What size earthquake can buildings withstand?

What are the different types of earthquakes?

Magnitude	Earthquake Effects
2.5 or less	Usually not felt, but can be recorded by a seismograph.
2.5 to 5.4	Often felt, but only causes minor damage.
5.5 to 6.0	Slight damage to buildings and other structures.
6.1 to 6.9	May cause a lot of damage in very populated areas.

What makes a building earthquake-resistant?

To be earthquake proof, buildings, structures and their foundations need to be built to be resistant to sideways loads. The lighter the building is, the less the loads. This is particularly so when the weight is higher up. Where possible the roof should be of light-weight material.

What qualifications does a building need to be considered earthquake-resistant?

Earthquake-resistant construction requires that the building be properly grounded and connected through its foundation to the earth. Building on loose sands or clays is to be avoided, since those surfaces can cause excessive movement and nonuniform stresses to develop during an earthquake.

What types of buildings are most vulnerable to earthquake damage?

Some of the most susceptible structures to shaking damage are soft-story apartments and condominiums. A soft-story residential building is one that has large openings on the first floor for garage doors and windows to accommodate parking or commercial space, and housing on upper floors, built prior to recent codes.

Is it possible to build earthquake proof houses?

Over the years, engineers and scientists have devised techniques to create some effective earthquake-proof buildings. As advanced the technology and materials are today, it is not yet possible for building to completely withstand a powerful earthquake unscathed.

What qualifications does a building need to be considered earthquake resistant?

How do you design an earthquake-proof building?

To design an earthquake-proof building, engineers need to reinforce the structure and counteract an earthquake’s forces. Since earthquakes release energy that pushes on a building from one direction, the strategy is to have the building push the opposite way.

Earthquake-resistant building designs consider the following characteristics that influence their structural integrity: stiffness and strength, regularity, redundancy, foundations, and load paths.

How do you evaluate a building for seismic retrofitting?

The next step is to evaluate the building using Seismic Evaluation of Existing Buildings (ASCE/SEI 31-03). If the evaluation shows that retrofitting is needed, this should be done using Seismic Rehabilitation of Existing Buildings (ASCE/SEI 41-06).

Can I control seismic hazards in my community?

Although you can’t control the seismic hazard in the community where you live or work, you can influence the most important factor in saving lives and reducing losses from an earthquake: the adoption and enforcement of up-to-date building codes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTOzpRrXGLI