WHY SOME BUILDINGS FALL AND OTHERS NOT?
Por: M.Sc. (TUM), PStG, Ing. Marcelo Moncayo Theurer
Determine and answer this question, it is no easy task. There are a lot of variables involved until the energy hits the structure.
The shape of the fault, the length of the fault, the direction in which energy goes, the type of soil where the wave travels along the distance, the size of the earthquake, the type of soil where the structure is located, are variables that change greatly the way in which the seismic wave hits a building or bridge.
Any variation between variables can be the difference between collapse of a structure or not.
The collapse is a process that starts with the deterioration of the structural elements the deterioration level increase during the earthquake, The collapse is not immediate. With each swing of the earthquake the building reaches a maximum yield point and then returns to its original position and then tilted toward the other side. In a normal earthquake this behavior is induced thousands of times and each cycle or lateral movement of the building is damaged a little more.
Concrete and steel, they have high resistance and they are supposed to resist an earthquake as 7.8 and its forces, but gradually in 30 seconds the complete building could be induced to have a collapse.
However collapse can be caused by several reasons:
For example there could be bad criteria during the design stage, but in the construction stage there cuould reasons too.
The cosntruction process at the hole Ecuadorian coast is similar, where the same methods and the same materials are used. But there are some bad behaviour in this are for example to used sea sand to prepare the concrete. Afterwards the salt began to attack cement, But i thinks the biggest weakness that have the process in Ecuador is that they are not considering the extreme events that could happend to estimate the seismic menace.
In our case, We consider all possible seismic threats around the building, so the purpose is to have a structure is prepared for the worst possibility.
No structure should collapse due to an earthquake, when this happens means there were structural weaknesses in the building.
The second photo shows a building in the city of Guayaquil that collapse, due to some reasons, One of this is the excessive unsimetry, the symmetry in the shape of the building is important amd the lack induces greater efforts in certain parts of the structure.
Reduction Prevention now is a fashion, but, it is our duty to lead this fashion in orden to achieve significant changes in our way of life, so in future cases, our structures could respond and survive.
NOTE: All text that is used in this report in other media, should be cited indicating the author and his current affiliation because they are protected by copyright.
Determine and answer this question, it is no easy task. There are a lot of variables involved until the energy hits the structure.The shape of the fault, the length of the fault, the direction in which energy goes, the type of soil where the wave travels along the distance, the size of the earthquake, the type of soil where the structure is located, are variables that change greatly the way in which the seismic wave hits a building or bridge.
Any variation between variables can be the difference between collapse of a structure or not.
The collapse is a process that starts with the deterioration of the structural elements the deterioration level increase during the earthquake, The collapse is not immediate. With each swing of the earthquake the building reaches a maximum yield point and then returns to its original position and then tilted toward the other side. In a normal earthquake this behavior is induced thousands of times and each cycle or lateral movement of the building is damaged a little more.
Concrete and steel, they have high resistance and they are supposed to resist an earthquake as 7.8 and its forces, but gradually in 30 seconds the complete building could be induced to have a collapse.However collapse can be caused by several reasons:
For example there could be bad criteria during the design stage, but in the construction stage there cuould reasons too.
The cosntruction process at the hole Ecuadorian coast is similar, where the same methods and the same materials are used. But there are some bad behaviour in this are for example to used sea sand to prepare the concrete. Afterwards the salt began to attack cement, But i thinks the biggest weakness that have the process in Ecuador is that they are not considering the extreme events that could happend to estimate the seismic menace.
In our case, We consider all possible seismic threats around the building, so the purpose is to have a structure is prepared for the worst possibility.
No structure should collapse due to an earthquake, when this happens means there were structural weaknesses in the building.
The second photo shows a building in the city of Guayaquil that collapse, due to some reasons, One of this is the excessive unsimetry, the symmetry in the shape of the building is important amd the lack induces greater efforts in certain parts of the structure.
Reduction Prevention now is a fashion, but, it is our duty to lead this fashion in orden to achieve significant changes in our way of life, so in future cases, our structures could respond and survive.
M.Sc. (TUM), PStG, Ing. Marcelo Moncayo Theurer
Earthquake resistant structures expert
Specialist Earthquake Engineering and Disaster Prevention
Specialist modeling of natural disasters in computer
Earthquake resistant structures expert
Specialist Earthquake Engineering and Disaster Prevention
Specialist modeling of natural disasters in computer
NOTE: All text that is used in this report in other media, should be cited indicating the author and his current affiliation because they are protected by copyright.
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