Location Connection Detail Fields

Roof Attached Structure

•       HI TC

•       US HU

•       US ST

•       US WF

One of the following values to describe mechanical and other equipment on the roof of the building at this location:

•       Unknown/default (0)

•       Chimneys (1)

•       A/C Units (2)

•       Skylights (3)

•       Parapet Walls (4)

•       Overhang/Rake (8-36 in.) (5)

•       Dormers (6)

•       Other (7)

•       No Attached Structures (8)

•       Overhang/Rake (< 8 in.) (9)

•       Overhang/Rake (> 36 in.) (10)

•       Waterproof membrane/fabric (11)

•       Secondary water resistance - Yes (12) (e.g., bitumen tape)

•       Secondary water resistance - No (13)

Attached structures are often more vulnerable than the main building, especially if there is inadequate anchorage.

•       Optional

•       Defaults to a value in the Touchstone user interface

Unknown/default (0)

Transition in SRC Type

•       JP EQ

One of the following values to indicate whether the transition from SRC to RC in columns of SRC construction is a smooth one for the building at this location:

•       Unknown/default (0)

•       Smooth (1)

•       Non-Smooth (2)

Optional

Cold Formed Tube

•       JP EQ

One of the following values to indicate whether cold-formed tubes are present in steel structures in the building at this location:

•       Unknown/default (0)

•       No (1)

•       Yes (2)

Cold-formed tubes, which are formed via cold processing, can lower building ductility.

Optional

Column Basement Type

•       JP EQ

One of the following values to describe the type of connection between columns and basement for SRC and steel construction for the building at this location:

•       Unknown/default (0)

•       Mixed (1)

•       Non-Embedded (2)

•       Embedded (3)

This field indicates whether basement support columns are embedded.

Optional

Welding Detail

•       JP EQ

One of the following values to describe the quality of the welding in the building at this location:

•       Unknown/default (0)

•       On-Site (1)

•       In-House (2)

Optional

Foundation Connection

•       CA EQ

•       HI EQ

•       HI TC

•       JP EQ

•       NZ EQ

•       US EQ

•       US HU

•       US ST

One of the following values to describe the type of connection between the structure and its foundation in the building at this location:

•       Unknown/default (0)

•       Hurricane ties (1)

•       Nails/Screws (2)

•       Anchor Bolts (3)

•       Gravity/Friction (4)

•       Adhesive/Epoxy (5)

•       Structurally Connected (6)

For industrial facilities: One of the following values to describe the anchorage of equipment at the facility:

•       Unknown/default (0)

•       Unanchored (4)

•       Anchored (6)

The building-foundation connection transfers the vertical and lateral loads on the building to the foundation during wind events and is critical in single-family dwellings made of wood-frame and tilt-up construction. Loss of anchorage between building and foundation has been a common type of failure in California earthquakes.

•       Optional

•       For U.S. Earthquake (M11), you must specify Gravity/Friction (4) if you want to use the Retrofit Measures option Foundation anchorage (bolting) (4).

Foundation Type

•       CA EQ

•       CE IF

•       EU ETC

•       HI EQ

•       JP IF

•       JP EQ

•       JP TY

•       NZ EQ

•       US EQ

•       US HU

•       US IF

One of the following values to describe the type of construction used for the foundation of the building at this location:

•       Unknown/default (0)

•       Masonry basement (1)

•       Concrete basement (2)

•       Masonry wall (3) If you use this value, Touchstone maps it to Crawlspace cripple wall (4) (wood) upon import.

•       Crawlspace cripple wall (4) (wood)

•       Crawlspace masonry (5) (wood)

•       Post & pier (6)

•       Footing (7)

•       Mat / slab (8)

•       Pile (9)

•       No basement (10)

•       Engineering foundation (11)

•       Crawlspace - raised (wood) (12)

Special cases:

•       For United Kingdom and Central Europe Inland Flood models, only the following values are applicable:

•       Unknown/default (0)

•       Masonry basement (1)

•       Concrete basement (2)

•       No basement (10)

•       For the U.S. Earthquake model, the No basement (10) value is not applicable.

•       For the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Serbia, Macedonia, and Albania, combination of the following values is not applicable:

•       Floor of Interest = Basement (-1)

•       Foundation Type = No basement (10)

Single-family dwellings are often built on basements or on shallow foundations. Most mid-rise buildings are built on mat foundations. High-rise buildings tend to be supported on pile foundations. Piles are generally better performers in earthquakes.

•       Optional

•       Touchstone does not validate this field.

•       For U.S. Earthquake (M11), you must select Crawlspace cripple wall (4) if you want to use the Retrofit Measures option Bracing of cripple walls (1).

•       If you select -1 as the Floor of Interest, you must select Masonry basement (1) or Concrete basement (2) as the Foundation Type.

•       If you specify any of the following construction or occupancy class codes for this location, Touchstone ignores your setting for this field:

•       IFM (400 series occupancy class codes)

•       Mobile homes (191-194 construction class codes)

•       200 series construction class codes (including automobiles and pleasure boats)

•       Industrial occupancies (321-330 occupancy class codes)

Internal Partition

•       CA EQ

•       HI EQ

•       JP EQ

•       US EQ

•       US HU

•       US ST

One of the following values to describe the materials used for interior partition walls in the building at this location:

•       Unknown/default (0)

•       Wood (1)

•       Gypsum boards (2)

•       Plastered masonry (3)

•       Brick (4)

•       Other (5)

Internal partitions, when effective, can protect the interior of the building when the building envelope is breached.

The amount of loss caused by damage to internal partition walls depends on the type of materials used to construct them, such as masonry or gypsum board. Heavy, brittle materials, such as unreinforced brick masonry, have been known to experience great damage during an earthquake.

If the building is breached at low hazard levels, then internal wall materials may protect some contents from wind or surge damage. However, at higher wind speeds, internal partition walls may fail, causing further structural or debris damage.

Optional

Wall Attached Structure

•       HI TC

•       US HU

•       US ST

One of the following values to describe structures that are not an integral part of the main building at this location but that are physically attached to it:

•       Unknown/default (0)

•       Carports/Canopies/Porches (1)

•       Single Door Garages (2)

•       Double Door Garages (3)

•       Reinforced Single Door Garages (4)

•       Reinforced Double Door Garages (5)

•       Screened Porches/Glass Patio Doors (6)

•       Balcony (7)

•       No attached wall structures (8)

Attached structures are often more vulnerable than the main building, especially if there is inadequate anchorage.

With respect to seismic performance, unreinforced masonry chimneys, as an example, generally collapse even under moderate levels of shaking.

Under significant wind loads, wall attached structures may experience heavier damage than the main structure. They may also become dislodged and create a breach for wind or floodwaters or become flying debris themselves.

Optional

Appurtenant Structure

•       HI TC

•       US HU

•       US ST

One of the following values to describe structures that are not an integral part of the main building at this location and are not physically attached to it:

•       Unknown/default (0)

•       Detached garage (1)

•       Pool enclosures (2)

•       Shed (3)

•       Masonry boundary wall (4)

•       Other fence (5)

•       No appurtenant structures (6)

•       No pool enclosures (7)

Appurtenant structures may require a different treatment in analysis from the main building. For example, a masonry boundary wall can collapse under moderate shaking, whereas the wood-frame house it surrounds may remain undamaged.

A pool enclosure may provide protection of a recreational pool from everyday wind and sun exposure. However, if winds are high enough to damage the main building, a pool enclosure may become flying debris and increase the amount of damage.

Optional

Basement Level Count

•       GB IF

•       SEU IF

•       US HU

•       US IF

Number of basement levels in the building at this location

A value of 0 represents Unknown/default.

If you have specified an occupancy code of 301 - General Residential, 302 - Permanent dwelling: single family, or 303 - Permanent dwelling: multi family, Touchstone supports only one level of basement. In these cases, if you input a larger value, Touchstone overrides this value with 1. For all other residential (except mobile homes) and commercial buildings, you can specify more than one level indicating the number of levels with a positive integer. However, the vulnerability does not change for basement levels greater than 3. For example, if you enter 4 as the number of levels, Touchstone assumes the same vulnerability as for 3 levels.

If the number of basement levels is greater than one, and if the foundation type is Masonry basement (1), then Touchstone assumes that it is a concrete basement for all further purposes (since a masonry basement is assumed not to have more than one level of basement).

•       Optional

•       To specify a positive, non-zero value for this field, you must also specify Masonry basement (1) or Concrete basement (2) as the foundation type. However, please note that Touchstone does not validate this field.

•       If you specify any of the following construction or occupancy class codes for this location, Touchstone ignores your setting for this field:

•       IFM (400 series occupancy class codes)

•       Mobile homes (191-194 construction class codes)

•       200 series construction class codes (including automobiles and pleasure boats)

•       Industrial occupancies (321-330 occupancy class codes)

Basement Finish Type

•       US HU

•       US IF

One of the following values to indicate whether the basement is unfinished or finished in the building at this location:

•       Unknown/Default (0)

•       Unfinished basement (1)

•       Finished basement (2)

Finished basements have interior features, like drywall, plaster, insulation, and flooring. In addition, finished basements are usually equipped with better flood protection systems. However, they also contain more valuable contents than unfinished basements.

•       Optional

•       You should use this field in conjunction with the Masonry basement (1) or Concrete basement (2) foundation type.

•       If you specify any of the following construction or occupancy class codes for this location, Touchstone ignores your setting for this field:

•       IFM (400 series occupancy class codes)

•       Mobile homes (191-194 construction class codes)

•       200 series construction class codes (including automobiles and pleasure boats)

•       Industrial occupancies (321-330 occupancy class codes)