Seismic Control of Moscone
West Convention Center
San Francisco, USA

Savings: US$2.25 million compared to alternate viscous dampers

The Moscone West Convention Center is located in downtown San Francisco, between San Andreas and Hayward faults, which are about 12 miles in each direction. The four-story steel frame building is 110 feet high with clear spans of 40 to 90 feet. The US$186 million expansion of the 1.2 million-sq.-ft. convention center was California’s largest project of 2001.

Bids were invited on two alternate designs, one with viscous dampers and another with Pall Friction Dampers. On the recommendations of peer reviewers and two specialist consultants from the University of California at Berkeley, the City and County of San Francisco chose Pall Friction Dampers for seismic control of this prestigious building. Construction of the four-story convention center started in 2000. Pall Friction Dampers up to 500 kip capacity / ± 4.5" stroke, have been used.