Seismic Strengthening Retrofitting would have minimized or even eliminated the damage done to this California building during an earthquake. The building was deemed unsafe and was subsequently thorn down. Isolation systems absorb the tremors, minimizing loss of structural integrity. Retrofitting support beams and cross braces strengthens the structure while at the same time absorb shocks throughout the building.

Strengthening of the structure typically falls into one of two groups; system based strengthening and member based strengthening to inadequate parts of the construction. Reinforced concrete and shear walls, as well as steel bracing are the most typical methods for system strengthening of real estate structures and can be performed on the interior of the buildings or as an exoskeleton on the exterior. Member based strengthening includes concrete and steel “jackets” to reduce vibrations to vulnerable building elements. Recently, fiber reinforced polymers have been used in the absence of sufficient space for other methods to enhance ductility of the elements. Steel anchors between new and older building elements combine these methods.