Resilient Suspended Ceilings for Sustainable Design of Buildings

H. Kit Miyamoto, Bob Glasgow, and Amir S. J. Gilani

ASCE Conf. Proc. 369, 232 (2010)
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Suspended ceilings have suffered major damage in past earthquakes. This damage has been non‐proportional, has occurred in moderate events even for adequately designed buildings, and has led to the loss of building functionality. In recent earthquakes, damage to suspended ceilings has resulted in significant business interruptions and financial losses. Structural engineers strive to design buildings that perform well in earthquakes. However, without adequate design and installation of non‐structural components and suspended ceilings, this effort might well be compromised. Survey of observed damage, the resulting business interruptions, and recommendations for sustainable design of suspended ceilings are presented in this paper.