Updated Seismic Design Guidelines for Model Building Code of Mexico

The Manual of Civil Structures (MOC), a model design code in Mexico, has been in the process of being updated, and the new version of this code was published in 2008. A major update from the 1993 version was performed in the chapter for the seismic design of building structures. This paper summarizes the most relevant changes of this building code and their relation to research efforts conducted within Mexico and worldwide to improve the seismic design of building structures. One goal is to make the guidelines as transparent as possible to users, so that the design process will be clearer to structural engineers.