The ground rumbles and you feel a sudden jolt. You brace yourself for a second, hoping it isn’t what you fear. The floor beneath you and the rest of the building begin to shake violently. You struggle to maintain your footing. Less than 30 seconds later… it’s over. You’re thankful to be safe, and the building is still standing. Everything’s okay. Right?
Following a typical seismic event, we see images of buildings that have experienced major structural damage. Sometimes inexplicably, these buildings stand very close to buildings that appear untouched. But inside the building, it’s often a different story. According to FEMA, inertial failures and displacement/deformation failures experienced by nonstructural components have accounted for most of the earthquake damage in U.S. history. The Northridge earthquake of 1994 is a perfect example of the impact and expense of nonstructural damage following a seismic event.
To minimize the impact of nonstructural damage, the International Building Code requires seismic cable bracing for equipment installed with vibration isolation, and any project that has an extended drop length from the structure.
Traditionally, rigid seismic bracing installation has required tools and a significant investment of time. Eaton’s B-Line series seismic cable kit, available for purchase from Agilix Solutions, is setting out to change that. In this blog article, we’ll explore how this revolutionary line of products is changing how facilities protect people from injury and equipment from damage during a seismic event.
Eaton B-Line Series Seismic Cable Bracing Solution Installs in Half the Time
If you or your team is responsible for installing seismic bracing systems, the first advantage of Eaton’s B-Line system is hard to ignore: it installs up to 50% faster than a traditional bracing system. That’s because the system features cut-to-length SKUs for 10- and 20-foot cable options, and color-coded tags for size verification.
Put Away Your Toolbox
Installation of your bracing system just got a whole lot simpler. One SKU of Eaton’s B-Line series seismic cable kit comes with two 3/32”, 1/8”, and 3/16” cable assemblies with attached eyelet and KwikwireTM clamps for a complete brace assembly. The cable system quickly wraps around an open web bar joist, with no drilling required. What does that mean for you? It means no tools are necessary for installation and there are fewer steps to completion.
Reliability You Can Count On
Fast and simple installation simply doesn’t do you much good if you can’t rely on the bracing system to do its job in the case of an earthquake or other seismic event. Eaton’s B-Line system is ideal for new or retrofit mechanical, electrical, and plumbing commercial operations. It’s lightweight and easy to carry around a job site and blends in with upper structural supports, offering an aesthetic appeal you don’t get with traditional seismic bracing systems. It’s also compatible with many other B-Line series fastener, anchor, and hanger products.
You can rest assured that the Eaton B-Line series seismic cable kits have been tested by an independent lab and stamped by a professional engineer.
The Agilix Solutions team is your source of information on the Eaton B-Line series seismic cable kit. Please reach out to your Agilix Solutions Account Manager today, contact us online, or connect with us via live chat, available at the bottom right corner of every page on the Agilix Solutions website.