a). California Construction Link, June 2001 (McGraw-Hill Publication), Page 8-9. 
Moscone West Project, San Francisco.

The new convention center is located between the San Andreas and Hayward faults, which are approximately 12 miles in each direction. It is a US$186 million expansion of the 1.2 million-sq.-ft convention center. The use of 248 Pall Friction Dampers (slip load up to 500 kip) resulted in reducing story drifts to less than 1% compared to 2% without dampers.

"In the event of a major earthquake, 70-80 percent of the earthquake energy will be dissipated by friction dampers, leaving the building structure with little damage. The exterior wall system as well as all other systems of the structure will also experience lowered seismic movements and shock due to these systems and should therefore perform better," says Clonia Cautis with Gensler, architect of record. "We believe this system saved a couple of millions of dollars in initial construction costs and will save as much as tens of millions of dollars additionally in lowered repair costs in the event of a major earthquake," Cautis noted. " This gives a reasonable expectation that this building will be immediately occupiable after a major earthquake.

The article gives the story on Moscone West Convention Center and shows some pictures of installation of Pall Friction Dampers. Steel structure including installation of friction dampers was completed in January 2002. The new convention center opened in 2003.

The use of 248 Pall Friction Dampers of 300-500 Kip slip load reduced the building drift from 2% to 1%. City and County of San Francisco chose Pall Friction Dampers as it saved them US$2.25 million compared to alternate viscous dampers in open bidding. The cost of Pall Friction Dampers was about 30% the cost of viscous dampers.

a). The Use of Friction Dampers for the Seismic Retrofit of the Monterey County Government Center. Paper #951.

b). Friction Dampers for the Seismic Upgrade of A 14-Story Patient Tower with A 36=Foot Soft-Story. Paper #90.

a). St-Vincent Hospital, Ottawa.
The hospital complex consists of 5 blocks of 5-storey concrete frame buildings, built in 1960's. Major renovations and addition of one storey on top. The seismic upgrade is being done with Pall Friction Dampers in steel bracing. Completed in 2006.

b). Jewish General Hospital, Sir Mortimer Davis Pavillion, Montreal. Seismic upgrade completed in 2005.

c). CHRTR Pavillon Ste.-Marie Hospital, Trois Riviere, QC. Seismic upgrade completed in 2005.

d). Monterey County Government Center, North Wing, Salinas, CA.
The existing 3-story plus one basement is concrete frame structure was built in 1966. It is situated very close to San Andreas fault. The seismic upgrade started in 2004 and completed in 2006.

e). St. Joseph Hospital Outdoor Patient Tower, Tacoma, WA.
The 14-story concrete frame building was built in early 1970's. The tower is supported on 36' high columns. This creates a very soft story. The seismic upgrade has been accomplished by incorporating 400 kip capacity friction dampers at the intersection of cross bracing in the soft story. Construction started in 2004 and completed in 2005.

f). Hotel de Ville, Longueuil, Quebec.
The seismic upgrade of existing 3-storey building started in 2005 and completed in 2005.

a). Hospital TUNAL in Bogota, Colombia. Seismic upgrade of 5-storey concrete structure. Completion in 2006.

b). Ecole Technologie Superiure (ETS) Expansion Phase 3, University of Quebec at Montreal. Completion in 2006

c). Jewish General Hospital, Montreal. Seismic upradeof Laboratories Vaccine Anti-VIH and Therapatiques.

d). McGill Univvversity, Pavilion Life Sciences, Montreal. Completion in 2006.

e). Hospital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, Montreal. Seismic upgrade Phase 1, Completion in 2006.

f). Hospital Honore Mercier, St. Hyacinthe, Phase 1, Seismic upgrade of Pavilion Herve Gagnon and St. Charles.

g). Centrale 911, Ville de Quebec, Quebec. Seismic upgrade. Completion in 2006.