Earthquake and Its Various Aspects - Research Paper Example

? 28 October Earthquake The engineering problem The engineering problem researched in this paper is earthquake, its impacts on the society, its importance in structural design, and measures to make the structures resistant to the effects of earthquakes. When an earthquake occurs, the ground moves. Earthquake can cause both a sudden movement of the ground or it may result in a series of shock waves that occur one after another at short intervals. As a result of the earthquake, the land can move sideways or up and down. Importance of the research topic Earthquake is one of the most significant risks to the safety of structures as well as of the occupants. Every year, millions of people around the world lose their lives and property in the earthquakes. Considering the gravity of the problem, there is dire need to make the structures resistant against earthquakes as well as to have an effective disaster management system in place to counter the effects of earthquakes. Contents of the paper This paper does a detailed analysis of the research topic i.e. earthquake and explores its various aspects. The aspects discussed in the paper include but are not limited to discussion of the engineering problem, its importance, its relation with geology and engineering, impacts of the engineering problem on the society, challenges associated with it, geological analysis of the problem, and strategies that may be employed to deal with this engineering problem. In addition to that, a case study is discussed in detail. The case study is about a real life earthquake incident that occurred within the last ten years, and that had huge implications on the society. The paper discusses ways in which effects of the earthquake were dealt with, and the potential strategies to avoid the effects of such incidents in the future. Relation between earthquakes and geology Earthquakes are fundamentally related to geology because they happen as a result of movement of the tectonic plates. There are four layers of earth, that include the inner core, the outer core, the mantle and the crust when arranged in an inside out fashion. Although the crust and the mantle constitute a thin layer on the earth’s surface, that is fragmented into different pieces that may slide past each other. An earthquake occurs when two blocks of earth slip across each other. The surface across which the slip happens is known as the fault plane. Earthquake starts at the hypocenter that is directly below the surface of earth where earthquake happens, known as the epicenter. Relation between earthquakes and engineering Earthquakes are related to engineering because their occurrence imparts the need to engineer the structures in such a way that they can resist the effects of earthquakes. Every structure has a different foundation design that is engineered in such a way that it can effectively transfer the load of the structure to the earth and can help the building withstand all external shocks and risk factors including heavy winds and earthquakes. Foundation designs of buildings if modified appropriately, make the buildings earthquake-resistant. Impacts of earthquake on the society There are numerous impacts of earthquake on the society that include but are not limited to disrupted normal life, loss of life, loss of property, loss of housing, breakdown of the social order, damaged infrastructure, loss of business, disrupted communication channels, loss of the industrial output, and disrupted marketing systems. “The effects of an earthquake can also cause dangerous landslides, fires, gas line and electric explosions, and floodwaters from collapsing dams” (Pollard). Earthquakes have numerous short term and long term effects. Many children get kidnapped during the earthquakes. Long term effects of earthquakes include decline in the socioeconomic system of the country. “Evidence points to elevated rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and earthquake-related fears in children and adolescents [who have survived the earthquake” (Salc?oglu and Basoglu 165). Engineering challenges associated with earthquakes In the contemporary age, there is competition among the constructors and developers about the architectural complexity, aesthetical appeal, and structural safety of the structures. People appreciate innovative designs in the structures and construction of such structures yields larger profit for the constructors than the conventional designs. Alongside, it is equally important to ensure that the structures are strong enough to resist the earthquake shocks. It is hard to draw a balance between the structural safety and aesthetics when neither of the two can be underestimated. There is need to introduce such construction techniques that make the structures shock-proof without compromising upon the architectural requirements. Another engineering challenge related to earthquakes is cost limitation. In order to enhance a structure’s resistance against earthquakes, it is imperative that the design is modified accordingly that may exceed the cost expectations of the constructors. Geological analysis of earthquakes There is no upper limit to the magnitude or severity of the Richter Scale at which the earthquake is recorded. Therefore, structures’ foundations as well as other structural elements are modified to make them earthquake-resistant against the most severe earthquake that has happened in the geographical area of the building throughout the history. “Seismic waves are the vibrations from earthquakes that travel through the Earth; they are recorded on instruments called seismographs. Seismographs record a zig-zag trace that shows the varying amplitude of ground oscillations beneath the instrument” (“The Severity of”). It is expected that future earthquakes would not exceed that magnitude, but there is no guarantee. Strategies for dealing with and mitigating the effects of earthquakes Dealing with earthquakes is not easy because they require a lot of money and careful planning to be mitigated. When an earthquake happens, the first and the foremost challenge in front of the people as well as the government is to save as many people as possible that were occupying the buildings affected by the earthquake. This step is followed by the hospitalization, nursing, and treatment of the injured people and emotional counseling of the relatives of the deceased individuals. The government then needs to accommodate the people who lost their homes in the earthquake either by paying them in cash or accommodating them somewhere else temporarily or permanently. To avoid the effects of similar incidents in the future, buildings are designed keeping the huge risk of earthquakes in mind so that they can sustain at least similar, if not more severe, earthquakes in the future. Case Study: Earthquake in Pakistan, 2005 Pakistan was struck by one of the most disastrous earthquakes in the history at 8:50 am on 8 October, 2005. This earthquake was of the magnitude 7.6 (Monalisa, Khwaja, and Shehzad 7). Its epicenter was almost 65 miles toward the northeast of Islamabad that is the capital of Pakistan. In this earthquake, some 86,000 people lost their lives while another 69,000 were bruised and badly injured (“2005 Pakistan Earthquake”). The northern areas in Pakistan were extensively damaged as a result of this earthquake. The area that was affected the most was Muzaffarabad, Kashmir. At the time, when the earthquake happened, most of the children were in the schools and were buried under the fallen buildings alive. Frequent landslides had also blocked the roads to other areas. The high mountains had isolated the region from all sides. In the tragic incident, at least 3 million people became homeless. Those who managed to live through the earthquake were at risk of losing their lives from freezing or starvation. Management of the effects of the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan The government allocated the relief teams immediately after the earthquake to help the people come out of the fallen buildings. Government raised campaigns and people from all over Pakistan as well as the Pakistanis living abroad sent money and belongings for the people who had been affected by the earthquake. The government provided the victims with tents for temporary accommodation, blankets for the protection against extreme cold weather, and drinks and eatables. In addition to the Pakistanis, governments of different countries include the USA and China assisted the government of Pakistan in the management of the disaster. “On October 19, the first Tzu Chi relief team arrived at Islamabad en route to Muzaffarabad” (“2005 Pakistan Earthquake”). Relief supplies and medicines were brought along by the 15 delegates from different countries including Indonesia, Taiwan, Malaysia, Jordan, and Turkey. The prime goal of these delegates was to locate the wounded and provide them with free medical and domestic care. Issues in the disaster management Despite all the internal and external help the government of Pakistan received from various sources, needs of the earthquake affected people were not adequately addressed primarily because many agencies and people involved in the process of distribution of the goods and services of all kinds from the government to the affected people used this as an opportunity to make money. This primarily happened because of lack of effective supervision and careful monitoring of the allocation of resources and distribution of goods and materials by the government. A 40 year old man affected by the earthquake complained, “A tent used to cost 900 rupees [US$15]. Now it costs 10,000 rupees [US$156], if you are lucky enough to even get one. The needs are so great and the goods so scarce. We often wait in long lines for distributed goods. It is not uncommon for distributors to call it a day when the line is still long” (Kadir cited in “2005 Pakistan Earthquake”). Ways to avoid the problem Earthquakes are unpredictable, as well as unavoidable. However, with proper planning of an effective disaster management plan, effects of an earthquake on the lives of people can be minimized. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is to create awareness among the people regarding the essential steps they need to take in order to keep safe in such incidents. The case study of 2005 earthquake in Pakistan provides a very good example of this. Most of the work post-earthquake was done by the affected people themselves. “As there were delays in setting up adequate facilities for the thousands of refugees, the residents of Abbottabad took the brunt of their day-to-day care. They held emergency meetings and divided the enormous workload among themselves” (Tariq 2). Recommendations to the city planners Design of the buildings should be approved by the construction development authority. In Muzaffarabad, most of the houses had load-bearing walls of masonry. The construction material used in them was of inferior quality, and the roof support was inadequate. Wall-to-wall joints were poor and large openings had made the in-plane wall weak. Many buildings that fell down were very old and required serious retrofitting and rehabilitation. “At the same time a well comprehensive seismotectonic and seismic hazard map of the area is needed, in order to prevent/mitigate any future disaster in the form of an earthquake” (Monalisa, Khwaja, and Shehzad 9). Future challenges regarding the problem Review of the challenges faced in the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan imparts the need for revival of the conventional masonry practices so that the structural units can sustain the earthquake loads. In addition, education and training of the common citizens is a big challenge in front of the government. People are generally reluctant to participate in such programs that are directed at enhancing their knowledge and skills in disaster management. This calls for the need by the government to motivate them to the extent where they willingly participate in such programs. Conclusion Earthquake is a geological phenomenon that poses huge risks for the society. Earthquake is a big threat to the life and property, and is unpredictable. Therefore, the only way to control their effects is to have an objective disaster management plan. The 2005 earthquake of Pakistan encapsulates many lessons for the common people, the town planners, the structural engineers, as well as the government. All of these entities share the responsibility of planning the town and designing and constructing the structures in such a way that they can withstand the effects of earthquakes without causing any harm to the occupants of the buildings. The prime responsibility of achieving this rests with the government. Works Cited: “2005 Pakistan Earthquake.” Tzu Chi. 27 Aug. 2010. Web. 29 Oct. 2012. . Monalisa; Khwaja, Azam, A; and Shehzad, Faisal. “Recent seismic activity in Muzaffarabad and its surrounding areas.” Pakistan Journal of Meteorology. 3.5. (2006): 7-11. Web. 29 Oct. 2012. . Pollard, Trista L. “Earthquakes and Our Society.” 2011. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. . Salc?oglu, Ebru, and Basoglu, Metin. “Psychological effects of earthquakes in children: prospects for brief behavioral treatment.” World Journal of Pediatrics. 4.3. (2008): 165-172. Web. 29 Oct. 2012. . Tariq, S. M. “Relief for the massive earthquake in Pakistan: efforts of local residents should not go to waste.” The Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. 36. (2006): 2-4. Web. 29 Oct. 2012. . “The Severity of an Earthquake.” U.S. Geological Survey. 2004. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. . Read More