Seismic Engineering Program at the Port of Los Angeles

This paper discusses the Seismic Engineering Program that has been developed at the Port of Los Angeles (POLA). Over the years, experts have collaborated with POLA staff in a continuous effort to develop a modern seismic code for container wharves. Since 1990, several workshops have been conducted and many documents and technical papers have been published. The current code, “The POLA Code for Seismic Design, Upgrade and Repair of Container Wharves” (POLA, 2004), emphasizes performance-based design and soil-structure interaction to reflect the challenges of designing container wharf structures in an active fault region of Southern California. A Technical Advisory Board consisting of experts in structural and geotechnical earthquake engineering disciplines has reviewed the development of the code at all stages. Recent wharf construction at the Port confirmed the practicality of the design procedure and construction details. In addition, the Port sponsored and funded an experimental program at the University of California at San Diego to confirm code assumptions. A Port-wide ground-motion and fault study program was undertaken to develop uniform seismic ground motion hazards for the entire Port to augment the Port’s future projects and develop more consistent designs. At the time of writing this paper, POLA is in the process of preparing a book to present its efforts on seismic code development of container wharves. It is hoped that this comprehensive seismic engineering program will provide useful information to other port agencies and the marine design industry both nationally and internationally.