This transcript was exported on Dec 02, 2024 - view latest version here.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Builders in developing countries are often not required to build strong buildings. So when a disaster
strikes, the damage is often widespread. Yet, Japan is one of the most developed countries in the world.
Still. The March 11th earthquake and tsunami waves destroyed more than 14,000 buildings. Brady Cox is
an assistant professor of civil engineering at the University of Arkansas. He is also an earthquake expert
with an organisation called Geotechnical Extreme Events, reconnaissance or Gear. The group studies
major disasters. Professor Cox says Japan has one of the best building code systems in the world.
However, he says this earthquake was huge, one of the top five earthquakes in recorded history. So
anytime there is an earthquake that large, there is going to be damage. The quake measured magnitude
nine. He says. One thing many people don't understand is that building codes are meant to prevent loss of
life in earthquakes.
(01:36):
That doesn't mean that the buildings won't have major damage. Mr. Cox says Japan has invested a lot in
seismic research and design since a magnitude 7.5 earthquake in NTA. In 1964, that same year, a 9.2
quake shook the American state of Alaska. He says, those two earthquakes opened up a lot of new
research on something called soil liquifaction. Soil liquifaction is the process by which the strength or
stiffness of soil is weakened. By an event like the shaking of an earthquake, the soil begins to move like
liquid. Professor Cox says, the first step to designing an earthquake resistant building is to study the soil.
Then the structural engineers take that information and decide the details of the construction, such as, is
this going to be a steel structure? Is it going to be reinforced concrete? How will the framing of the
building be designed? A team from geotechnical extreme events, reconnaissance is going to Japan to
examine the destruction. Mr. Cox says they will also be working on rebuilding efforts. They want to make
sure that schools, hospitals, police, and fire stations and government buildings are rebuilt. Well, Mr. Cox
and other members of gear went to Haiti after the powerful earthquake last year and continue to work
with Haitian officials.
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