Confirm the ASCE/SEI 41 edition and the performance objective the evaluation used, then trace the deficiencies it identified into the retrofit drawings, the existing conditions shown, and the nonstructural components the scope includes. Check that every retrofit element is coordinated with the architectural and MEP drawings it passes through. AI can flag conflicts; the structural engineer and building official decide compliance.
What does ASCE/SEI 41 cover?
ASCE describes ASCE/SEI 41-23, Seismic Evaluation and Retrofit of Existing Buildings, as using performance-based principles to evaluate and retrofit existing buildings for earthquakes, with a three-tiered evaluation process. It covers foundations and geologic site hazards, steel, concrete, masonry, wood, and cold-formed steel components, architectural, mechanical, and electrical components, and seismic isolation and energy dissipation.
ASCE’s ASCE/SEI 41 page shows ASCE/SEI 41-23 as the current edition and describes it as a primary reference for structural engineers and for building code officials reviewing such work. Checked October 15, 2026. ASCE notes that steel and concrete provisions point to AISC 342 and ACI 369. Which edition a jurisdiction or retrofit ordinance requires is set locally; read the adopted existing building code and any ordinance.
The existing building code decides when an evaluation or retrofit is triggered; see the IEBC guide. New-building loads are in the ASCE 7 guide, and material standards in the ACI 318, AISC 360, NDS, and TMS 402 guides.
Gather the evaluation, existing conditions, and retrofit set
Collect the seismic evaluation report with its performance objective and evaluation tier, the existing conditions drawings and any testing or material survey, the retrofit structural drawings and general notes, the architectural drawings showing where new frames, walls, or bracing land, the MEP drawings that cross them, and the nonstructural anchorage details if they are in scope.
Record which deficiencies the evaluation listed. Most coordination findings come from comparing that list with what the retrofit set actually addresses.
Trace the evaluation into the retrofit
| Review question | Sources to compare | Decision to record |
|---|---|---|
| Edition and objective | Evaluation report, structural general notes | Confirm one ASCE/SEI 41 edition and performance objective across documents. |
| Deficiencies addressed | Evaluation report, retrofit drawings | Map each listed deficiency to a retrofit element or a stated reason it was left. |
| Existing conditions | Existing conditions drawings, material testing, retrofit details | Check that details rely on the same member sizes and materials the survey found. |
| Load path continuity | Retrofit plans, connection details, foundation drawings | Follow new elements from roof or floor to foundation for missing connections. |
| Architectural and MEP conflicts | Retrofit plans, architectural plans, MEP drawings | Find new walls, frames, or braces drawn through doors, windows, ducts, or pipes. |
| Nonstructural scope | Evaluation report, anchorage details, MEP equipment schedules | Confirm which nonstructural components are in scope and that they are detailed. |
The structural drawing checklist gives a working log, and the ASCE 24 guide covers another hazard-specific ASCE standard often reviewed with existing buildings.
Example: a new brace through an existing duct main
Hypothetical example. A retrofit adds a steel braced frame on one gridline to address a deficiency in the evaluation report. The structural plan places a diagonal brace across a corridor bay, and the mechanical drawings for the same project keep an existing duct main running through that bay at the brace height.
The new braced frame on Grid C crosses the corridor bay where the mechanical drawings keep the existing supply duct main. Confirm the brace geometry or the duct route and coordinate the structural and mechanical drawings.
The structural engineer and mechanical engineer resolve the conflict, which may change the brace configuration. The finding is a coordination question, not a seismic analysis.
Review seismic retrofit documents with Groundbook
Upload the current drawings and specifications to Groundbook, and state the edition, amendments, and review scope in your instructions. Add the ASCE/SEI 41 edition the project uses from a copy you are licensed to use, where the license permits uploading it, and the jurisdiction’s published amendments. See how Groundbook works with local and licensed codes.
Compare the seismic evaluation report, existing conditions drawings, retrofit structural drawings and notes, architectural drawings, and MEP drawings. Flag deficiencies with no retrofit element, details that rely on different existing conditions, missing load path connections, and retrofit elements that conflict with other trades. Use the supplied ASCE/SEI 41 edition and cite both sources.
Groundbook links each potential finding to the sheets and documents involved. It does not perform seismic analysis or check member capacity.
Document review does not evaluate seismic performance or replace the structural engineer or building official.