The goal of the NEHRP Recommended Provisions is to present criteria for the design and construction of new buildings subject to earthquake ground motions in order to minimize the hazard to life for all buildings, to increase the expected performance of higher occupancy structures as compared to ordinary structures, and to improve the capability of essential facilities to function after an earthquake.

These provisions present criteria for the design and construction of buildings and non-building structures subject to earthquake ground motions. Their purposes are to minimize the hazard to life for all buildings and non-building structures, to increase the expected performance of higher occupancy structures as compared to ordinary structures, and to improve the capability of essential facilities to function during and after an earthquake.