NATURE OF EARTHQUAKES

An earthquake is a geographical phenomenon that involves the motion or

shaking of the earth’s crust. An earthquake therefore can be caused by several
sources such as tectonic forces, volcanic activity, explosions of large magnitude,
landslides involving a large mass of soils or rocks, meteoric impact and the filling
of reservoirs or wells. Among these possible causes of earthquakes, the ones
generated by tectonic forces may be exceptionally large and may affect a large
geographical area, and most importantly, these earthquakes are unpredictable.
Most of the catastrophic earthquakes that occurred in the past are those that will
likely occur in the future are of the tectonic types (Villaverde, R., 2009).
Ang lindol ay isa sa mga pinakanakakatakot at mapanirang pangyayari sa
kalikasan na nagdudulot ng mga teribleng epekto pagkatapos nito. Ito ay isang
biglaan at mabilis na pag-uga ng lupa na dulot ng pagbibiyak at pagbabago ng
mga batong nasa ilalim ng lupa kapag pinakakawalan nito ang puwersang
naiipon sa mahabang panahon. Maaaring magdulot ng malaking pinsala ang
isang lindol tulad ng pagkawasak ng isang gusali, maaaring ito ay makapinsala
habang nagaganap ang pag yanig o pagkatapos ng pagyanig.

Number of Storeys
The height of a structure is sometimes related to the amount of damage it
may sustain. On soft soils, a tall building may experience considerably stronger
and longer duration shaking than a shorter building of the same type. The number
of storeys is a good indicator of the height of a building (approximately 9 to 10 feet
per storey for residential, 12 feet per storey for commercial or office). Counting the
number of storeys may not be a straightforward issue if the building is constructed
on a hill or if it has several different roof levels. As a general rule, the largest
number is used (that is, count floors from the downhill side to the roof). In addition,
the number of storeys may not be unique. A building may be stepped or have a
tower (FEMA Handbook, 2002).
Nakakaapekto ang bilang ng palapag sa halaga ng pinsalang mararanasan
ng isang gusali. Kung ang isang gusali ay mayroong maraming palapag
pagkatapos nagkaroon ng isang malakas na lindol, sa mga oras na iyon
makararanas ang nasabing gusali ng mas malakas at mas mahabang durasyon
sa pag yanig at maaaring mag dulot ng pinsala tulad ng pagkasira at pagkabiyak
ng mga parte nito.

Structure and structural members are under the effect of various loads in
their economic lives. Structural members are column, beam, slab and wall are
subjected to earthquake and wind forces as well as person, property, machine and
their self-loads. The structure is generally under the effect of two main loads as
static and dynamic loads. While static loads are permanent ones, dynamic loads
occur suddenly and effect structure for a length of time. Since, destructive
damages may happen due to dynamic loads, the response of the structure against
these loads shall be estimated correctly. Impact effects are the changes on
mechanical properties of members due to stresses occurring at the strike moment
between objects. Car, helicopter, plane strikes, ship strikes to abutments, water
structures and petrol platforms, explosions in military establishment, projectile
and missile strikes, crane accidents while carrying members and stone and rock
falls to structures located in roadsides are the examples of impact incidents.
Ayon kay Dr. Tanjina Nur, Ph.D. sa librong Civil Engineering Problems
and Solutions ang isang imprastraktura ay may dalawang uri ng kabigatan:
static at dynamic loads. Ang static loads ay ang permanenteng bigat na
binubuhat ng isang gusali samantala ang dynamic loads naman ay ang epekto
o pagpalit sa mechanical properties tulad ng isang bagay. Mga halimbawa nito
ay ang mga sasakyan, paglapag ng helikopter at eroplano, pagpapasabog ng
military sa isang particular na lugar at iba pang mga pangyayari na nagtataglay
ng pagyanig. Sa mga pangyayari, may kaugnayan ang salik na ito sa mga sanhi
ng pagkasira ng isang gusali. Isa rin ito sa mga dahilan na kung saan ang isang
imprastraktura ay madaling kapitan ng mga matinding pinsala.