Presents an overview of a coordinated research program between the United States and Japan on the seismic design and performance of precast concrete structural systems. The objectives of this program are to develop effective seismic structural systems for precast buildings and to prepare seismic design recommendations for incorporation into the model building codes. The program, which has been in operation for about a year, is scheduled to be active for another six years. This paper presents the background to the program and briefly describes the component projects.
