How do you make an existing building earthquake resistant?

How do you make an existing building earthquake resistant?

Conventional methods of retrofitting are used to enhance the seismic resistance of existing structures by eliminating or reducing the adverse effects of design or construction. The methods include adding of shear wall, infill walls, steel braces.

Which materials are better to make buildings in an earthquake prone area?

Wood and steel have more give than stucco, unreinforced concrete, or masonry, and they are favored materials for building in fault zones. Skyscrapers everywhere must be reinforced to withstand strong forces from high winds, but in quake zones, there are additional considerations.

What soil is best for earthquakes?

Poor – deep loose sand; silty clays; sand and gravel; and soft, saturated granular soils. Earthquake forces are amplified on water-saturated soils, changing the soil from a solid to a liquid.

What can be done to retrofit an older building in an earthquake zone?

Older buildings can be made more earthquake safe by retrofitting. Steel or wood can be used to reinforce a building’s structure and its connections. Elevated freeways and bridges can also be retrofitted so that they do not collapse (Figure below).

How do you reinforce old buildings?

Here are some commonly used methods.

1. Underpinning. This method is used to either increase the depth of the foundation or to repair the foundation if it has significant damage.
2. Jacketing of Foundations. Another method you may hear about is jacketing of foundations.
3. Mudjacking.
4. House Lifting and Leveling.

What is an artificial fill?

Artificial fill is land that was created by piling up soil, mud, rocks, rubble and dirt. In many cases, mud was pumped up from the bottom of the San Francisco Bay to fill in piles of rocks, then allowed to dry. For example, Treasure Island was made by piling rocks and mud on the shoals north of Yerba Buena Island.

Is it possible to protect a 100 year old building from earthquake damage?

Buildings cannot be made earthquake-proof, only earthquake-resistant. Because the majority of old houses are built with wood frames, a relatively flexible construction method, they can sway in an earthquake like a palm tree in a stiff breeze.

How much does retrofitting cost?

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? The CEA estimates that a retrofit costs between $3,000 and $7,000, and generally takes two to three days to complete, depending on the type of home you have and where you live. To help offset that cost, California’s Earthquake Brace + Bolt program is offering up to $3,000 towards the retrofit.

Is artificial fill good for earthquakes?

Ground shaking itself leads to falling structures, making it the most dangerous hazard. Sediment is not compacted in areas of artificial fill, but compaction will occur during the shaking of an earthquake, leading to structural collapse. Artificial fill sediments behave similarly to water-saturated sediments.

How do you make a building earthquake resistant?

Stiffness and Strength When designing earthquake-resistant buildings, safety professionals recommend adequate vertical and lateral stiffness and strength – specifically lateral. Structures tend to handle the vertical movement caused by quakes better than the lateral, or horizontal, movement.

How does soil affect a building’s foundation in an earthquake?

If a building’s foundation sits on soft or filled-in soil, the whole building may fail in an earthquake regardless of the advanced engineering techniques employed. Assuming, however, that the soil beneath a structure is firm and solid, engineers can greatly improve how the building-foundation system will respond to seismic waves.

How does the building-foundation system respond to seismic waves?

Assuming, however, that the soil beneath a structure is firm and solid, engineers can greatly improve how the building-foundation system will respond to seismic waves. For example, earthquakes often knock buildings from their foundations. One solution involves tying the foundation to the building so the whole structure moves as a unit.

How can we improve the performance of earthquake-damaged rocks?

Extensive damage was observed during earthquake especially if it occurs after a rainfall, (Krishna and Chandra, 1983). Better performance is obtained by mixing the mud with clay to provide the cohesive strength. The mixing of straw improves the tensile strength.