Omega Flex

Exton, PA

Seismic Certification of Omega Flex CMT Products

When Omega Flex approached us, their goal was to obtain ICC-ES certification for a single corrugated metal tubing product, with the expectation of repeating that process two more times for additional product lines. This path would have been lengthy, costly, and uncertain, especially given questions about the applicability of existing Acceptance Criteria.

Kandou provided the technical justification to ICC-ES to apply the existing Acceptance Criteria AC 156 rather than creating a new and time-consuming Acceptance Criteria. We then developed and executed a test plan that secured certification for three products in a single round of testing that fit more than 100 three-dimensional earthquake simulations in a week of installation and testing. By instrumenting the specimens strategically, the tests not only satisfied certification requirements but also generated data that helped inform upcoming code provisions for corrugated metal tubing in ASCE 7. In short, one carefully designed test program covered multiple products, reduced cost and time, and advanced the building code itself.