Seismic performance evaluation
Evaluation of how safely a structure resists earthquake loads and whether reinforcement is needed, under Korea's building seismic design standard.
Overview
A seismic performance evaluation analyzes how safely a building can withstand its design loads and earthquake forces, and quantifies its seismic capacity. Through structural diagnosis it demonstrates in numbers the collapse risk of the building in an actual earthquake and whether life safety is secured.
Legal basis and purpose: the evaluation protects life and property. Public facilities and facilities subject to the in-depth safety diagnosis must be evaluated under Korean law.
Under Article 15 of Korea's Earthquake and Volcano Disaster Countermeasures Act and the Special Act on the Safety Control and Maintenance of Establishments, public facilities built before seismic design standards are evaluated and reinforced under the basic seismic reinforcement plan, and facilities subject to the in-depth safety diagnosis that have not yet been evaluated must be evaluated together with that diagnosis.
Preventing sudden collapse in an earthquake secures evacuation time and prevents secondary damage such as fire and gas leaks.
Objective data proves the safety of the building and preserves asset value, and pinpointing only the parts that need reinforcement keeps maintenance spending efficient.
Targets
The main targets are large facilities of high importance in Korea's national management system that were built without seismic design or need reinforcement to the latest standard. Under the Earthquake and Volcano Disaster Countermeasures Act, the Educational Facilities Act and other laws, these facilities are evaluated and reinforced to protect the disaster-management system and vulnerable groups.
Aging buildings that were not required to have seismic design when built and therefore lack it.
Public institutions and schools that must secure seismic performance regardless of size under the Earthquake Countermeasures Act and the Educational Facilities Act.
Buildings with 2 or more stories (3 for timber), or a total floor area of 200 m² or more (500 m² for timber), or a height of 13 m or more, as well as detached and multi-family housing, which must disclose their seismic capacity on approval for use.
Standard and scope
Evaluations in Korea follow the current national construction standard KDS 41 17 00. Existing buildings are checked against today's strengthened seismic standard rather than the standard at completion, and advanced methods such as nonlinear static analysis simulate an actual earthquake.
Columns, beams, load-bearing walls and foundations that resist earthquake loads are analyzed in detail; the ductility and shear strength of each member is evaluated against current requirements to identify weak points. Vertical members: shear and ductility of columns and walls that transfer earthquake energy to the ground. Horizontal members: joint stiffness of beams and slabs. Foundations: bearing capacity of foundations and ground.
Based on the analysis data, the evaluation judges whether each facility's target performance is met and presents a data-based grade: life safety (damage without collapse), collapse prevention (minimum self-standing capacity), and operational (immediate use after the earthquake).
Report
The report is the basis for the seismic grade and the decision on reinforcement, so the site survey record and the structural analysis results must be recorded objectively: site measurements (match between design documents and built condition, material strength test results), analysis model data (3D nonlinear simulation results and member capacity reviews), and the overall grade.
If seismic performance is found insufficient, full reinforcement is not always the answer. The most efficient timing and location of reinforcement is decided considering the building's use and remaining service life.
Facility types
Reduced material strength and structural defects of aging buildings; remaining capacity under increased loads from remodeling or change of use. Compressive strength loss from carbonation, lateral resistance and crack survey of masonry walls.
Mandatory evaluation targets that also serve as shelters, so a high safety factor is applied; torsion in elongated floor plans is examined closely. Stiffness contribution of corridor wing walls, short-column effects and shear failure risk at window openings.
Facilities that must keep operating immediately after an earthquake; strict inter-story drift criteria are applied to minimize frame damage. Drift evaluation by nonlinear analysis, detailed diagnosis of slabs and beams under key medical equipment.
Lateral stiffness and deflection of long-span structures with wide column spacing; collapse-prevention performance is verified with crowd density in mind. Ductility of steel truss connections, integrity and drift compatibility of full-height glazing.
Foundation bearing capacity in environments with heavy stored loads and equipment vibration; dynamic load changes from moving heavy goods are reflected in the analysis. Floor shear strength along heavy-equipment routes, column buckling and foundation capacity under heavy rack systems.
HomeCheck
HomeCheck's structural Professional Engineers directly oversee the structural analysis and conclusions of every project, and computer simulation verifies the actual seismic capacity of the facility. Performing the evaluation in Korea requires registration as an institution specializing in safety examinations and as a structural engineering business, and a structural Professional Engineer.
Preliminary review of existing design documents and survey planning; site survey with non-destructive rebar detection, concrete strength tests (rebound hammer and core sampling), member dimensions and full defect survey; 3D nonlinear structural analysis to identify seismic weaknesses by member; report to the latest KDS standard and support for approval by the permitting authority.
Where a public client's contract rules allow a negotiated contract, work can start quickly without a full tendering process for urgent seismic checks and permit work. HomeCheck responds to technical queries and supplementary requests from the reviewing authority until final approval, and provides supporting documents and technical data for budgeting.
HomeCheck supports the whole process of obtaining Korea's earthquake-safe facility certification run by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and guides private building owners through subsidy programs of the ministry or local governments that can cover evaluation and reinforcement design costs where the requirements are met.
Projects range from public schools and public-institution buildings to large private buildings, including the Korean Red Cross Eastern Blood Center (Seoul), the Korea Environment Corporation wind test building (Incheon), hotels, an elevated roadway, elementary, middle and high schools in Seoul and Gyeonggi, and military facilities.
The buildings subject to seismic performance evaluation are divided by facility type and applicable law. Public facilities built before seismic design standards existed, or before the standards were later strengthened, are evaluated and reinforced under the basic plan for seismic reinforcement of existing facilities under Korea's Earthquake and Volcano Disaster Countermeasures Act. If a facility that receives an in-depth safety diagnosis under the Special Act on the Safety Control and Maintenance of Establishments is subject to seismic design but has not yet been evaluated, a seismic performance evaluation must be carried out together with the diagnosis, and for educational facilities such as schools, seismic performance evaluation is included in the safety standards of Korea's Educational Facilities Act. Private buildings are evaluated as needed ahead of extensions, remodeling or earthquake-safe facility certification. Sources: Korea's Earthquake and Volcano Disaster Countermeasures Act, Article 15 (Establishment of basic plans for seismic reinforcement of existing facilities, etc.) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsSideInfoP.do?lsiSeq=260835&joNo=0015&joBrNo=00&docCls=jo&urlMode=lsScJoRltInfoR Korea's Special Act on the Safety Control and Maintenance of Establishments, Article 12 (Implementation of in-depth safety diagnosis) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsSideInfoP.do?lsiSeq=283765&joNo=0012&joBrNo=00&docCls=jo&urlMode=lsScJoRltInfoR Korea's Act on the Safety and Maintenance of Educational Facilities, Article 10 (Safety and maintenance standards for educational facilities, etc.) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsSideInfoP.do?lsiSeq=259603&joNo=0010&joBrNo=00&docCls=jo&urlMode=lsScJoRltInfoR
Yes. If the requirements for a negotiated contract under the contract laws applied by the ordering agency are met, a seismic performance evaluation service can be awarded by negotiated contract without competitive tendering. The Enforcement Decrees of Korea's Act on Contracts to Which the State Is a Party and Act on Contracts to Which a Local Government Is a Party list as grounds service contracts with an estimated price of KRW 20 million or less, and contracts over KRW 20 million up to KRW 100 million that require special knowledge, skills or qualifications such as construction technology. Which clause applies is judged by the contracting officer based on the estimated price and the nature of the service, and HomeCheck provides the supporting documents needed for the contract and technical material for budgeting. Sources: Enforcement Decree of Korea's Act on Contracts to Which the State Is a Party, Article 26 (Cases in which a negotiated contract may be used) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsSideInfoP.do?lsiSeq=285893&joNo=0026&joBrNo=00&docCls=jo&urlMode=lsScJoRltInfoR Enforcement Decree of Korea's Act on Contracts to Which a Local Government Is a Party, Article 25 (Cases in which a negotiated contract may be used) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsSideInfoP.do?lsiSeq=286149&joNo=0025&joBrNo=00&docCls=jo&urlMode=lsScJoRltInfoR
A seismic performance evaluation takes roughly 4 to 8 weeks from the site survey stage to submission of the final report. The schedule naturally varies with the size and structure of the building, and the period extends when there are no drawings and much must be measured on site, or when material test items increase. For projects that must pass technical review by an education office or local government, time to handle supplementation requests from the review committee is added, so it is safer to start with a margin of 2 to 3 months.
Structural safety cannot be judged by non-destructive testing alone. Safety is determined only after a structural analysis stage based on the information obtained on site. To compare with the design drawings, concrete strength is estimated with a Schmidt rebound hammer or ultrasonic pulse velocity, and rebar detection equipment is used to survey the reinforcement inside walls and columns. Non-destructive testing is the site data collection process for the seismic performance evaluation, and for parts where strength is hard to determine accurately, cores are taken and compressive strength tests completed.
Educational facilities defined by the Act, such as kindergartens, elementary, middle and high schools and universities, are covered, including private schools. The safety and maintenance standards for educational facilities prepared by the Minister of Education include matters on seismic design, seismic reinforcement and seismic performance evaluation, and the head of each educational facility must comply with these standards, check compliance at least once a year and report to the supervising authority, such as the education office. The timing of evaluation for each building is set by the project plans of the supervising authority and the school, so please check the schedule with the facilities department of the education office. Sources: Korea's Act on the Safety and Maintenance of Educational Facilities, Article 10 (Safety and maintenance standards for educational facilities, etc.) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsSideInfoP.do?lsiSeq=259603&joNo=0010&joBrNo=00&docCls=jo&urlMode=lsScJoRltInfoR Enforcement Decree of Korea's Act on the Safety and Maintenance of Educational Facilities, Article 12 (Safety and maintenance standards for educational facilities, etc.) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsSideInfoP.do?lsiSeq=281439&joNo=0012&joBrNo=00&docCls=jo&urlMode=lsScJoRltInfoR
With earthquake-safe facility certification, you receive a certificate and a certification plaque and can display the certification mark on the building, informing users that the facility has secured seismic performance. If a newly built or substantially repaired building obtains certification, under Korea's Restriction of Special Local Taxation Act the acquisition tax can be reduced by 5 to 10 percent until December 31, 2027, including cases where certification is obtained within 180 days of acquisition. If the certification is revoked within 3 years of acquisition, the reduced tax is collected. HomeCheck supports preparation of the seismic performance evaluation report needed for certification and the certification application. Sources: Korea's Earthquake and Volcano Disaster Countermeasures Act, Article 16-3 (Certification of earthquake-safe facilities and revocation of certification) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsSideInfoP.do?lsiSeq=260835&joNo=0016&joBrNo=03&docCls=jo&urlMode=lsScJoRltInfoR Enforcement Decree of Korea's Earthquake and Volcano Disaster Countermeasures Act, Article 11-4 (Subjects, criteria and procedures for certification, etc.) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsSideInfoP.do?lsiSeq=277781&joNo=0011&joBrNo=04&docCls=jo&urlMode=lsScJoRltInfoR Korea's Restriction of Special Local Taxation Act, Article 47-4 (Reductions for buildings that have secured seismic performance, etc.) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsSideInfoP.do?lsiSeq=286607&joNo=0047&joBrNo=04&docCls=jo&urlMode=lsScJoRltInfoR
No. Seismic reinforcement work does not always accompany an extension. An extension counts as construction under Korea's Building Act, so structural safety must be confirmed and the securing of seismic performance is checked at permit stage; the first step is to review whether the existing members can carry the added loads and seismic forces. If the seismic performance evaluation shows insufficient reserve capacity, reinforcement becomes a precondition for the extension, and even then a proposal to reinforce selected vulnerable parts rather than the whole building is reviewed together. Sources: Korea's Building Act, Article 48 (Structural capacity, etc.) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsSideInfoP.do?lsiSeq=273437&joNo=0048&joBrNo=00&docCls=jo&urlMode=lsScJoRltInfoR
The fee is determined by the building's total floor area, number of stories, structural form and the number of material test items required. For old buildings without surviving drawings, member dimensions and reinforcement must be measured on site, which can add to the cost. The amount also changes depending on whether a reinforcement proposal review or support for an earthquake-safe facility certification application is included, so tell us the scope you need and we will give you a quote at consultation.
Core sampling and rebar exposure tests are carried out to a limited extent within a range that does not affect the safety of the structure as a whole. Samples are taken only as needed from parts with little structural effect, and the locations of pipes and wiring are checked in advance and avoided. After testing, the area is immediately restored with high-strength non-shrink mortar or similar, and the sampling locations and restoration method are decided at the planning stage of the seismic performance evaluation.
If there is no existing ground investigation data, or it is uncertain whether it matches the current site condition, a ground investigation is carried out as part of the seismic performance evaluation. This is because the seismic load transmitted to the building varies greatly with the properties of the ground. Where an extension or large-scale reinforcement work is planned, accurately classifying the ground also helps avoid over-designing the reinforcement and reduce construction costs.
If the building falls short of the target performance, reinforcement design is reviewed based on the vulnerable members and the extent of the shortfall; an unsatisfactory result does not mean demolition. Public facilities reflect the result in seismic reinforcement measures under the Earthquake and Volcano Disaster Countermeasures Act and pursue reinforcement, and when a seismic performance evaluation included in an in-depth safety diagnosis finds reinforcement necessary, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport may recommend reinforcement. For private buildings, the timing and parts to reinforce are decided by weighing the building's use, remaining service life and construction cost. Sources: Korea's Earthquake and Volcano Disaster Countermeasures Act, Article 16 (Promotion of seismic reinforcement of existing facilities, etc.) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsSideInfoP.do?lsiSeq=260835&joNo=0016&joBrNo=00&docCls=jo&urlMode=lsScJoRltInfoR Korea's Special Act on the Safety Control and Maintenance of Establishments, Article 12 (Implementation of in-depth safety diagnosis) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsSideInfoP.do?lsiSeq=283765&joNo=0012&joBrNo=00&docCls=jo&urlMode=lsScJoRltInfoR
Yes. In HomeCheck's seismic performance evaluation, an in-house Professional Engineer in building structures (Korea's national qualification) directly oversees and approves the structural analysis and the final judgment. Because the evaluation uses demanding techniques such as nonlinear analysis, the structural Professional Engineer personally reviews the analysis model and the judgment. If the reviewing body raises technical questions or supplementation requests after the report is submitted, the structural Professional Engineer responds until final approval.
Yes. Korea's Earthquake and Volcano Disaster Countermeasures Act provides a legal basis for tax reductions and differentiated earthquake insurance premium rates when an existing private building without seismic design is seismically reinforced. Under the Restriction of Special Local Taxation Act, a building that was not subject to seismic design when built and that obtains confirmation of seismic performance through construction or major repair is exempt from acquisition tax until December 31, 2027, and property tax is exempt for the first 2 years and then halved for the following 3 years. However, if the tax calculated under Korea's Local Tax Act exceeds KRW 2 million for acquisition tax or KRW 500,000 for property tax, a reduction rate of 85 percent applies instead of exemption under the same Act's provision restricting special reductions. Subsidies for evaluation fees or reinforcement work differ in conditions and budget from one local government program to another, so HomeCheck checks the current support programs in your area at consultation. Sources: Korea's Earthquake and Volcano Disaster Countermeasures Act, Article 16-2 (Support for seismic reinforcement of privately owned buildings) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsSideInfoP.do?lsiSeq=260835&joNo=0016&joBrNo=02&docCls=jo&urlMode=lsScJoRltInfoR Korea's Restriction of Special Local Taxation Act, Article 47-4 (Reductions for buildings that have secured seismic performance, etc.) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsSideInfoP.do?lsiSeq=286607&joNo=0047&joBrNo=04&docCls=jo&urlMode=lsScJoRltInfoR Korea's Restriction of Special Local Taxation Act, Article 177-2 (Restriction on special local tax reductions) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsSideInfoP.do?lsiSeq=286607&joNo=0177&joBrNo=02&docCls=jo&urlMode=lsScJoRltInfoR
HomeCheck is a specialized engineering company with about 45 engineers in the building and civil engineering fields, including Professional Engineers in building structures and building construction (Korea's national qualification). When you contract a seismic performance evaluation, additional services such as simple facility maintenance and a digital report are provided in addition to the evaluation. HomeCheck has carried out seismic performance evaluations for many clients, from public schools and public institution offices to large private buildings.
A seismic performance evaluation checks, under an assumed earthquake scenario, whether the building can actually deliver its target performance. The condition of each member is reviewed, such as the bearing capacity of the foundation and ground, the stiffness of beam and slab connections, and the shear strength and ductility of columns and load-bearing walls, to identify vulnerable points. It evaluates whether the performance levels required of the facility, such as collapse prevention, life safety and operational function, are achieved, and identifies deficient parts as needing reinforcement.
In addition to the structural drawings and structural calculations, please prepare any existing safety inspection or diagnosis reports. For buildings that have been extended or repaired, the related history is also needed, and if the current use has changed or added equipment has changed the loads, this must be confirmed as well. Old buildings sometimes have no drawings or only partial records, and evaluation is still possible in such cases. Parts that are hard to confirm are measured or tested directly on site, and the extent of on-site measurement is decided during consultation.
The site survey cannot be omitted even when an existing structural calculation exists. A calculation prepared on the basis of the original design cannot capture the actual built condition or material aging, let alone subsequent extensions or changes of use. Of course, when the calculations and drawings are complete, the seismic performance evaluation can proceed with a reduced site survey scope and shorter duration.
Seismic capacity is a building's ability to withstand an earthquake, and for buildings subject to disclosure under Korea's Building Act it is recorded in the building register and disclosed at approval for use. Under the current method, seismic capacity is recorded as a seismic grade, such as seismic special grade, seismic grade I or seismic grade II, and a building with an earthquake-safe facility certificate may also indicate the certification, as in seismic grade I (certification). This method was introduced by the amendment of December 17, 2024; buildings that applied for approval for use before then still show the former format combining Modified Mercalli intensity and peak ground acceleration, such as VII-0.150g. Under the former method the intensity grade was set by acceleration range, so 0.133g or more and less than 0.264g corresponds to intensity VII. Sources: Korea's Rules on Structural Standards for Buildings, Article 60-2 (Criteria for calculating and method of disclosing the seismic capacity of buildings) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsSideInfoP.do?lsiSeq=267091&joNo=0060&joBrNo=02&docCls=jo&urlMode=lsScJoRltInfoR Korea's Rules on Structural Standards for Buildings, Table 13 (Criteria for calculating seismic capacity, etc., related to Article 60-2) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsBylInfoP.do?bylSeq=17222155&lsiSeq=267091&efYd=20241217&directYn=Y Korea's Rules on Structural Standards for Buildings, Table 13 (Criteria for calculating seismic capacity, before the amendment of December 17, 2024) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsBylInfoP.do?bylSeq=14077359&lsiSeq=237691&efYd=20211209&directYn=Y
Seismic capacity disclosure applies to buildings with 2 or more stories (3 for timber structures) or a total floor area of 200 m² or more (500 m² for timber structures), as well as buildings 13 m or more in height and buildings falling under Article 32(2), subparagraphs 3 to 9 of the Enforcement Decree of the Building Act, such as detached houses and multi-family housing. The person constructing such a building must disclose its seismic capacity as soon as approval for use is obtained; the seismic capacity is entered in the application for approval for use and recorded in the building register. Buildings to which the small building structural standards apply, and warehouses, livestock sheds, crop cultivation facilities and standard-design buildings that do not meet the story or height requirements, are excluded. Even for buildings not subject to disclosure, the owner can have the seismic capacity entered in the register by submitting material such as an earthquake-safe facility certificate or an in-depth safety diagnosis report including a seismic performance evaluation to the permitting authority. Sources: Korea's Building Act, Article 48-3 (Disclosure of the seismic capacity of buildings) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsSideInfoP.do?lsiSeq=273437&joNo=0048&joBrNo=03&docCls=jo&urlMode=lsScJoRltInfoR Enforcement Decree of Korea's Building Act, Article 32-2 (Disclosure of the seismic capacity of buildings) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsSideInfoP.do?lsiSeq=288849&joNo=0032&joBrNo=02&docCls=jo&urlMode=lsScJoRltInfoR Korea's Rules on Structural Standards for Buildings, Article 60-2 (Criteria for calculating and method of disclosing the seismic capacity of buildings) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsSideInfoP.do?lsiSeq=267091&joNo=0060&joBrNo=02&docCls=jo&urlMode=lsScJoRltInfoR
Seismic design status and seismic capacity can first be checked in the building register. The register records whether seismic design was applied and the seismic capacity as structural capacity information; a certified copy can be obtained from the city, county, district, town or neighborhood office and can also be issued and viewed online. The seismic capacity field applies to buildings that applied for a building permit, building report or change of use on or after January 20, 2017, so it may be blank for older buildings; in that case, the surviving structural drawings and calculations are examined to see whether seismic loads were reflected at design. If there are no drawings, or the condition has changed through aging or extension, the current performance is confirmed by a seismic performance evaluation, and HomeCheck calculates the building's seismic performance grade through a site survey and structural analysis. Sources: Korea's Rules on the Recording and Management of Building Registers, Article 7-3 (Information on the structural capacity of buildings) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsSideInfoP.do?lsiSeq=273103&joNo=0007&joBrNo=03&docCls=jo&urlMode=lsScJoRltInfoR Korea's Rules on the Recording and Management of Building Registers, Article 11 (Issuance and inspection of certified copies and abstracts of building registers) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsSideInfoP.do?lsiSeq=273103&joNo=0011&joBrNo=00&docCls=jo&urlMode=lsScJoRltInfoR
Seismic reinforcement methods fall into adding shear walls, steel braces or external frames to raise the strength and stiffness of the whole building; enlarging column and beam sections; wrapping columns with carbon fiber or steel plates to increase deformation capacity; and reducing seismic loads with damping or base isolation devices. Korea's Ministry of Education seismic design standards for school facilities classify reinforcement methods the same way and list the seismic performance target, construction cost, construction period, site conditions and building appearance as review items when choosing a method. The right method depends on whether the shortfall found in the seismic performance evaluation is in strength or in deformation capacity and whether the work must be done while the building is in use, and when walls or braces are added, the forces on the foundation are rechecked. Based on the evaluation results, HomeCheck proposes economical reinforcement, including methods that can be carried out while the building remains in use. Sources: Korea's Seismic Design Standards for School Facilities (Ministry of Education Notice No. 2020-223) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/admRulLsInfoP.do?admRulSeq=2100000188170
Building seismic grades are divided by use and importance into seismic special grade, seismic grade I and seismic grade II, with importance factors used in design of 1.5, 1.2 and 1.0 respectively. General hospitals, national and local government offices with a total floor area of 1,000 m² or more, fire stations and power plants are special grade; schools, apartment buildings with 5 or more stories and retail facilities with a total floor area of 5,000 m² or more are grade I; and other ordinary buildings, agricultural facilities and small warehouses are grade II. While the seismic grade is the standard a building must meet for its use, seismic capacity is the performance the building has secured as disclosed in the building register, and the current rules require entering the grade as designed and built, or the grade confirmed by a certificate or diagnosis report. Seismic performance evaluation of existing buildings is based on the targets set for each grade in Korea's building seismic design standard; for grade I, life safety is checked under an earthquake with a 1,400-year return period and collapse prevention under a 2,400-year earthquake. Sources: Korea's Rules on Structural Standards for Buildings, Table 12 (Seismic grade criteria for buildings, related to Article 60) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsBylInfoP.do?bylSeq=17222153&lsiSeq=267091&efYd=20241217&directYn=Y Korea's Rules on Structural Standards for Buildings, Table 11 (Importance and importance factors, related to Article 56(2)) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsBylInfoP.do?bylSeq=17222151&lsiSeq=267091&efYd=20241217&directYn=Y Korea's Building Structural Standards (MOLIT Notice No. 2024-846) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/admRulLsInfoP.do?admRulSeq=2100000251146
The seismic performance evaluation of an existing building fundamentally checks whether the building meets the performance for its seismic grade under the current building seismic design standard (KDS 41 17 00), with detailed procedures following the standards set for each facility type. When a building under the Special Act on the Safety Control and Maintenance of Establishments is evaluated together with an in-depth safety diagnosis, the Guidelines on the Implementation of Safety Control and Maintenance of Establishments apply, together with the detailed guidelines of the Korea Authority of Land & Infrastructure Safety (KALIS) covering methods not specified there. Schools use the chapter on seismic performance evaluation of existing structures in the Ministry of Education seismic design standards for school facilities and the manual for seismic performance evaluation and reinforcement of school facilities, and the notice refers to the seismic performance evaluation guide for existing facilities (buildings) for the nonlinear static analysis method. HomeCheck first selects the standard suited to the building's use and ordering conditions, then prepares the evaluation report in line with the latest KDS standards. Sources: Korea's Building Structural Standards (MOLIT Notice No. 2024-846) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/admRulLsInfoP.do?admRulSeq=2100000251146 Korea's Guidelines on the Implementation of Safety Control and Maintenance of Establishments (MOLIT Notice No. 2026-444) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/admRulLsInfoP.do?admRulSeq=2100000284032 Korea's Seismic Design Standards for School Facilities (Ministry of Education Notice No. 2020-223) — https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/admRulLsInfoP.do?admRulSeq=2100000188170
Tell us the building, its location in Korea, the year of completion and whether design drawings are available.
