Technical report: Building designs and materials to reduce natural disasters damage - Essay Example

The roof is set across the top and as such its weight is carried straight down via the wall to the foundation. When this kind of building is subjected to earthquake, the walls crumble and the roof falls. Building techniques can have a significant impact on the death toll and property damage from earthquakes. For example, in 2010 an 8.8-magnitude earthquake in Chile killed nearly 700 persons. In early 2010, a less potent earthquake of 7.0-magnitude killed at least 200,000 in Haiti (Reitherman, 2012).

The difference in those damages comes from buildings and techniques. In Haiti, the buildings were built rapidly and cheaply. Chile, a wealthier and developed nation, adheres to more strict building codes. According Kharrazi (2005) to be earthquake resistant, buildings and their foundations need to be constructed resist lateral loads as a result of earthquake. The lighter a structure is, the lesser the loads. This is especially so when the load is higher up. Where possible the roof should be of light-weight material.

Seismology Committee (1999) observes that if there are floors and walls and partitions, the lighter these are the better, too. If the lateral resistance is to be achieved from walls, these walls ought to go equally in both directions. The walls must be strong to carry the loads. The walls must be secured in to any framing, and supported to carry load in their weakest direction. They should not crumble and should remain in place after the powerful shock waves in order to maintain strength for the aftershocks.

Reitherman (2012) notes that when the lateral resistance comes from diagonal bracing it ought to go equally all round in both directions. Where possible, it must be strong to take load in tension and compression. Further, the joined connections should support more tension than the ultimate tension strength (UTS) value of the bracing and it should not buckle