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Earthquake Protection

Each year, large cities are brought to the ground when Earth’s plates lurch past each other 

with incredible force, shaking buildings to the ground and killing many people. It is too difficult

to avoid building on or near these fault lines, simply because of population growth. For lack of a

 better option, the only way to keep people safe in these areas is to build structures that will be as

earthquake resistant as possible, to always keep a close watch in seismic activity that could

signify a coming earthquake, and to have an evacuation for everyone to get to a safe place as

quickly as possible.

The architecture of the buildings near fault lines requires some extra precautions to make

an earthquake less dangerous. Reinforced concrete bases is very simple; metal or some other 

tough but not breakable substance is used to form a three dimensional grid all throughout

concrete that adds flexibility to the originally very brittle substance that is used in nearly all

construction. Concrete should only be used in bases of buildings, and no matter how reinforced

concrete is, if it is used at the joints of a building it will shatter during an earthquake, especially

if it is right above the ground.

At the bases of buildings around the edges, large metal coils that can act as springs will

 perform two roles. They will not only absorb some of the shock from an earthquake, but provide

a little bit of “wiggle room” for the building to shake without completely toppling over. This

concept can also be used in the framework of buildings, using a steel grid similar to the one usedto reinforce concrete. This steel grid will allow the building to move sideways without causing

severe damage to the frame. It is important to keep the frame of a building intact during an

earthquake, because many of the most devastating incidents in earthquakes occur when buildings

topple on top of each other, and buildings that are large in height should be kept away from each

other in case that does happen.

It might seem controversial, but theoretically lighter buildings will survive an earthquake

 better than a very heavy one. Heavy buildings, based on Newton’s laws of motion, will not be

moved as easily as light buildings. This is true, but much of the damage done by earthquakes

occurs through a concept known as soil liquefaction. In this process, the seismic waves sent out

in an earthquake cause soil to lose its surface tension, and the particles will be much more spread

out, almost like a liquid. This will cause a building to sink based on the density, the heavier the

density the more likely a building is to lose its footing.

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Roads and bridges need to have their own way of dealing with earthquakes, and having

them pre-stressed is the best way to keep them from collapsing and causing unnecessary

inconvenience and danger. This concept relies on strong framework that puts a suspended road

or bridge into a state of sideways stress that allows the bridge to remain stiff throughout an

earthquake.

All of the listed measures will help buildings survive an earthquake and protect people

within them, but the only way to be completely safe from an earthquake is to be far away from it.

Seismic activity should be closely watched near earthquakes, and evacuation should always be

the most encouraged option when an earthquake is foreseen.