Is Your House Earthquake Resistant? Factors You Should Consider
Earthquake is often considered as more dangerous and destructive than other natural calamities, especially as the damage instigated by earthquakes are high impact and beyond repair. The massive earthquake which hit Nepal on Saturday is a vivid proof of the above statement. Aftershocks of this earthquake were felt in a number of countries, including India. The death toll in Nepal has now crossed 3,000 and the number of Indians who have lost their lives due to this earthquake, as of today, are 62.
As such, following are some factors you may want to consider before buying a house.
Do you live in an earthquake prone area?
There cannot be a more crucial time to assess the risks posed by earthquakes and to prepare ourselves. You must research and know if you are living in an area that is prone to earthquakes. Geographical statistics of India proclaims that nearly 54 per cent of the land in India is susceptible to earthquakes and that nearly 200 million city dwellers may be exposed to earthquakes by 2050. As such, the western and central Himalayas, some regions of Kashmir, North-eastern states of India and Rann of Kutch fall under the category of the highest risk zone. Other regions that are considered high risk are Delhi, Jammu, the Indo-Gangetic region and some parts of Maharashtra.
After this massively destructive earthquake in Nepal, you should take steps to ensure that you are living in earthquake resistant structures, and this becomes imperative if you live in one of the above mentioned high-risk zones.
Is your house earthquake resistant?
Majority of the structures in India are not earthquake resistant and hence the risk is often associated with the strength of the home, style of construction and its location. Needless to mention that old and taller structures are at a higher risk. An easy way to know if your house is earthquake resistant is to call an engineer and get checked if the foundations of your home are weak (unbraced) and if the walls are crippled. Earthquake resistant structures often have bolts in the foundation and an inspection by the engineer will help you know if your house is safe and earthquake resistant.
If your house is not earthquake resistant, then you must take steps to ensure that you consult a structural engineer to know ways to reinforce the strength of the foundation and masonry of your home.
What materials can you use to make your house earthquake resistant?
Structures that have walls made up of stacked bricks that are held together with mortar are weak, especially as the roof is set across the top and the weight comes straight down to the foundation through the walls. When such a construction is subjected to earthquake, the structure easily crumbles like a house of cards.
It is good to know that a few simple construction steps and materials can protect you and your family from the risk of earthquakes to a great extent. From the earthquake point of view, the most dangerous structures are the constructions with concrete block or unreinforced bricks.
Concrete and wood are considered as good earthquake resistant construction material. However, if your home is concrete based, then you must ensure that the structure is reinforced through additional concrete or steel slabs.
Techniques that can make your house or apartment earthquake resistant
Earthquake engineering has come a long way and there are a number of construction techniques that can minimize the risks of earthquake to a great extent. If you are constructing a new house, ensure that the structure is built on base isolation pads (made from lead, steel and rubber) as these absorb tremors and limit the damage. This is known as base isolation technique and it allows the foundation to move without moving the entire structure above it. Damping is another technique that reduces the magnitude of vibrations through the use of shock absorbers. There are several construction techniques, some of which are proven while others are being tested; base isolation technique is which the structure floats on a lead-rubber bearing during earthquakes is the most popular one.
A structural engineer can help you with professional ways to retrofit your home and to ensure that your home has seismic improvements.
We cannot control earthquakes; however, we can ensure that our homes are adept with all required retrofits and seismic improvements so that the damage incurred due to earthquakes is minimal in the future.
Read More:
