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In Canada, most single-family wood-frame residential structures in seismically hazardous regions are constructed according to Part 9 of Division B of the National Building Code (or similar provincial standards) using nonengineering methods. These structures are expected to perform well during an earthquake regarding life safety but may sustain severe economic losses. Seismic isolation is an emerging technology that provides excellent life safety and economic performance. While this technology has proven effective at protecting structures from earthquakes, no nonengineering methodologies exist that are compatible with Part 9 methods. This limitation produces significant testing, design, and cost barriers that restrict the application of base isolation on vulnerable Part 9 structures. To eliminate or reduce these cost barriers, a program framework was developed to perform the engineering seismic design and analysis for a base-isolated Part 9 single-family residential structure. The proposed methodology further encourages the application of seismic isolation to Part 9 structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stormwater infrastructure system (SWIS) is a main component of a municipal infrastructure system that safely passes excess runoff, controls floods, and manages pollutant discharges. A comprehensive literature review has revealed that stormwater infrastructure level of service (LOS) assessment, an important step in asset management, has been abstractly defined. LOS assists in infrastructure performance assessment as well as investment decision-making. This research proposes a methodological framework for LOS assessment of SWIS and adopts the proposed method in asset management decision-making. A hierarchical framework was developed to assess the LOS by using key performance indicators. The proposed framework was demonstrated in a case study for a municipality in Southwestern ON. To improve the LOS of sub-catchments with low LOS, low-impact development (LID) controls were proposed. The cost-benefit analysis revealed that an investment of $110 950 in LIDs could increase the LOS by 26.4% (from medium to good). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]