Throughout history, humanity has witnessed impressive structures and marvellous cities succumbing to nature’s forces. Earthquakes are one such natural force of nature that brings destruction — seismic waves underneath the ground can cause damage to the buildings, take lives and cost a tremendous amount of money with loss and repair.
As per the statistics, there are an average of 20,000 earthquakes each year, and roughly 16 of them turn into major disasters. For instance, on August 14, 2021, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 was experienced in the southwest region of Haiti, costing 2000 lives. Additionally, the other earthquakes cause damage to the buildings that collapse with people inside them. It is essential to buy quality earthquake-resistant construction materials from the best construction company for earthquake-proofing.
The engineers have been testing new designs and building materials over the past few decades to build better-equipped buildings that can withstand earthquakes. In this segment, we will discuss the material’s importance and how buildings are designed with the best construction material in Tripura.
· How Earthquakes Impact Buildings
Before we talk about earthquake-proof buildings, it is vital to understand the way earthquakes impact buildings and other structures. During an earthquake, the earth experience shockwaves throughout the ground within a short interval that spreads in all directions. While facilities are capable enough to handle vertical forces from gravity and their weight, they are not equipped to traditionally handle side-to-side details emitted by earthquakes.
Due to this horizontal movement, walls, beams, columns, connectors and floors start vibrating, breaking the hold between them. The movement difference in the bottom and top of the building puts the building under extreme stress causing the supporting frame to die and the entire structure to finally collapse.
· Tips to make a building earthquake-proof
To design an earthquake-proof structure, engineers look to reinforce the system and counteract the stress caused bythe building during an earthquake. Earthquakes bring extra energy, pushing buildings and structures in a specific direction. The construction strategy focuses on making the building the opposite way. The following are some methods used to help buildings withstand earthquakes suggested by the best real estate construction company.
1. Creating a flexible foundation
2. Damping to counter force
3. Keeping the buildings shielded from vibrations
4. Reinforcing the building’s structure
· Earthquake Resistant Materials
1. Steel and Wood
Any material that needs to resist stress and vibration should have a high level of ductility. This way, they can undergo tension and extreme deformations. Modern buildings are constructed using high-quality steel, a component that is available in various shapes and allows facilities to bend without causing any break. Surprisingly, wood also shows excellent ductility with its high strength relative to its lightweight structure.
2. Innovative Materials
Engineers and scientists are working on building new construction materials that can show even greater shape retentions. Innovations such as shape memory alloys offer excellent ability in enduring heavy strains and reverting to the original shape.
