SOFT STORY construction refers to buildings which lack sufficient lateral support mechanisms at the lower levels of a building to withstand the seismic movement of the mass above it. in other words, in an earthquake it simply collapses.

Northridge 1994

The 1994 Northridge quake brought down a number of multi unit buildings with parking below!

Skill Two

This partment building would have been well served with a retrofit by QSE!

Loma Prieta 1989

The numerous soft story multi unit buildings in the Marina district suffered