Why Do Buildings Collapse in Earthquakes? Building for Safety in Seismic Areas (eBook)

Robin Spence is a Structural Engineer, Professor Emeritus of Architectural Engineering at the University of Cambridge, a Fellow of Magdalene College and a Director of Cambridge Architectural Research Ltd. He was President of the European Association for Earthquake Engineering (2002-2006), Mallet-Milne Lecturer at the Institution of Civil Engineers (2007), and Nicholas Ambraseys Lecturer at the European Conference on Earthquake Engineering, Istanbul, (2014). Emily So is Reader in Architectural Engineering at the University of Cambridge and a chartered civil engineer. She is Director of the Cambridge University Centre for Risk in the Built Environment, Director of Studies and Fellow in Architecture at Magdalene College and a Director of Cambridge Architectural Research Ltd. She is the 2010 Shah Family Innovation Prize winner, an award given annually by the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI).

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1. Introduction: why this book?

1.1 Earthquakes - an underrated hazard

1.2 Earthquakes, buildings, people

1.3 The authors' experience of earthquake risk assessment

1.4 Aims of this book

1.5 Outline of the book

References

Chapter 2. How do buildings behave in earthquakes?

2.1 Learning from earthquakes

2.2 Significant earthquakes since 2000

2.3 What can we learn from these significant earthquakes?

2.4 Earthquake losses in rich and poor countries

2.5 Are earthquake losses decreasing over time?

References

Chapter 3. How are buildings constructed in earthquake zones?

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Built form, climate and earthquake resistance

3.3 Building construction types by earthquake zone

Box 3.1 Profile: Randolph Langenbach

3.4 Summary

References

Chapter 4. What happens in an earthquake?

4.1 What is an earthquake?

4.2 Volcanic earthquakes and Induced seismicity

4.3 How earthquakes travel through different media

4.4 Secondary Hazards

Box 4.1 Profile: Toshitaka Katada

4.5 Compound threats

References

Chapter 5. How do different forms of construction behave in earthquakes?

5.1 Introduction: range and classification of building construction types

5.2 Masonry construction

Box 5.1 Profile: Laurie Baker

5.3 Reinforced concrete construction

5.4 Timber frame construction

5.5 Steel frame construction

5.6 Comparing the vulnerability of different construction types

References

Chapter 6 How is the population affected?

6.1 Causes of earthquake casualties

6.2 Casualties due to building collapses

6.3 Survivability of an occupant in a building

6.4 Other causes of casualties

6.5 How can we estimate the number of injured and killed in an earthquake?

6.6 Estimating fatalities due to building collapses

6.7 Estimating casualties from secondary hazards and cascading effects

6.8 The way forward

References

Chapter 7. How can buildings be improved?

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Design of engineered buildings

7.3 Strengthening existing buildings

7.4 Building for safety programmes

Box 7.1 Profile: Amod Dixit

Box 7.2 Profile: Rajendra and Rupal Desai

7.5 Public awareness of earthquake risk: creating a safety culture

References

Chapter 8. Successes and failures in earthquake protection: a country comparison

8.1 Introduction: the survey

8.2 High achievers

8.3 Limited achievers

8.4 Continuing and growing risks

8.5 Country comparison of unsafe structures

8.6 Comparison of the country groups

Acknowledgements

References

Chapter 9. The way forward: what part can different actors play?

9.1 International agencies and global initiatives

9.2 Governments

9.3 Businesses and organisations

9.4 Homeowners and individual citizens

Box 9.1. Profile: Tracy Monk

9.5 Scientists and Engineers

Box 9.2 Profile: Edward Ng

Box 9.3 Profile: Lucy Jones

9.6 Non-government organisations

9.7 Insurers

9.8 The way forward

References