Earthquake engineering

Earthquakes for been a constant force of nature since the beginning of the Earth. The damage done by earthquakes over time cannot be over looked. The damage has been monetary, emotional, and has taken many lives. Today, a capstone in Civil Engineering, Earthquake Engineering is trying to reduce all of these damages using modern technology and resources to build structures that can withstand the mass forces of earthquakes. Earthquake engineering is broken down into two major parts, the first being understanding how earthquakes affect current structures and the types of forces they apply to that are able to withstand the forces of nature and keep the inhabitants or people around the structures safe. The goal to designing an earthquake serviceable…

1. What are lancet arches? Describe how and why they are used. Lancet arches are pointed arches over long openings. They are often together in groups of 3 or 5. 2. What are flying buttresses? Describe how and why they are used. Flying buttresses are wall supports that have a masonry block at the ground and an arch that connects the block to the wall. They are used to allow windows to be placed higher. 3. What are gargoyles? What are their functions in architecture? They are stone carvings that…

When I was a younger girl, I always noticed the social attitude comparison between my friends and myself. My friends seemed to be talking about things that I did not know what were: as in; sex, drugs, and other things children my age should not have a clue about. I soon realized that there were many factors in such influenced such behavior; the structure needed for children, the building blocks needed to instruct structure, and the statistics that prove that structure is needed. The…

Seismic activity is the most challenging, and most heavily invested in, civil engineering discipline. Today, engineers use materials and building methods especially geared towards dealing with this menace. However, these modern techniques can cause more harm than good when not properly used with older structures. Historical buildings come with their own challenges, and seismic retrofitting does not come with a single solution for all structural integrity issues; however, as time passes,…

SOILS AND EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE Create a Google Doc titled “Soil Types and the Danger of Earthquakes”. At the top of the page include your full name, period, and date. Place the assignment title underneath. Then use the links provided to answer the accompanying prompts using not less than five sentences each. Use 12 or 14 pt. Arial font and organize your answers into four distinct sections corresponding to each prompt. Add graphics if you wish, just keep them reasonable in size. Your…

1.0 Problem and its setting: Damage caused by earthquake activities which harm regular functioning of building is the key problem which happens because of conventional non-engineered structures. They were constructed with traditional methods of construction and particularly use of engineered items like stone, abode, bricks and wood. Experiences in past earthquakes have shown that many buildings lack basic resistance to earthquake forces. 1.1 Statement of problem and sub-problems Traditional…

Building (Earthquake-prone Building) Amendment Act received royal ascent in May 2016. The bill reforms New Zealand’s approach to responding to the risk the built environment poses during an earthquake. It increases central government influence and regulation. It has been influenced by the Canterbury Earthquakes and the subsequent findings of the Canterbury Earthquake Royal Commission. RECENT HISTORY In recent history, under the Building Act (1991) buildings were deemed to be earthquake-prone if…

The Hōryū-ji Temple remain located in Nara prefecture Japan, is the oldest existing timber structure; dated from 607 AD. The temple’s construction is held up by structural elements called the Dougong, which are placed on top of large, firm and stable vertical pillars, to support the weight of upper stories, roofs and eaves. The Dougong is composed of overlapping wooden brackets; the ‘Dou’: a block placed on a column, creating space for multiple bow-shaped arms; ‘gong’, to be interlocked, which…

In 1906 San Francisco suffered a devastating earthquake and fire. Naturally, this brought a building boom to the area; making the years 1906 to 1910 Maybeck’s most productive. One year after the earthquake Professor Andrew Lawson (famous geologists associated with the Golden Gate Bridge) asked Maybeck to design his house. However, around that time, Lawson also had discovered that the Hayward Fault ran almost directly underneath where his house was suppose to be build. Instead of picking a…

of ~ 78 ͦ and at a rate of 6.6 centimeters per year making the area one of the most active convergent margins on earth, typically experiencing a Mw > 8 earthquake every 10 – 20 years (Moscoso, et.al., 2011). Notable quakes in recent history include the 1960 Mw = 9.5 Valdivia earthquake which was the largest ever recorded, and quakes occurring in 1985 [Mw = 8.0], 1939 [7.8], 1928 [8.0], 1906, and 1835 which was documented by Darwin (Moscoso, Figure 2: Locking Degree in 2010 rupture area…