LAX Airport Theme Building | Seismic Upgrade

The iconic LAX Theme Building was constructed in 1961 and is designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. In 2010, the building received a seismic upgrade to better withstand earthquake and wind loadings. Aspects of the upgrade included repairing steel in the upper parabolic arches, strengthening the central concrete core, and seismically retrofitting the building. A state-of-the-art, tuned mass damper also was added to the building to reduce seismic demand.

The unique shape of the LAX Theme Building presented challenges to the geotechnical and structural teams, as it consists of two separate structures (inner core and architectural) that respond to different modes of vibration. Brian Skyers was the lead geotechnical earthquake engineer on the project. Working closely with the project team, he performed the site-specific ground motion studies, developed seismic response spectrum compatible time histories, and developed spring stiffness values for modeling the dynamic behavior of the foundations. The seismic analyses were subject to rigorous external review and were delivered successfully.

The staff at HD Geosolutions, Inc. have worked on numerous historic buildings and projects requiring detailed ground motion analyses. Our historic building experience includes the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, three Alameda Square historic buildings (now ROW DTLA), and Mission San Miguel Arcángel.

PROJECT NAME:  LAX Theme Building Seismic Upgrade
LOCATION:  Los Angeles International Airport
COMPLETION DATE:  2010
ARCHITECT: Gin Wong Associates
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: Miyamoto International
SERVICES: Advanced Earthquake Engineering
PROJECT COST: $12.3M