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Earthquake Hazards
Specializing in Earthquake Brace and Bolt "EBB" Plan Set A Retrofits
Two locations serving the entire Bay Area, North, South and East Bay
Earthquake Hazards
Seismic Retrofit
Why Retrofit
Resources
FAQ'S
What Are Earthquake Hazards?
Earthquakes really pose little direct danger to a person. People can't be shaken to death by an earthquake. Some movies show scenes with the ground suddenly opening up and people falling into fiery pits, but this just doesn't happen in real life.
The Effect of Ground Shaking
The first main earthquake hazard (danger) is the effect of ground shaking. Buildings can be damaged by the shaking itself or by the ground beneath them settling to a different level than it was before the earthquake (subsidence).
Figure 1 - These men barely escaped when the front of the Anchorage J.C. Penny's collapsed during the 1964 Good Friday earthquake.
The Effect of Ground Shaking
The first main earthquake hazard (danger) is the effect of ground shaking. Buildings can be damaged by the shaking itself or by the ground beneath them settling to a different level than it was before the earthquake (subsidence).
Figure 1 - These men barely escaped when the front of the Anchorage J.C. Penny's collapsed during the 1964 Good Friday earthquake.
Figure 2 - One side of this Anchorage street dropped drastically during the 1964 Good Friday earthquake
Figure 3 - These buildings in Japan toppled when the soil underwent liquefaction
Buildings can even sink into the ground if soil liquefaction occurs. Liquefaction is the mixing of sand or soil and groundwater (water underground) during the shaking of a moderate or strong earthquake. When the water and soil are mixed, the ground becomes very soft and acts similar to quicksand. If liquefaction occurs under a building, it may start to lean, tip over, or sink several feet. The ground firms up again after the earthquake has past and the water has settled back down to its usual place deeper in the ground. Liquefaction is a hazard in areas that have groundwater near the surface and sandy soil.
Buildings can also be damaged by strong surface waves making the ground heave and lurch. Any buildings in the path of these surface waves can lean or tip over from all the movement. The ground shaking may also cause landslides, mudslides, and avalanches on steeper hills or mountains, all of which can damage buildings and hurt people.
Ground Displacement
The second main earthquake hazard is ground displacement (ground movement) along a fault. If a structure (a building, road, etc.) is built across a fault, the ground displacement during an earthquake could seriously damage or rip apart that structure.
From Figure 4 you can tell that the San Andreas Fault is a right-lateral transverse (strike-slip) fault because the other side of the road (on the opposite side of the fault) has moved to the right, relative to the photographer's position.
Figure 4 - This road, which crosses the San Andreas fault, was cut in half by the 1906 earthquake. One end of the road slid 20 feet (6.5 meters) past the other during the quake.
Buildings can also be damaged by strong surface waves making the ground heave and lurch. Any buildings in the path of these surface waves can lean or tip over from all the movement. The ground shaking may also cause landslides, mudslides, and avalanches on steeper hills or mountains, all of which can damage buildings and hurt people.
Ground Displacement
The second main earthquake hazard is ground displacement (ground movement) along a fault. If a structure (a building, road, etc.) is built across a fault, the ground displacement during an earthquake could seriously damage or rip apart that structure.
From Figure 4 you can tell that the San Andreas Fault is a right-lateral transverse (strike-slip) fault because the other side of the road (on the opposite side of the fault) has moved to the right, relative to the photographer's position.
Figure 4 - This road, which crosses the San Andreas fault, was cut in half by the 1906 earthquake. One end of the road slid 20 feet (6.5 meters) past the other during the quake.
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