz

66

Fig. 3C. Eartquake zones, Venezuela, for engineering purposes.

100

67

Maracay Caracas

68

Valencia

0
100
200
Miles
Kilometers
Kilometers
Miles

50

50

Merida

69

San Felipe

Barinas

Barquisimeto

71

60

TOBAGO

61

FM Global Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets

10

11

12

74
13

Valid Through January 2003

1-2
Earthquakes
Page 41

Valid Through January 2003



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Valid Through January 2003

Earthquakes

1-2

Page 46

FM Global Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets

35

40

45

50

Note: the entire area above latitude 48

to the Arctic Ocean between longitudes
35 and 50 is Zone 1000
AZOV
SEA

RUSSIA

45

45
CASPIAN
SEA
BLACK
SEA
GEORGIA

Baku

ARMENIA

40

40
TURKEY
AZERBAIJAN

IRAN
See Fig. 6.

CYPRUS

IRAQ

SYRIA

35

35
LEBANON

ISRAEL

JORDAN
SAUDI
ARABIA
See Fig. 6.

AFRICA
See Fig. 4.

30

30
EGYPT

35

40

45

MIDDLE EAST
Legend (Fig. 5A. part 3)
Zone 40
Zone 70
Zone 150
Zone 1000
Not Zoned

50

100

200

Kilometers
50

50

100

Miles

June 2001

Fig. 5A. (part 3)

2001 Factory Mutual Insurance Company. All rights reserved

ASIA
See Fig. 6.

50

Valid Through January 2003

Earthquakes

1-2

FM Global Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets

Page 47

10

52
52
Hamm
Duisburg
Dusseldorf
51
Eschweiler

Julich

51
Duren
Bonn

Siegen

Aachen

Koblenz

Limburg
Frankfurt

Prum
50

50
Darmstadt

Trier

Wurzburg

Kaiserstautern

Karlsruhe

49

49

Rottweil

Albstadt
Biberach

Villingen

48
EfringenKirchen
Lorrach

Freiburg Tuttlingen

Sigmaringen

48

Konstanz

Rheinfelden
6 Southwest 7
GERMANY
Legend (Fig.5B)

9
0

February 2001

30

60

90

Kilometers

Zone 150
Zone 1000

10

30
Miles

Fig. 5B. Earthquake zones, Southwest Germany, for engineering purposes.

2001 Factory Mutual Insurance Company. All rights reserved

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Valid Through January 2003

11

1-2

10

Page 48

rethen
St. Marg

48

ll
Appenze

rg
Waldenbu

Solothurn
Neuchatel

47

Luzern
Stans

Bern

Fribourg

Altdorf

stel
Tiefenca

Brienz
Spiez

Bivio

Leukerbad

46

Gondo

Sion

Ferret

SWITZERLAND
Legend (Fig. 5C)
Zone 70

Zone 150
Zone 1000
February 2001
Fig. 5C. Earthquake zones, Switzerland, for engineering purposes.

40
Kilometers
40
Miles

80

Earthquakes

Geneve

St.
Moritz

Bignasco

Lausanne Montreux

Monthey

nien
St. Anto
Klosters
Davos

FM Global Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets

2001 Factory Mutual Insurance Company. All rights reserved

n
St. Galle

Zurich

Basel

Valid Through January 2003

Earthquakes

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FM Global Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets

Page 49

East
FRANCE
Legend (Fig.5D)
Zone 150

50

Zone 1000
February 2001

Wissembourg

Strasbourg

Colmar

48

Thann Mulhouse
Belfort
Altkirch

46

Annecy
Chambery
Grenoble

Barcelonnette
Digne
Forcalquier

44

Apt
Aix-EnProvence
Marseille

20 0

40

Grasse
Cannes

Nice
Monaco

80

Kilometers
20 0 20 40 60
Miles
Fig.5D. Earthquake zones, East France, for engineering purposes

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Valid Through January 2003

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Page 50

South
FRANCE
Legend (Fig.5D part 2)
Zone 150
Zone 1000
February 2001

Pau

Tarbes

Bagneres
De-Bigorre
Foix
Perpignan

20

Prades

0 20 40 60 80

Ceret

Kilometers
20

20

40

60

Miles

42

Fig. 5D. (part 2) South France.

Earthquakes

FM Global Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets

2001 Factory Mutual Insurance Company. All rights reserved

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Valid Through January 2003

44
Oviedo

A Coruna

Bilbao
Lugo

Pamplona

Pontevedra
2001 Factory Mutual Insurance Company. All rights reserved

Leon

Burgos

42

Huesca
Girona

Lleida
Tarragona

Barcelona

SPAIN
Legend (Fig. 5E)

40

Earthquakes

FM Global Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets

10

Zone 70
Caceres

Zone 150

Albacete

Zone 1000

Ciudad Real

Badajoz

February 2001
Alicante

38
Cordoba
Huelva

Jaen

Murcia

50

Sevilla
Malaga

Granada

100

200

Kilometers

Almeria

Cadiz

50

50

100

Miles

Fig. 5E. Earthquake zones, Spain, for engineering purposes.

1-2

Page 51

36

Valid Through January 2003

1-2

Earthquakes

Page 52

FM Global Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets

10

42

Porto

Feira

41

Castro
Daire

Arouca

Gu arda

Viseu

Manteigas
Sabugal
Soure
40

Pombal

Sert a
Vil la De
Ria

Obidos

Nisa

Almeirim

39

Cadaval
Cart axo

Coruche Mora

Lisbon

Evora

Cuba
38

PORTUGAL
Legend (Fig. 5F)

Serpa

20 0 20 40 60
M ertola

Zone 150
Zone 1000

Kilometers
20
0
20

February 2001
37

Fig. 5F. Earthquake zones, Portugal, for engineering purposes.

2001 Factory Mutual Insurance Company. All rights reserved

Miles

40