British Columbia is one of the highest seismic risk regions in Canada, and many existing concrete buildings in Metro Vancouver were designed to seismic standards that are now recognized as inadequate for the level of ground shaking the region could experience. Seismic retrofitting — upgrading a structure’s resistance to earthquake forces — and structural concrete repair often intersect in the same project, creating opportunities for building owners to address both structural vulnerabilities and deterioration simultaneously.
Why Seismic Retrofitting and Concrete Repair Intersect
Buildings that require seismic retrofitting are often the same buildings that have aging concrete infrastructure with deterioration issues — because both conditions are products of age and the evolution of engineering standards since the building was constructed. A parkade or building structure from the 1970s may have both inadequate seismic detailing (beam-column connections designed to pre-1980 standards) and significant rebar corrosion and concrete spalling from decades of moisture infiltration.
Addressing both conditions in a single, coordinated project is almost always more efficient than handling them separately. The structural work required for seismic strengthening typically involves opening walls, exposing connections, and working extensively with the structural concrete — activities that naturally overlap with concrete repair scope. Our structural concrete repair capabilities include work in the context of seismic retrofit projects.
Common Seismic Strengthening Approaches for Concrete Buildings
For non-ductile concrete frame buildings — the most common seismic vulnerability in BC’s pre-1980 building stock — seismic strengthening approaches include adding concrete or steel shear walls, installing fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) jacketing on columns to improve ductility, and strengthening beam-column connections with added reinforcement or steel plates. All of these approaches require significant structural engineering design and involve substantial concrete work that must be carefully coordinated with existing building operations.
Carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) jacketing is a particularly efficient approach for column strengthening — the thin, high-strength CFRP wraps add significant ductility without the bulk of concrete jacketing, allowing seismic strengthening in tight spaces. This approach is discussed in more detail on our carbon fibre reinforcement page. See our structural restoration services and our FAQ for more on seismic retrofit projects in Metro Vancouver.
Contact Miyagi Construction for a free site assessment at estimate@miyagiconstruction.com or call (778) 513-7471.
Additional Resources
For more information on concrete standards and construction safety in British Columbia, visit National Research Council Canada and the CSA Group for industry standards and guidelines.
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