This existing building houses one of Rockwell International Corporation’s two worldwide computer data centers. It has been estimated that downtime can cost the firm $1 million per hour. Therefore, they retained our firm to design the base isolation and strengthening system to protect its contents. By installing seismic isolators in the columns of the 8-story concrete building in Seal Beach, California, and by strengthening the existing frame, our engineers met the owner’s directive — that the building must survive an expected major earthquake with no downtime for the building systems, contents and occupants.

Among the constraints set forth by the owner, Rockwell International Corporation, was to complete the project without disrupting round-the-clock operations by 600 employees and limit utility changeover work during all space shuttle launches and flights.

Complicated by the presence of a loading dock and cafeteria extending beyond the exterior column lines, outside the tower footprint, the plane of isolation follows an irregular route skirting a stairwell and elevator core.

The isolators were installed mid-way between the first and second floors. The building is the first in the world with isolators in this position; in the United States, it is the first high-rise seismic retrofit.