Nesbett Courthouse

This simplified diagram of the Nesbett Courthouse shows how the building, completed in 1996, is meant to respond to ground movement that might occur below and beside it during an earthquake. Sections of the frame, described as flexible bays, are designed to fail in a controlled way so that the foundation matches the new ground surface without the building collapsing completely. The design is meant to accommodate vertical movement up to four feet and side-to-side movement of nearly three feet. The Nesbett Courthouse is a 6-foot building designed accordingly to the 1991 Uniformed Building Code. The site lies within Anchorage Hazard Zone 4, Which means it has a "high' potential for earthquake-induced ground failure.