Many impressive buildings and towns have been constructed throughout history, only to be destroyed by natural disasters. One of Earth’s most damaging natural phenomena is earthquakes, which send seismic waves through the ground and cause buildings to collapse, kill people, and cause enormous financial losses due to damage and restoration.
Although many precautions have been taken to develop earthquake-resistant structures, buildings cannot be earthquake-proof due to seismic disturbances of an unexpected and variable nature.
However, by implementing seismic-resistant design concepts, structural engineering procedures and building codes seek to reduce damage and safeguard occupants during earthquakes. Read this article to learn more about these practices.
How Earthquakes Impact Buildings
It is critical to comprehend how earthquakes affect artificial structures before looking at the characteristics of earthquake-resistant buildings. When an earthquake occurs, it results in shockwaves traveling across the ground and quick bursts reach all directions in a few seconds.
Typically, buildings can withstand the vertical forces generated by their gravity and weight but not the side-to-side forces produced by earthquakes. Walls, floors. Columns. Beams. And the connectors that hold them together vibrate due to this horizontal movement.
The building’s top and bottom movements diverge, putting a lot of stress on the supporting frame. It ultimately leads to the collapse of the entire structure.
Practices Followed To Reduce Earthquake Damage On Buildings
Engineers work to enhance the strength of building structures and minimize the effects of a prospective earthquake when creating an earthquake-proof building. Since systems are pushed in one direction by the energy released during earthquakes, the method includes moving the building in the opposite direction. Here are a few methods for making structures more earthquake-resistant.
Create Flexible Foundation
Lifting the building’s foundation above the ground helps it withstand earth forces. This process is known as base isolation. Building a framework on top of flexible steel, rubber and lead pads is required for base isolation. When the ground trembles due to an earthquake, the isolators vibrate, but the building stays still. As a result, seismic vibrations are effectively absorbed and prevented from entering the structure.
Counter Forces With Damping
If you are comfortable with the ones used in automobiles, you might be surprised to find that engineers also use a certain type of shock absorber in earthquake-resistant buildings. Similar to how they operate in automobiles, shock absorbers diminish the energy of the shockwaves and lessen the strain on the structure. To do this, vibrational control and pendulum power devices are employed.
Vibrational Control Devices
This technique involves inserting dampers between columns and beams at each level of a structure. Each damper consists of a cylinder with piston heads and silicone oil. The vibrating energy of the building is transferred to the pistons, which press on the oil, during an earthquake. The energy that drives the vibrations is then transformed into heat, dissipating their force.
Pendulum Power
Another common dampening method is the use of pendulum power, which is typically found in skyscrapers. Engineers do this by dangling a large ball from the top of the structure on steel cables that are connected to a hydraulic system.
When the building begins to shake, the ball acts as a pendulum and swings in the opposite direction to stabilize it. To match and counteract the movement of the building during an earthquake, these characteristics are modified.
Shield Buildings From Vibrations
Researchers are working with ways that buildings can completely deflect and reroute earthquake energy rather than just counteracting forces. This invention is referred to as the seismic invisibility cloak. It makes a cloak out of 100 concentric plastic and concrete rings and burying it at least three feet beneath the building’s foundation.
Watch this animated video of seismic protection systems to learn more:
Animation of seismic protection systems – mageba pendulum bearing
Reinforce the Buildings Structure
The ease of travel forces seismic waves to pass through to the outer rings when they enter the rings. They are effectively directed away from the structure and dispersed into the Earth.
Shear Walls
These are practical construction techniques that can aid in transferring earthquake forces. These walls, composed of several panels, assist a building in maintaining its shape while being moved. Steel diagonal cross braces frequently support shear borders. These beams can support compression and tension, which helps them resist push and pressure stresses.
Diaphragms
Another important part of the structure of a building is its diaphragm. Diaphragms made up of the building’s floors, roof, and decks atop them assist in pushing forces to the building’s vertical supports and relieving slood stress.
Moment-Resisting Frames
These frameworks give building design extra freedom. They are positioned between joints in a building. It allows columns and beams to flex while the junctions stay stiff. As a result, the structure can withstand an earthquake’s greater forces while allowing architects to arrange building components as they see fit.
Earthquake – Resistant Materials
To a certain extent, shock-absorbers, pendulums, and invisibility cloaks could help dissipate the energy, but a building’s stability is also dependent on the materials chosen for it. Here are a few materials that might be applied:
Steel And Wood
A material must have high flexibility– the capacity to withstand significant deformations and tension–to withstand stress and vibration. Structural steel, which comes in various shapes and allows buildings to blend without breaking, is frequently used in the construction of modern facilities. Wood is a surprisingly ductile material due to its substantial strength in comparison to its lightweight structure and substantial strength in comparison to its lightweight structure.
Innovative Materials
Engineers and scientists are developing new building materials that hold their shape even better. Shape memory alloys are an example of a technological advancement that can tolerate high stress while regaining its original shape. Additionally, columns can be wrapped in fiber-reinforced plastic to offer up to 38% more strength and flexibility. This plastic wrap is created from a variety of polymers.
To strengthen buildings, engineers are now resorting to natural materials. The rigid but sticky fibers of mussels and the high strength-to-size ratio of spider silk both hold potential for application in construction materials.
Furthermore, interlocking structures with virtually endless design options, bamboo and 3D-printed materials can increase a building’s resistance even further. Engineers and scientists have developed several effective earthquake-proof building construction methods.
Although today’s materials and technology are pretty sophisticated, it is only sometimes possible for buildings to entirely resist strong earthquakes without suffering damage. However, we can still consider it a massive achievement if a structure prevents collapse and saves people’s lives and communities.
Safety Measures
It is crucial to have earthquake safety measures when residing in a structure. First, check to see that the building was built by local building rules and seismic-resistant design concepts.
Secure heavy fixtures and furnishings to stop them from falling over during trembling. Establish a strategy for emergencies, including safe spaces and escape routes, and keep an emergency supplies kit nearby.
Conclusion
Due to the unpredictable nature of seismic events, it is impossible to entirely earthquake-proof buildings. Still, engineers have developed various cutting-edge techniques to lessen the damage that earthquakes cause to structures.
Flexible foundations, dampening systems, vibration shielding, structural reinforcement, and earthquake-resistant materials are a few of these precautions. Despite tremendous advancements in technology and materials, there can be no total assurance against the forces of a strong earthquake.
However, communities may reduce risks and improve their preparedness for seismic occurrences by observing safety regulations and building standards, ultimately putting the security and resilience of their residents first.
