Today's Earthquake In Pakistan Creates A New Island In The Arabian Sea.

[thesometimesaint]

Canard, I was not talking about what you seem to think I was.  I was talking about affordable, appropriate technology.  I imagine that wood is somewhat scarce in that part of Pakistan, but still, there are methods of construction with stone and brick that are more quake-resistant than others.  It seems that there must be someone who could have experimented with different techniques to make these structures more survivable?  If not the people in Pakistan than why not someone else, somewhere else?  The Gates Foundation has been working on ways to fight malaria, ways that can be applied affordably by those living in infected areas, so why couldn't somebody research simple and affordable ways to build earthquake resistant residences out of materials commonly available where they are needed?

 

After thousands of years of this, you'd think someone would think of something!  Especially with all the engineering expertise that is now available.

 

Stone, brick and adobe can(should be) be reinforced with rebar to make them more structurally sound. Developing and implimenting strict building codes, including live and dead load maximums would also be a big help.

[Stargazer]

Stone, brick and adobe can(should be) be reinforced with rebar to make them more structurally sound. Developing and implimenting strict building codes, including live and dead load maximums would also be a big help.

Yes. Now, as to reinforcement, metal rebar is probably way too expensive for these people, but other forms of reinforcement ought to be as effective. I wonder if some kinds of stiff plastic could be used in the place of rebar? Even to connect individual blocks of mud brick.

[thesometimesaint]

Yes. Now, as to reinforcement, metal rebar is probably way too expensive for these people, but other forms of reinforcement ought to be as effective. I wonder if some kinds of stiff plastic could be used in the place of rebar? Even to connect individual blocks of mud brick.

 

I've seen some plastics that are as strong as steel, but they are even more expensive than steel is. Plus it takes a pretty advanced society to make them. If we're talking mud brick huts we're not talking about an advanced society any more. I don't know the solution other than bringing them into at least the latter part of the 20th Century.

[Stargazer]

I've seen some plastics that are as strong as steel, but they are even more expensive than steel is. Plus it takes a pretty advanced society to make them. If we're talking mud brick huts we're not talking about an advanced society any more. I don't know the solution other than bringing them into at least the latter part of the 20th Century.

 

Probably true, but I still can't help but think that cheap plastic reinforcement would work and could be made easily in Pakistan.  My son the landscaper sometimes uses plastic grid to stabilize earth (it seems inexpensive), and I wonder if embedding it in mudbricks with some portion exposed so it could be anchored for strength....

 

Well, I guess I don't know enough to talk about it, really.

 

Another thing -- it doesn't need to be as strong as steel.  As you may remember, the Israelites in Egypt used straw to help bind the bricks they made.

[thesometimesaint]

Probably true, but I still can't help but think that cheap plastic reinforcement would work and could be made easily in Pakistan.  My son the landscaper sometimes uses plastic grid to stabilize earth (it seems inexpensive), and I wonder if embedding it in mudbricks with some portion exposed so it could be anchored for strength....

 

Well, I guess I don't know enough to talk about it, really.

 

Another thing -- it doesn't need to be as strong as steel.  As you may remember, the Israelites in Egypt used straw to help bind the bricks they made.

 

Something lying horizontal isn't likely to fall on you. You really do need something to tie those bricks together to keep them up. Those surviving ancient Egyptian monuments weren't made of mud bricks. Rain and time would have eroded them to the dust they were made of. Not counting the occasional earthquake.

 

None of us knows enough.

 

Earthquakes are very powerful, and steel is relatively abundant and strong. While nothing is earthquake proof. It only makes sense to build something that is to be  over your head using the strongest and best materials. I live in earthquake country. We have four seasons here, fire, flood, earthquake, and drought. We tend to build accordingly.

[Stargazer]

Something lying horizontal isn't likely to fall on you. You really do need something to tie those bricks together to keep them up. Those surviving ancient Egyptian monuments weren't made of mud bricks. Rain and time would have eroded them to the dust they were made of. Not counting the occasional earthquake.

 

None of us knows enough.

 

Earthquakes are very powerful, and steel is relatively abundant and strong. While nothing is earthquake proof. It only makes sense to build something that is to be  over your head using the strongest and best materials. I live in earthquake country. We have four seasons here, fire, flood, earthquake, and drought. We tend to build accordingly.

 

Yes, I know about the earthquake thing.  You must live in So. California.  I am in Washington state, and live within sight of the most dangerous volcano in the continental United States (Mt. Rainier).  We don't have frequent noticeable earthquakes, but we do get a 6-7 pointer about every 30 years or so.  Our last one, the Nisqually Earthquake, had its epicenter just 11 miles from my house.  And of course, we are waiting with great anticipation for the next Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake.  The last one occurred 313 years ago, and since megathrust earthquakes have occurred in this zone with a frequency of about 210-910 years, we "in the money" so to speak.

 

Interesting times!  We do live in a wood-frame house sitting on a partial foundation w/post-and-block, but the house has managed to survive all three of the intraslab quakes it has experienced in its 120 year lifespan so far.  A megathrust quake would probably destroy it, but we'd likely survive it.  My workplace is almost brand-new with all the latest and greatest earthquake bells and whistles.

[thesometimesaint]

Yes, I know about the earthquake thing.  You must live in So. California.  I am in Washington state, and live within sight of the most dangerous volcano in the continental United States (Mt. Rainier).  We don't have frequent noticeable earthquakes, but we do get a 6-7 pointer about every 30 years or so.  Our last one, the Nisqually Earthquake, had its epicenter just 11 miles from my house.  And of course, we are waiting with great anticipation for the next Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake.  The last one occurred 313 years ago, and since megathrust earthquakes have occurred in this zone with a frequency of about 210-910 years, we "in the money" so to speak.

 

Interesting times!  We do live in a wood-frame house sitting on a partial foundation w/post-and-block, but the house has managed to survive all three of the intraslab quakes it has experienced in its 120 year lifespan so far.  A megathrust quake would probably destroy it, but we'd likely survive it.  My workplace is almost brand-new with all the latest and greatest earthquake bells and whistles.

 

We get dozens if not hundreds of eartthquakes every day. The vast majority only show up as slight jumps in old shakeameter. We live in slab on grade woodframe stucco house. But it's all tied down with bolts into the cement. They're designed for a lot of give, but if it is a really big enough shaker it is best to be either outside, or under a heavy table.

[cdowis]

 

After thousands of years of this, you'd think someone would think of something!  Especially with all the engineering expertise that is now available.

 

The BYU Engineering Dept. would be a good place to start.  They are working on such projects all the time.