Past earthquakes have highlighted the importance of seismic design. Precast concrete can provide excellent resilience against earthquakes, among many other high-performance attributes. It has been used in seismic regions all over the world, and in all building types. PCI has developed the Body of Knowledge for precast seismic design and offers a number of resources. This section includes many design resources and information about seismic design.

In addition to the primary lateral-force-resisting system, precast concrete diaphragm designs have changed based on performance in past earthquakes. The Diaphragm Seismic Design Methodology (DSDM) research project conducted at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), on a three-story, half-scale structure using their shake table tested diaphragm performance. The structure was subjected to a series of different seismic simulations including the maximum considered design earthquake. These results are incorporated into ASCE/SEI 7 and ACI 550 standards, which improves how all structures are designed for earthquakes. Watch the video to learn more: