Boston-based modeling firm AIR Worldwide Corp. announced today it will collaborate with the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design to better understand the vulnerability of buildings in China.
AIR said BIAD, the leading design firm in China, researched and analyzed seismic response of building types common to China and the findings will be used to enhance AIR's China earthquake model.
Qisong Miao, director of the research department at BIAD, said in a statement, "Through structural performance studies, we will quantify the relative vulnerability of various classes of engineered buildings throughout China."
Mr. Miao added that his group looks forward to working with AIR. "Our team of experts will analyze the design of these commercial buildings to determine how various factors such as the seismic fortification levels and the age of the building impact their earthquake vulnerability," he said.
As part of the project, BIAD will create a database of China-specific building characteristics and their seismic performance.
BIAD was described by AIR as the premiere architectural design and consulting institute in China.
According to AIR, BIAD has completed the design works for many of China's landmark buildings, including the China Academy of Art, Xi'an International Finance and Trade Center, China International Exhibition Center, the National Museum, and the Beijing West Railway Station.
BIAD is leading some of the architectural projects for the 2008 Olympic Games and a number of landmark buildings in Beijing, including the Beijing Capital International Airport Terminal 3 and the office building of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.
Uday Virkud, senior vice president at AIR Worldwide, said "BIAD's engineering-based approach to understanding the vulnerability of building structures throughout China will enable us to further enhance our industry leading model, which is used by the top property insurers in China to manage earthquake risk."
© Arc, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to TMSalesOperations@arc-network.com. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.