Life Safety

Plain Definition: A performance objective where occupants can safely evacuate after a design-level earthquake.

Technical Description: Structure may suffer damage but avoids collapse. Life Safety is typically the minimum acceptable objective in building codes.

Use in Design: Targeted in most new seismic design under code requirements.

Meta Title: Life Safety Objective | Earthquake Design Glossary

Meta Description: Understand the life safety performance goal and how it's achieved in seismic structural design.