By Borbala Labancz
Whether it is the result of climate change or of our industrialized society, one thing is sure: the Earth is stricken by more and more natural disaster. And if it is not enough, these earthquakes, tsunamis and landslides always happen in the most inhabited - and usually the poorest, undeveloped - regions, causing thousands of casualties each year. However, this phenomenon is probably not a unique part of our modern days - there are numerous examples of destruction caused by earthquakes in the ancient times, when whole settlements were destroyed by the Earth's seismic activity.
We might use high-tech gadgets and possess a number of university degrees, but in some sense we just can not get smarter. We, as well as our predecessors tend to evolve cities close to fault lines, the most earthquake prone areas. The only difference is that every time we build higher and higher buildings, therefore we increase the severity of the consequences of a possible quake.
The most well-known American fault line is probably the San Andreas Fault Line, which actually crosses important cities in California like San Diego, Los Angeles or San Francisco. In these regions seismic activity is an everyday phenomenon. To avoid possible catastrophes, in the United States building codes usually have specific requirements in earthquake prone areas to increase the constructions' resistance.
It is important to note that building codes were introduced to prevent major catastrophes, however a heavy earthquake can damage these buildings to a minimal extent. A properly engineered structure does not necessarily have to be expensive or extremely strong. The most important is the base isolation and the use of vibration control technologies. It is also recommended to make the roof as light as possible. The use of quality control and correct materials is indispensable.
Instead of adobe, limestone and sandstone structure, steel is considered to be the most appropriate material to use in quake-prone areas, although not even steel structure can guarantee 100 percent proof in a strong quake. Another advantage of steel buildings is ductility, as the elements are flexible and can bend even without breaking into pieces. This is a crucial point in construction and design in territories nearby fault lines.
Time is another important factor, as in these regions, the time of an earthquake is unpredictable, it can happen even before finishing the construction. Therefore, it is recommended to shorten the construction phase as much as you can. As steel buildings are available in pre-fabricated, pre-drilled and pre-punched elements, you can evolve a building faster then using traditional materials, therefore minimizing the risks.
We might use high-tech gadgets and possess a number of university degrees, but in some sense we just can not get smarter. We, as well as our predecessors tend to evolve cities close to fault lines, the most earthquake prone areas. The only difference is that every time we build higher and higher buildings, therefore we increase the severity of the consequences of a possible quake.
The most well-known American fault line is probably the San Andreas Fault Line, which actually crosses important cities in California like San Diego, Los Angeles or San Francisco. In these regions seismic activity is an everyday phenomenon. To avoid possible catastrophes, in the United States building codes usually have specific requirements in earthquake prone areas to increase the constructions' resistance.
It is important to note that building codes were introduced to prevent major catastrophes, however a heavy earthquake can damage these buildings to a minimal extent. A properly engineered structure does not necessarily have to be expensive or extremely strong. The most important is the base isolation and the use of vibration control technologies. It is also recommended to make the roof as light as possible. The use of quality control and correct materials is indispensable.
Instead of adobe, limestone and sandstone structure, steel is considered to be the most appropriate material to use in quake-prone areas, although not even steel structure can guarantee 100 percent proof in a strong quake. Another advantage of steel buildings is ductility, as the elements are flexible and can bend even without breaking into pieces. This is a crucial point in construction and design in territories nearby fault lines.
Time is another important factor, as in these regions, the time of an earthquake is unpredictable, it can happen even before finishing the construction. Therefore, it is recommended to shorten the construction phase as much as you can. As steel buildings are available in pre-fabricated, pre-drilled and pre-punched elements, you can evolve a building faster then using traditional materials, therefore minimizing the risks.
And last but not least, do keep it in your mind: not any metal building provides earthquake-proof structure. Safety and security depend on the construction's certain structure, design, the best available technology and material, and the special landscape characteristics.
Typically, a 6+M quake occurs every three days, so there was no great concentration of quakes at this time. PREDICTIONS FOR THE JUNE WINDOW
Typically, a 6+M quake occurs every three days, so there was no great concentration of quakes at this time. PREDICTIONS FOR THE JUNE WINDOW
