[1] Seismic codes were created and developed as a response to major earthquakes, including 1755 Lisbon, 1880 Luzon, and 1908 Messina[2] which have caused devastation in highly populated regions.
Often these are revised based on knowledge gained from recent earthquakes and research findings, and as such they are constantly evolving.
The city of Palo Alto, California, led by professors at Stanford, also added similar language to its building code in 1926.
The first Mexico City building code was issued in 1942; since 1966, it contains a complete set of regulations for structural design and has served as a reference for municipalities across the country.
In 1976, the code adopted a coherent format for all materials and structural systems, based on limit states design philosophy.
A new code was revised in 1961 and in 1963, the seismic zonation map was updated with four hazard levels based on predicted shaking on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale.
[12] The 1968 seismic codes introduced additional demands for reinforced concrete component and modern concepts relating to spectral shape and dynamic response.
[12] Poor enforcement of seismic codes was a contributing factor to the devastation of the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes in which over 50,000 people died.
There were high incidences of support column failure leading to the pancake type collapses which complicates rescue efforts.
In a bid to shore up support going into an election in 2018, the government began to offer amnesties for violations of the building code allowing the non-compliance.
[14] In the United States, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) publishes "Recommended Seismic Provisions for New Buildings and Other Structures.