CHANTILLY, VA — The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) announced that the Sheet Metal and Air-Conditioning Contractors National Association’s (SMACNA) “Seismic Restraint Manual; Guidelines for Mechanical Systems” has been approved as an American National Standard.

The 200-page manual is a set of flexible guidelines that show designers and contractors how to determine the correct restraints for sheet metal ducts, piping, and conduit so that they are more likely to remain attached to the building during an earthquake.

It includes additional reader aids, alternative-bracing details, details for floor-supported piping and ductwork, as well as details for seismic joints in pipes, transverse bracing for steam pipes, and a suggested detail for variable air volume terminals.