The Various Aspect of Earthquake - Term Paper Example

30 November Earthquake The engineering problem The engineering problem researched in this paper is earthquake, its impacts on the society, and 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 it is claimed that majority of them happen as a result of movement of the tectonic plates (National Research Council U.S. Panel on Crustal Movement Measurements, 1981, p. 3; Chandrappa, Gupta, & Kulshrestha, 2011, p. 122; Mathez & Webster, 2004, p. 138). Also, they reportedly are indicative of “failure of geologic materials to resist tectonic stress” (National Research Council U.S. Panel on Crustal Movement Measurements, 1981, p. 7). There are four layers of earth which 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 is “triggered by the physical processes” (Chandrappa, Gupta, & Kulshrestha, 2011, p. 122, p. 122) when two blocks of earth have “slipped along each other several times in the past” (Ikeya, 2004, p. 55). The elastic bound theory introduced by Henry Reid implies that surface across which the slip happens is known as the fault plane (Mathez & Webster, 2004, pp. 138-139). 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, 2011). 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” (Şalcıoğlu & Basoglu, 2008, p. 165) who have survived the earthquake. 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 shockproof 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” (U.S. Geological Survey, 2004). 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 (Monalisa, Khwaja, & Shehzad, 2006, p. 7). This earthquake was of the magnitude 7.6 (Monalisa, Khwaja, & Shehzad, 2006, p. 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 (Tzu Chi Foundation, 2010). The northwestern portion of Himalayas where the earthquake occurred is considered “seismically very active” (Monalisa, Khwaja, & Shehzad, 2006, p. 8). The area that was affected the most was Muzaffarabad, Kashmir where “the collapse of more than 60% buildings” (Monalisa, Khwaja, & Shehzad, 2006, p. 8) resulted in an appalling number of deaths. The earthquake occurred on Saturday which was a regular school day in Pakistan so most of the children were in the schools at the time the earthquake struck (Monalisa, Khwaja, & Shehzad, 2006, p. 8; Elnashai & Willett, 2006) and were buried under the fallen buildings alive. Frequent landslides triggered by the earthquake had also blocked the roads to other areas especially the Karakoram highway which interfered with relief efforts (Monalisa, Khwaja, & Shehzad, 2006, pp. 8-9). 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. Pakistan gets so many earthquakes because of the specific kind of tectonic environment it has. The concept related to the movement of tectonic plates has contributed to solve a lot many riddles regarding why earthquakes happen in the first place. “The present-day tectonic environment of Pakistan is determined by the motions of the Arabian and Indian plates north-northeast with respect to the Eurasian plate” (earthquake.usgs.gov., 2012). It is claimed that the Himalaya region in which 2005 Pakistan or Pakistan-administered Kashmir earthquake occurred is majorly influenced by the motions of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates (Singh, 2009). These same tectonic plates have been again blamed for the 2011 Pakistan earthquake along with the Arabian plate (earthquake.usgs.gov., 2012) which shows that Pakistan attracts earthquakes frequently primarily because of its tectonic environment. The area where the earthquake reportedly wreaked phenomenal havoc lies in the area where these Eurasian and Indian plates collide with each other (Singh, 2009). 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 (Monalisa, Khwaja, & Shehzad, 2006, p. 8). 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 that, more than 5 billion USD were donated from all over the world (Elnashai & Willett, 2006). The 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” (Tzu Chi Foundation, 2010). 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 Tzu Chi Foundation, 2010). 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, 2006, p. 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, & Shehzad, 2006, p. 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 Chandrappa, R., Gupta, S., and Kulshrestha, U.C. 2011. Coping with Climate Change: Principles and Asian Context. Springer, New York. earthquake.usgs.gov. 2012. Magnitude 7.2-SOUTHWESTERN PAKISTAN [online]. 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Available from http://www.rcpe.ac.uk/journal/issue/journal_36_1/B_tariq_editorial.pdf [accessed 30 November 2012]. Tzu Chi Foundation. 2010. 2005 Pakistan Earthquake [online]. Available from http://tw.tzuchi.org/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=650%3A2005-pakistan-earthquake-&catid=109%3Apakistan-relief&Itemid=314&lang=en [accessed 30 November 2012]. U.S. Geological Survey. 2004. The Severity of an Earthquake [online]. Available from http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/earthq4/severitygip.html [accessed 30 November 2012]. Read More