You're at home, when you feel the shaking of an earthquake. You wonder how long it will last; time seems to stand still. This must be the Big One, you realize. Then in about 90 seconds it's over. What do you do now? As a structural engineer who has evaluated earthquake damage, I will provide some tips to keep you safe in your home after the earthquake.
Once you've made sure you and others are unhurt, you need to know if your house is safe to occupy. In a few days, Building Inspectors will perhaps evaluate your home's condition. Before this happens you can perform your own inspection. First, quickly check the gas line and check for broken electrical lines, especially if your house has come off its foundation. Now on to the structure:
| 1 |
If parts of the building have collapsed, this is obviously unsafe. |
| 2 |
Buildings leaning more than 1 inch per floor are unsafe. Rooms over garage doors are particularly vulnerable. |
| 3 |
Roof or floors separated from walls are unsafe. |
| 4 |
A canopy or porch separated from main house is unsafe area. |
| 5 |
Your brick chimney can be a falling hazard. Don't build a fire until it's inspected. |
| 6 |
Look for loose roof tiles. Keep people from the area. |
| 7 |
Cripple walls can fail, allowing the house to fall to ground. This is unsafe. (A cripple wall is a wood wall between the foundation and the first floor found on some homes). |
| 8 |
Hillside homes with broken bracing or shifted posts are unsafe. |
| 9 |
Homes that have moved off their foundation are unsafe. |
| 10 |
Wood beams can be dislodged. Look for signs of movement at the supports. Stay away from this area. |
If you discover any of these unsafe situations, stay outside the house or the areas affected. A structural engineer can perform a more detailed evaluation and provide repair recommendations. Qualified contractors can even raise your home back onto its foundation. Seismic strengthening can prevent this damage. Structural engineers can evaluate your home and provide recommendations for seismic strengthening before the next Big One.
written by Bill Daley, Structural Engineer
Rinne & Peterson Structural Engineers
www.rpse.com
