How Safe is Your Home in Case of an Earthquake?

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How safe is your home in case of an earthq

The recent Nepal earthquake was devastating on many levels. Many northeastern parts of India too felt the effects of the earthquake; although it was not as massive as it was in Nepal, many felt the shocks and aftershocks in India too. Real Estate in Hyderabad is most affected by any natural calamity. However, expects claim that earthquakes are not the only culprit behind buildings collapsing; poorly designed buildings also play a major role.

India is classified into five earthquake zones, with zone five having the highest possibility of an earthquake. The Geological Survey of India (G.S.I) released the image below, showing all the five zones in India. Seismologists claim that earthquakes do not kill people. Buildings do!

Source: www.mapsofindia.com/

Ideally, five factors cause buildings to collapse:

• Soil Failure: Earthquakes move the ground that your house is built on. They move the ground up & down and sideways simultaneously. If your home is not built with a good strong foundation but only on soil, then the chances of it (your home) collapsing are high. A foundation pier must be used if soft soils are unavoidable.
• Foundation failure: A common factor why buildings collapse is because the foundation is weak. Many builders do not do the necessary research of the ground below them and lay foundations that cannot withstand an earthquake. In many cases, laying an unstable foundation can go unnoticed, as the concentration of zone two and zone three in India is high when compared to zone four and zone five.
• Soft floor failure: Although this term is relatively new, many of us have either, seen a soft floor building or reside in one. Soft floor buildings are ones that essentially have large windows and doors instead of walls. These are used for commercial purposes; hence, they have many open spaces. These types of buildings are notorious for collapsing in case of an earthquake, as they do not possess the structural strength needed to survive one.
• Building joint failure: This factor is self-explanatory. In case a joint of the building is not connected properly, it could result in the building collapsing. It is imperative that all the connecting structures are secured.
  
• Building failure: The materials used while constructing a building do contribute in its ability to withstand an earthquake. While wood does give flexibility to the structure during an earthquake, concrete is much more rigid and can withstand a minor tremor. Every material has its own advantages and drawbacks, knowing which one suits your requirements and conditions best can make a lot of difference.

These five factors hold true in all the five zones. If you planning to purchase a home in a high-rise building or are planning to build one on a piece of land that you just bought, make sure you do the necessary research to make your home a safe in case of earthquakes. For existing dwellers, you could ask your builder for all the details on the above-mentioned factors. In addition, you can ask a structural engineer to look at your home and certify it.

These are the things to remember before you buy a home so that you are prepared when an earthquake hit you. What do you think about this blog post? Share your suggestions, feedback and thoughts on this post by commenting below.

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