HowToResistAnEarthquake

JudicaelTchoudja
KenmoorMiddleSchool
7thGrade
Mrs.G.Sanchez
Due:November12,2014

USGS.gov:AccordingtotheUnitedStatesGeologicalSurvey,buildingcodesarethe
thefirstthingsthatprotectusfromearthquakes.Buildingcodeshaveevolvedovertime
duetopastexperienceswithbuildingsdestroyedbyearthquakes.EngineersandEarth
scientistsmustunderstandthestressescausedbyshaking,inordertodesign
structuresthatcanwithstandearthquakes.Inordertodoso,EarthScientistsand
engineersmeasuredhoweachbuildingrespondedduringanearthquake,startinginthe
1940s.Anexampleofwhybuildingcodeshaveevolvedisthe1984MorganHill,
Californiaearthquake.ThecenterofaWestValleyCollegegymnasiumroofshook
sidewaysthreetofourtimesasmuchastheedges.Thisledtotheimprovementofthe
UniformBuildingCodewhichstatesthattheflexibilityoflargespanroofsystemsshould
bedecreasedsothatseismicresistanceisimproved.Preventionwithinformationisthe
keytopreventingcasualtiesduringearthquakes.

FEMAE74:AccordingtotheFederalEmergencyManagementAgency,dueto
differencesinseismicintensityregionally,differentplansofactionshouldbetakenfor
differentregions.Forbuildingsinregionswithalowseismichazardrisk,itisnot
considerednecessarytotakeseismiccounteractivemeasuresandviceversa.The
documentdefinesnonstructuralcomponents.Causesofdamagetononstructural
componentsincludebutarenotlimitedto,inertial/shakingeffects,building
deformations,separationorpoundingbetweenseparatestructures,andinteraction
betweenadjacentnonstructuralcomponents.Thedocumentdefinesandexplainsterms

andideassuchasinertialforces,buildingdeformations,storydrift,buildingseparations
andotherterms.Storydriftcancausethebreakageofrigidcomponentsofabuilding.

FEMAP749:AccordingtotheFEMA,whencommunitiesarenotadequatelyprepared
forasevereearthquake,thousandsoflivesorlostandbillionsofdollarsineconomic
investmentarelost.Anexampleisthe1906SanFranciscoearthquake.20statesare
likelytobestruckbyearthquakes,sowemustprotectourselves.Oneofthemainways
acommunityprotectsitselffromearthquakesisdevelopingandenforcingbuilding
codes.Thisdocumentexploreseveryaspectofbuildingcodessuchastheirhistoryand
impact.

FEMA232:AccordingtotheFEMA,buildingcodesaretheminimumrecommendation,
soyourhousemaystillbedamagedintheeventofanearthquake.Thisdocument
addressesthebasicprinciplesofearthquakeresistantdesign,thespecificprescriptive
seismicprovisionsofthe2003InternationalResidentialCode,theresultsofrecent
researchandanalysis,andmeasuresexceedingcoderequirementsthatareexpected
toreducetheamountofdamagefromanearthquake.Thisdocumentalsopresents
someguidanceonapplyingtheprinciplesofearthquakeresistancetohouseadditions,
alterations,anchoringtypicalhousefurnishings,andequipmentsuchaswaterheaters.

CentralPublicWorksDepartment&IndianBuildingCongressHandbookOn
SeismicRetrofitOfBuildings:AccordingtotheCentralPublicWorksDepartmentand

theIndianBuildingCongress,seismicprotectionhasbecomeaveryimportanttopicin
India.Indiaisoneofthemostearthquakepronecountriesintheworld.About5060%of
Indiaslandissusceptibletoseismicactivity.TheearthquakesatLatur(1993),Jabalpur
(1997),Chamoli(1999),andBhuj(2001)haveshowntheCPWDandtheIBCthat
Indiasbuildingsareinseriousneedofseismicretrofitting,duetothefactthatalmost
85%oftotalbuildingsinIndiaaremadeofearthenwalls,stonewalls,brickmasonry
wallsandetcetera,whicharematerialsthatarenotearthquakeresistant.Fewbuildings
inIndiameetthebuildingcodes.Thisdocumentprovidesinformationaboutalmost
everyaspectofseismicactivity,seismicretrofitting,andearthquakeseffectson
buildings.

CentralPublicWorksDepartment&IndianBuildingCongressHandbookOnSeismic
RetrofitOfBuildings.April2007

FEMAE74:ReducingtheRisksofNonstructuralEarthquakeDamageAPractical
Guide.January2011

FEMAP749:EarthquakeResistantDesignConceptsAnIntroductiontotheNEHRP
RecommendedSeismicProvisionsforNewBuildingsandOtherStructures.
December2010

FEMA232:HomeownersGuidetoEarthquakeResistantDesignandConstruction.
June2006

BuildingSaferStructures.UnitedStatesGeologicalSurvey.July18,201218:51:24
UTC.Online.9September2014.
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/publications/saferstructures/