Author Question: The current California requirement is that high-rise structures must be built to withstand about 0.4 ... (Read 55 times)

drink · **on:** Jul 15, 2018

The current California requirement is that high-rise structures must be built to withstand about 0.4 g
ground acceleration, and single family dwellings must be built to withstand about 0.15 g ground
acceleration. Would that standard have protected structures in Northridge in 1994? Why or why not? What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

What does paleoseismicity refer to, and how does it contribute to earthquake forecasting? What will be an ideal response?

IRincones · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 15, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Probably not. Record ground accelerations were experienced during the Northridge earthquake that
exceeded the standard by many orders of magnitude. Recorded ground accelerations were as high as
1.8 g. The Uniform Building Code may have to be reconsidered in light of this.

Answer to Question 2

Paleoseismicity is a geological method wherein trenches are excavated through a fault zone. Study of
the displacements of faults, within the trenches, and dating of layers of sediment using 14C provides a
chronology of ancient earthquake activity. This data extends our knowledge of the behavior of a given
fault zone into the distant past and thus improves the statistical database from which forecasts are
made.