Arup works in earthquake-prone areas worldwide, ensuring the highest standards of safe building design. In much of the world, from Japan to the Americas, innovative seismic design is fundamental to how we design and protect buildings and infrastructure from natural and man-made shocks.
We have accumulated formidable experience and skill in seismic design, and the essential specialist fields behind it – including seismology, geotechnical and structural engineering, risk assessment and management.
Enabling creative architecture
We work with clients and architects to engineer the most ambitious structures to be both earthquake-tolerant and economically viable.
Our landmark projects include Japan’s Osaka Maritime Museum; China’s CCTV in Beijing, San Francisco’s Salesforce Transit Centre in the US, Torre Reforma in Mexico City, and the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Kericho, Kenya.
Safeguard critical assets
To protect communities and businesses, it is essential to safeguard the utilities and infrastructure they depend on. We use performance-based design methods and modern seismic protection technologies to provide assured functionality for recovery-critical facilities such as hospitals, energy infrastructure, telecommunications facilities and airport terminals such as Sabiha Gokcen terminal in Turkey.
We work with major multinationals companies such as HSBC, Procter & Gamble and Toyota to help them minimise the impacts of earthquakes on their staff, facilities and productivity. Our catastrophe risk management experts provide engineering-informed advice to public and private sector clients on mitigation and insurance strategies.
We provide post-earthquake support to clients through our global network of offices, and participate in field survey missions with other professionals and academics through organisations such as EERI and EEFIT.
Promoting resilience
Arup has become a global leader in seismic engineering through the innovative approach we have adopted in our design projects and in promoting the societal benefits of improved resilience.
Since current building codes do not focus on earthquake resilience, Arup developed the REDi Rating System which provides owners, architects and engineers a framework for resilience-based earthquake design. This is being used on projects such as 181 Fremont Tower in the US.
We have also been instrumental in rebuilding areas devastated by major tsunami such as the 2004 Indian Ocean and 2010 Maule Chile events. Arup was chosen to redesign Constitución’s waterfront which was devastated by the tsunami and began by drafting a sustainable reconstruction plan.
Explore
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Experts
Contact our team today:
Damian Grant
Global Seismic Design Leader
Damian Grant is an earthquake engineer engaged in a broad range of global projects, including the design of new buildings, bridges and energy infrastructure, and the seismic assessment of existing structures.
Damian Grant
Global Seismic Design Leader
Damian Grant is an earthquake engineer engaged in a broad range of global projects, including the design of new buildings, bridges and energy infrastructure, and the seismic assessment of existing structures.
Dr Helene Tischer
Americas Seismic Design Leader
Dr. Helene Tischer is a structural engineer with 20 years of experience working as a researcher, professor and designer, focusing on earthquake engineering and existing buildings retrofit. She is the Americas Seismic Skills Network leader, with responsibility for coordinating skills, learning, research and knowledge sharing across Arup’s community of multidisciplinary engineers located in the US, Canada and Colombia.
Dr Helene Tischer
Americas Seismic Design Leader
Dr. Helene Tischer is a structural engineer with 20 years of experience working as a researcher, professor and designer, focusing on earthquake engineering and existing buildings retrofit. She is the Americas Seismic Skills Network leader, with responsibility for coordinating skills, learning, research and knowledge sharing across Arup’s community of multidisciplinary engineers located in the US, Canada and Colombia.
Dr Jing Zhang
Australasia Seismic Design Leader
Dr Jing Zhang leads structural analysis for projects in the Australasia region and has expertise in analysis/design/review of various structures, particularly high rise, seismic and lateral system design.
Dr Jing Zhang
Australasia Seismic Design Leader
Dr Jing Zhang leads structural analysis for projects in the Australasia region and has expertise in analysis/design/review of various structures, particularly high rise, seismic and lateral system design.