26.13.2. Building Configuration

Try these first

1. 1.

   What are shear waves?

   Hint

   Think about how the ground shakes during an earthquake.

2. 2.

   What is a soft-storey design?

   Hint

   Consider what happens to buildings during earthquakes.

3. 3.

   What type of wave causes lateral movement in the ground?

   • P-Waves
   • S-Waves
   • Rayleigh Waves

   Hint

   Consider which type of wave does not compress.

4. 4.

   True or False: Soft-storey designs are safer during an earthquake.

   • True
   • False

   Hint

   Think about the strength of lower floors compared to upper ones.

5. 5.

   Design a building framework that withstands significant seismic activity, considering shear and Rayleigh waves.

   Hint

   Base your design on real-world earthquake data.

6. 6.

   Critique an existing building design that uses a soft-storey configuration. What changes would you propose?

   Hint

   Look into architectural standards for seismic zones.