Seismic Analysis and Design of Ferry Plaza for the Downtown San Francisco Ferry Terminal

The Downtown San Francisco Ferry Terminal Expansion project included an improvement to the existing berthing facility, the construction of two additional berthing slips, and the expansion of the terminal landside structures (the “Ferry Plaza”). The Ferry Plaza consists of a new concrete deck structure supported by steel pipe piles. A performance-based seismic design approach was chosen for the design of the Ferry Plaza using two hazard levels consistent with the requirements of local and national codes and guidelines. This paper addresses: 1) the two performance acceptance criteria and strain limits associated with both performance levels; 2) the methodology used in modeling and analyzing the structure; 3) the combination of inertial and kinematic loading effects that were incorporated into the analysis; and 4) the pile-deck connection design developed to accommodate the large demand displacement.