Los Angeles General Medical Center

Los Angeles General Medical Center (formerly LAC+USC Medical Center) is one of the busiest public hospitals in the world. In 1994, The California Hospital Seismic and Safety Act was signed into law and took the old building out of commission. A new, 600 bed, modern facility was constructed nearby that could not only handle more patients but also withstand disasters.

Under the stringent auspices of the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD), this $1.5 billion hospital is seismically designed so a major portion of the hospital can withstand earthquakes with a magnitude up to 8.0. MM Systems worked with the architects and engineers to provide components to help fulfill these requirements.

Situated between an outpatient clinic building and an eight-story inpatient tower sits a base-isolated five-story diagnostic and treatment building equipped with 14 of our Seismic Egress Portals. These portals are designed to provide primary egress through the building as well as allow for seismic movements without altering building integrity. Roughly 1,500 linear feet of seismic moat covers surround the building to assist in seismic movement capability while maintaining a hidden joint sightline. Both the portals and moats activate during a seismic event and return to their nominal plane when the building returns to rest.