Earthquake-Proof Engineering

Why would this be a problem? Is there a lack of available codes? I suggest they (Chinese authorities) take a look at the International Building Code which includes codes for earthquake zones. If the problem is with enforcement then study how the west handles it. When an inspector red tags it the building stops until appropriate measures are taken. If a building fails then the blame game starts. If injury or death occures then lawsuits and in cases of extreme negligence even prison time.

Welcome to the new China.

Codes exist BUT without enforcement NO COMPLIANCE

Courts - forget it...schools, hospitals, many office building, etc. are in fact "state" or province owned.

In China, no one can really be taken to court...if you get the subject into courts, don't expect to win, if you do win, don't expect a timely decision, if you get a meaningful decision, don't expect to get an enforceable judgement; if you get a judgement don't expect that the "company"/defendent will have any assets left worth taking; if they have assets, make sure your army is bigger than the defendents, life is cheap and taking life is even cheaper...$100.

Generally built with the contractor and the client paying everyone just to keep everyone happy and occupied, and issuance of permits and avoidance of inspections. Quality controls FORGET IT of cement, concrete, rebar, steel, and workship virtually do not exist especially in the "inner" cities, as the major outer cities can pay far more than the provincials - unless it is direct Central Govt or the PLA/Military industries.

Considerable experience in China for local city and provincial governments and company and some in Beijing and Shanghai - seen it, used it, got used by it....

Are you Sharon Stone? What a cold blood reply.

The Earthquake killed thousands and thousands Children. You should respect to these life.

Most of the China inland provinces are still very poor. The local government do not have equate money to build a international standard school. They always need to decide "to build more general standard schools for more children" or "to build some good quality standard of schools for some or the rich children" .

China is a developing country. It takes times to build up the life quality for everyone.

Terribly sorry for your losses. I know it's no consolation but there are still parts of the US that are not up to acceptable code and we have been at it for quite some time.

Well, I think that it is not about the building codes, but more about application of the codes and standards. One thing the IBC is really a consolidation of the many former US building codes, e.g. UBC, that is only 8 years old. Prior to the 2000 IBC different parts of the US used different building codes, the UBC being the most widely used since it covered everything west of the mississippi. So there are many differences primarily across the midwest, south and east coast in building standards applied by communities. To someone in California, where hurricane ties and steel foundation straps are used to mitigate seismic risk, it seems crazy when a house roof blows off in a wind storm in the south where they actually have hurricanes, but many southern states didn't use these level of standards in many mass produced developments

Additionally, all building codes in the US have an exemption built in for the final decision from the building inspectors. So a code can be superceded by an inspector with a couple of years work experience, 1 day training course, and a 4 hour exam under his belt (no formal education in engineering). So, even US communities in the midwest are unprepared for a serious earthquake, even though they sit on the location where the worst earthquake is likely to happen, because it hasn't happened in the local building officials period of experience.

Also, I understand form the BBC that the parents in China are raising hell now, and the governemnt is getting concerned about an movement over the use of substandard materials and practices by the builders of these facilities during that period when amny of these schools were built. I guess the real issue was that China had the standards and codes at that time, but the government agencies were overlooking some of them due to corruption and allowing substandard facilities to be built. The inspectors and building officials probably figured it was a very low risk since there is a large safety factor built into the design and they have never seen any major earth qaukes in the areas (yet).

I figure that if local and state governments in the US can not plan and build for a hurricane because of the corruption in a well-established moderately-sized community like New Orleans that was built up over hundreds of years, even though they had close calls nearly every previous year through out their history. How do you expect the Chinese regional and local officials to plan and build for a major earthquake that might have a recurrence of 1000 years in that area.

GA RCE,

You must work in some capacity where the codes come into play, judging from your familiarity with the issue.

My knowledge comes in a somewhat secondhand way. My father, Jack Hageman, was a building official for years. During the late seventies and early eighties he was president of the UBC. He was somewhat influential in bringing the new IBC to pass. He was also the major drafter of the new code.

He was, as a Reagan Republican, very anti-beaurocracy. He understood, from the inside, what a beaurocratic nightmare this country's government has become. It was his desire that an inspectors decisions could be apealed to a review board made up of other local inspectors. That didn't pass the board, however. Possibly due to fear of too much change but maybe for the best, as it would have added one more layer to the mix.

He also wrote several manuals with the intent of simplifying the code under the title, "Contractors Guide to the Building Code" published by Craftsman Books.

He was involved with the code up to the time of his death from supposed heart failure (lawsuit pending).

Yeah, appealing inspectors decisions can occur just by going over their head to building department management. Having a review board for appeals is just an additional loophole for contractors who can not meet code, then can not meet inspectors reduced practical interpretation of code in the field, and then can not convince the building dept engineers to supercede the inspector for even more leniency. The truth is the code should not allow the code to be superceded except when approved by the City Engineer and State, but it does. Where you really need review board is to review exceptions to and oversights of the code made by building officials, since this is where the corruption can occur. Much like a medical review board can review questionable or atypical medical decision made by a Doctor. This is part of the current issue in China, the corruption by officials responsible for oversight of the construction of the schools during a specific time period (i believe it was the 80s or 90s) that allowed standards and practices to by circumvented.

I have looked at hundreds of pictures of the buildings that have collapsed during and after the quake due to after shocks. Many of these pictures show up close photos of the material used for the construction of the building. Likewise, there many picture that reveal anchor joints. Most noted in the photos is the lack of re bar in the concrete. However, the type of construction material used does not have a need for such reinforcement.

In nearly 100% of the pictures of buildings I looked at, most common was pre stress pre cast, hollow core dry cast cement. This would include walls and the floors above ground level. A very strong and flexible material to say the least about dry cast cement.

Another point of interest might be the fact that I saw very little cabling in the hollow core floors. However, load bearing does play a role for the number of cable and the tension of the cable.

As for the schools that collapsed, I noted that many of these schools were not more than 3 levels and a few at five levels. Another interesting point would be that school buildings did not totally collapse. It would seem that the majority of the school collapsed front to back with a back portion of the building still standing.

I do not know what the building standards are for China in a earth quake zone. I can say that the magnitude of the earth quake would test any structure designed against earth quakes. Looking beyond the schools and other structures, one can clearly see the destruction power of the quake.

My heart grieves for the loss of so many children and I share with the parents, the heart felt pain for there children, to each and everyone.

You stated: "This is no accident". I agree. Who could really know the power of a earth quake and whatever deliberate action it may or may not have on the earth? As for China planning to kill there own people, (children) by means of poor engineering, I do not agree. Truly a sad and epec event happen and death is often the ruler of man's attempts to rule over the earth's natural forces. China did not loose a generation of children, the world did.

A testament to the engineering in China can be seen thought out the region stuck by the earth quake. God forbid that any other country should have and earth quake like the one that claimed so much innocences.

Often the world is quick to judge China and perhaps in many cases rightfully so in doing.

The question is: will we as the world offer a hand to help prevent as much as possible the loss of life or will we drive China from us with our judgment?

How much rebar was used in these buildings? I remember seeing a show on the history channel or something that was talking about earthquakes (specifically a couple of tremblors that hit in the Los Angeles area in the 60', I think) that showed all the damage that was cause by the shaking, shifting or whatever, to buildings that had NO REINFORCING STEEL in any of the brick and mortar buildings. I think there was a bit of a problem stemming from this with some regular concrete buildings as well. The more steel in the concrete, mortar, or whatever the better - if you are looking for reinforcement. Here in California, I don't know if it is like this in the rest of the states, schools are still built with wooden studs in the walls for seismic reasons.

Condolences to every family that suffered a loss of a child (Hell, even an injury is TOO much when talking about kids) due to the earthquake and aftershocks that continue to hit your country

GODSPEED

Ferris

Unreinforced masonry was a issue even in the 1906 SF earthquake. Following the earthquake they implemented building codes that required reinforment in masonry buildings, as one of the many code improvements, but shortly after due to complaints from contractor regarding how the new codes would slow construction, the Mayor i believe it was, superceded the new building codes to allow building with the new earthquake mitigation measure like reinforced masonry. Corruption of government officials into the service of contractors will always be a huge issue. And if a contractor can build you a building as if it were built to code but save money ofn the materials cost and labor for installing reinforcing steel, they will not even flinch at doing it. they may even tell you later that it was not required but for an additional (huge) fee they can seismically retrofit your structure.

There are three things you have to consider while designing the earthquake proof buildings.
1. The natural frequency of the building should not match with the frequency of earthquakes of previously recorded earthquakes.
2. Cross sectional strucktures like X beem should be provided to withstand lateral shaking to avoid crashing of buildings,
3. The building should osulate with the shaking of earthquake it should not be very rigid.
----------------
Tanyaa

HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII