Comparison of Seismic Design Codes for Steel Buildings in Japan and the United States

Abstract

This is a preface to six papers, which conducted a thorough comparative investigation on seismic design codes for steel building structures in Japan and the United States. The study is associated with the globalization of earthquake resistance technologies. The working group organized by the Subcommittee of Steel Connection of the Architectural Institute of Japan surveyed codes and associated regulations proposed by SAC Joint Venture of the United States after the Northridge Earthquake. Similarities and differences of the current Japanese design are examined for steel and electrode materials, design of beam-to-column connections and column bases connections, and the scheme of the seismic design oriented toward performance based design.