September 10, 2008 - Forget what Jerry Lee Lewis said; there’s not going to be a whole lotta shakin’ going on with a new standard from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 171-2008, Method of Testing Seismic Restraint Devices for HVAC&R Equipment, provides manufacturers a standard way of testing such devices to prequalify products for earthquake-prone areas. “This standard is a breakthrough for ASHRAE,” says James Tauby, chair of the committee that wrote the standard. “This new national standard moves testing from the West Coast to the entire United States."
It is the first national standard for seismic restraint testing of non-structural components that does not require shaker table testing, which is the required testing form in many California projects. Standard 171 provides provide static-test procedures for determining the capacity of seismic restraints for HVAC&R equipment.
These test procedures determine the maximum force a restraint can withstand without breakage or permanent deformation.Manufacturers of vibration isolators, seismic restraint vendors and strut channels can use the standard to test their products’ suitability for standing up to earthquake conditions, and consulting engineers can use the standard as a reference in specifications.The cost of Standard 171-2008 is $39 ($31, ASHRAE members).ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is an international organization of some 50,000 persons. ASHRAE fulfills its mission of advancing heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration to serve humanity and promote a sustainable world through research, standards writing, publishing and continuing education.
