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What is earthquake resistant design?

Earthquake resistant design is a field or type of structural design that aims to design buildings to resist earthquakes - providing structural systems that will not collapse in an earthquake and therefore save lives and relief money.

Why do we need earthquake resistant buildings?

On average, 20, 000 earthquakes occur every year around the globe, with an average of 16 being major disasters. In 2019, fifty-five people in the Philippines died during earthquakes, over ten of which rocked the country with an over 6.0 magnitude. In just one of them, 1200 homes were destroyed and at least 500 schools and homes damaged, as well as historic churches and even hospitals and temporary treatment centres for those who had been injured in the last quake. An earthquake in October damaged 47,476 homes, leaving 277, 000 people displaced as of March 2020.

Impressive structures and cities can be levelled by a single major earthquake event, unless we incorporate the possibility into our design.

Should all buildings be earthquake proof?

Let's get this out of the way: earthquake-proof buildings don't exist. Yet. We can design earthquake resistant buildings, though exactly how resistant they are can only be tested by the magnitude of earthquake they withstand.

The only downside to building and retrofitting all buildings to be earthquake resistant is money. But that's a pretty big downside, especially in the countries that need it most. Earthquakes rack cities on the Pacific Rim, or Ring of Fire, depleting their money and resources to immediate relief. When the aftershocks ease and the dust settles, there's not enough money left for earthquake resistant design. In April of 2015, Nepal was just beginning to enforce a plan to decrease its vulnerability to earthquakes when the ground shook again. In a perfect world, all buildings - especially buildings along the Ring of Fire - would be earthquake-resistant, but too many of the inhabitants of the Pacific Rim simply don't have the funds to do it or have bigger problems than the occasional earthquake.

How can we prevent earthquakes from destroying buildings?

While earthquake resistant design is becoming the new norm in most earthquake prone cities who can afford it, it's interesting to note University of Brighton researchers are working on an invention called ViBa, which, when installed under the ground, absorbs 40-80% of the seismic waves directed at the building it protects. However, it will not be widely used for a while considering its size, difficulty to mass-produce and thus higher price tag. Back to the current solutions: design.

How do seismic waves affect buildings?

In the event of an earthquake, seismic waves move underground in in short, rapid intervals in all directions from the source of the quake. Buildings are generally made to stand vertical forces such as their weight and gravity, but not the horizontal forces of the ground moving from side to side. Seismic waves vibrate the walls, floors, columns, beams and the connectors that hold buildings together, especially those closer to the ground. Since the bottom of the building is moving differently from the top, the movement causes extreme stress to the foundations of the building until the supporting frame ruptures and the entire structure collapses.

How can you make a building earthquake proof?

The most effective way to build an earthquake resistant building is to counteract the forces of an earthquake. You can do this by reinforcing the building's structure, shielding the building from vibrations, "dampening," or dissipating the kinetic energy of an earthquake with vibrational control or pendulum power, or creating a flexible foundation for the building.

To make an existing building earthquake proof, kiwi engineer Dr. Bill Robinson designed the Lead-Rubber Bearing system (LRBs), which can be incorporated into a building's design or fitted to an existing, at-risk building. An LRB is a flexible, energy-absorbing support structure that separates the building from the land it sits on - so its foundations aren't ripped out by the seismic waves, and it doesn't topple over.

Making an existing building earthquake proof is called retrofitting. Seismic retrofit techniques vary from place to place, depending on the structure, soil, topography and distance to other faults.

What materials are used in earthquake proof buildings?

As with non-earthquake proof buildings, two of the main materials used in earthquake proof buildings are steel and wood. Structural steel comes in a variety of shapes that allow buildings to bend without breaking. This is an example of high ductility - the ability to undergo large deformations and tension (i.e. bend without breaking). Wood is also highly ductile because of its strength-to-weight ratio.

Other materials include shape memory alloys, fibre-reinforced plastic wrap, spider silk, bamboo and 3D-printed materials. Fibre-reinforced plastic wrap is a highly ductile material to wrap around columns. Shape memory alloys can be considered hyper-ductile in that they can be bent and return to their original shape after the need for bending is over. Spider silk, bamboo and 3D-printed materials have a high strength-to-weight ratio, and so are being considered as stand-ins for wood where wood is not the most suitable material.

What is the best shape for an earthquake proof building?

According to the University of British Columbia, the dome is by far the best shape for earthquake resistance. On the "shake table," a test method used to simulate earthquakes' effect on certain building designs, the dome outperformed conventionally-structured houses. However, there are a few caveats to this in practicality: domes are hard to build and take up a lot of space that's hard to use inside the building. For many companies building their office buildings, for example, it's easier to rely on building with resistant materials, flexible foundations and dampening the energy of a quake.

Are short buildings more stable than tall buildings?

In an earthquake: no. Short buildings have shallower foundations than tall buildings, making them easier to rip out or destroy. Short buildings are also considered 'stiffer' than tall buildings; it's harder to incorporate flexibility into their design, which means when the ground moves, they'll crumble rather than sway. Swaying buildings survive longer than crumbling ones.

What is the weakest part of a building?

Each building will be designed to have different weak points, so there's no cut-and-dry weakest part of any building. However, technologies like Scan and Solve from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Florida International University can identify and predict weak spots in a structure before it starts breaking down. Alternatively, the building designers can produce a blueprint with the weak spots highlighted.

What famous buildings are earthquake proof?

Taipei 101

The Taipei 101, formerly the Taipei international tower, was the tallest building in the world from 2004-2010, until the UAE beat it. It set records for the fastest elevator in the world, and the largest "green building" in the world. It is flexible as well as structurally resistant, with even the glass and curtain walls designed to withstand earthquakes.

The Transamerica Pyramid

Although the Transamerica Pyramid no longer belongs to the Transamerica corporation, it is still a testament to their boldness in design. The second-tallest building on the San Francisco skyline, the Pyramid intends to stay there. Its foundations are 52ft deep and flexible, and aboveground precast quartz aggregate covers the building's exterior, protecting each of its floors from collapse.

The Yokohama Landmark Tower

The Yokohama Landmark Tower is famous for it's 5-star hotel, observatory and Sky Garden and its sheer size as the second tallest building in Japan. But the wonder here is the flexible structure to withstand earthquakes based off the ancient Japanese five-tier pagoda design. Principals used for 40ft buildings back in the 8 th century have proven themselves worthy of behemoths in the modern day, evidenced by the Landmark Tower.

What is the most earthquake resistant building?

The Philippine Arena. It is the largest domed area in the world, with a seating capacity of 55, 000. It was designed by Populous, an architecture firm in Australia, and is able to withstand lateral loads of up to 40% of its mass. It has an independent base design, which means the structural body of the arena is separate to its foundation. It uses LRBs to separate these two features. The Philippine Arena uses a combination of shape, structural absorption of shockwaves and a flexible layer between it and its foundation to withstand the highest magnitude earthquakes of any other building in the world.

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Your Guide to Earthquake-Resistant Design

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Earthquake resistant design is a field or type of structural design that aims to design buildings to resist earthquakes - providing structural systems that will not collapse in an earthquake and therefore save lives and relief money. On average, 20, 000 earthquakes occur every year around the globe, with an average of 16 being major disasters.

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A dome-shaped house is used for Earthquake-proofed homes.

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Shear walls and cross balances are used to keep structures stable during earthquakes. Also, domes are good at keeping buildings stable.

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Things like futuristic material could be useful and helpful for building those earthquake protective homes and the dome shape.

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The building should be built on top of flexible pads so that when an earthquake comes, only the base of the structure will move.

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The strongest structural shape used in earthquake-proof homes is a dome shape

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The strongest structural shape that is used in Earthquake-proof buildings are domes.

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The strongest shape for earthquake proof homes is a dome.

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The base of the building could be made with flexible pads so that the actual building is still and only the base is moving.

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The strongest structural shape used in Earthquake-proof homes is dome-shaped buildings.

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The building should have flexible pads at the bottom so when shaken only the base of the structure will move

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There should flexible pads on the base of the building so that when theres an earthquake, only the base will move.

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The strongest shape for an earthquake proof home is a dome shape.

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The strongest structural shape to build an earthquake-proof house is a dome shape.

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The building should have a flexible pad base, this is because when an earthquake occurs, the only thing actually moving is the base itself.

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The building should have a flexible foundation so that only the base of the building moves during an earthquake.

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The base of the building should be flexible and strong, using flexible pads, so when an earthquake hits, the base will move but the rest of the structure will remain steady.

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Bases of buildings can be built on top of a flexible frame foundation. This allows the foundation to move, but keeps the actual building in its place.

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The strongest shape used in earthquake-proof buildings are domes.

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The base of the building should be flexible so the rest of the building won't fall during an earthquake.

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The base of the building should be flexible so that only the base will move and not the structure in case of an earthquake. It must also be strong and built to distribute weight and impact. Wood and steel are good materials to build with.

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The base of the buidling should be built with flexible pads underneath. This is so when an earthquake arrises, only the flexible base is the only thing moving.

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The strongest structural shape for an Earthquake-proof home is dome-shaped.

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The strongest structural shape for an Earthquake proof home is a dome shape.

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The strongest structural shape used in Earthquake-proof homes is a dome shape.

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Shear walls, cross braces, diaphragms, and moment-resisting frames are crucial to building earthquake-proof buildings. The best shape for earthquake-proof buildings are dome buildings.

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The strongest and most effective shape to prevent a house from earthquake damage is a dome.

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The base of the building should have a flexible foundation that allows it to sway, rather than crumble.

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The base of the buildings should be made out of flexible pads that isolate the foundation from the ground.

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The structure should have pads that are flexible, so that the beams aren't so stiff and collapse immediately. Instead they move with the structure.

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The base of the building should be made up of flexible pads.

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The strongest structural shape used in Earthquake-proof homes is a dome.

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A dome would most easily withstand a earthquake

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The base of the building should be flexible and strong using flexible pads.

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The strongest structural shape used in earthquake-resistant buildings is a dome.

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The strongest structural shape used for an Earthquake-proof home is a dome shape.

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The base of the building should be sustainable and flexible to make sure that a building wont collapse that easily and move along with the earthquake.

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The base of the building should have flexible pads that isolate the foundation from the ground so they move with the structure.

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The base of a building should be created using flexible pads so that when an earthquake hits, the pads move but the building stays still and intact.

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Steel and wood are almost earthquake resistant because of there high ductility. This allows them to bend without breaking.

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Shear walls and cross braces are used to create Earthquake-proof structures.

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Engineers put a large ball with steel cables and hydraulics at the top of the building. When the building moves, the ball moves in the opposite direction, so the building stays straight.

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The strongest shape used in earthquake proof homes is a dome.

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At the top of the building, engineers will often hang a big ball above it with steel cables. This way, if an earthquake were to hit the ball would act like a pendulum and move in an opposite direction of the building sway. This stabilizes the direction and allows the building to stay straight.

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The base of the building should be made up of flexible pads and should be separate or slightly raised from the ground.

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A dome is the strongest structural shape used for Earthquake-proof homes.

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The building itself has to be tall so it can sway longer during the earthquake. The roof has to be made of steel with other reinforcements, along with a pendulum ball (inside the structure) to balance out the movements.

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The base of an earthquake-proof building should have flexible pads in/on the base of the building to ensure that if an earthquake comes only the base moves.

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The top of the building should have a large ball.

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A building with a ball shaped top with cables is what scientist believe would be the best shape top in order to keep the building stable during an earthquake.

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At the top of the building engineers with place a large steel ball with cables. If there ever were to be an Earthquake then the ball would swing keeping the weight the same as the building shook.

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The top of the building need something ball-shaped to put on top.

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Engineers use pendulums to keep skyscrapers stable during earthquakes.

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Engineers have created a large ball held up by steel cables and hydraulics that they placed at the top of the building. If the building were to sway one way, the ball says the other direction to keep the building upright.

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engineers suspend a large metal ball with steel cables to stabilize the building.

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The top of the building should be built with large balls with steel cables and hydraulics. This is so when an earthquake happens, the ball will sway the opposite direction as the building is swaying - keeping it upright.

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Engineers hang a large ball with steel cables with a system of hydraulics at the top of the building. When the building begins the move one way, the ball sways and moves in the opposite direction to stabilize the direction.

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Building a strong and earthquake resistant base involves constructing a building on top of flexible pads made of steel, rubber, and lead.

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When a base is made using flexible pads made of steel, rubber, and lead, the building should remain steady during an Earthquake.

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According to the articles, a strong structural shape that can withstand the power of strong earthquakes would be a dome shaped building.

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The top of earthquake-proof buildings should usually have a large pendulum ball so that the ball with counter the swaying of the building during an earthquake, causing the building to stay straightly upright.

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Engineers install a large metal ball with steel cables to make the building more stable if an earthquake happens to come

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On top of the buildings there is a large steel ball with hydraulics. Once the buildings start swaying, the ball works as a pendulum.

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The building could be built over some flexible pads so that when the building moves just the base moves and not the entire building.

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At the top of the building, engineers suspend a large ball with steel cables with a system of hydraulics, this type of of method is mostly used in skyscrapers.

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The top of the building should have a steel ball so that the building will not collapse. The ball will sway one way and the building the other.

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The building should be built on a foundation of flexible materials such as pads or steel.

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To start, the building should be tall so that it can sway longer. Using steel will also be beneficial because steel is able to bend and sway.

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Engineers would have to use a pendulum ball to balance out with the steel or the futuristic materials, dome-shaped and tall be able to complete this building and make it earthquake resistant.

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The top of the building is better off if it is taller, strengthening the foundation, and should have a large ball with steel cables and a hydraulic system, straightening the structure.

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At the tops of most buildings, engineers will hang a large ball with a hydraulic system and steel cables. When the building begins to sway, the ball will move in the opposite direction, working to still the building's movement.

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The top of the building should be strong but flexible and some have a large ball that acts as a pendulum and balances out any movement in the top of the tower.

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The top of the building should be able to sustain any sort of shock from the earthquake. So it should be built with lots of steel and flexible materials.

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The top of the building should be built with steel cables, hydraulics, and large balls. This is so that if the building starts swaying, the ball sways the other way stabilizing and keeping the building straight.

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"Engineers suspend a large ball with steel cables with a system of hydraulics at the top of the building. When the building begins the sway, the ball acts as a pendulum and moves in the opposite direction to stabilize the direction."