Building Houses With Geological Concerns in Mind

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When people start looking for land to build a house, the first things that often come to mind are property value and beauty. Unfortunately, it can feel like geologists often get overlooked in this part of the process. While a realtor’s job is to sell a piece of property by making it as appealing as possible, it’s irresponsible for anyone in the housing market to ignore geological warnings when it comes to building something new.

Because geologists often get ignored when it comes to home-building, far too many people make the mistake of building on land that is susceptible to earthquakes, flooding, or landslides.

So, what can geologists do to have a greater presence in the real estate industry? How can you make a difference and work with home-builders to ensure the safety and security of newly-constructed homes on the right kind of property?

Understanding the Ideal Home Location

The ideal home location in the eyes of a geologist may not be the same as the ideal location for a realtor or buyer. One of the first things you can do to get a better understanding of the risks in certain locations is to educate yourself on geologic hazards in that location. Some of the most common concerns for specific locations include:

 

●     Tornadoes

●     Hurricanes

●     Landslides

●     Tsunamis

●     Earthquakes

 

Obviously, different concerns affect different parts of the country. So, it’s not enough to only understand some of the risks of your own area. That’s especially true if you want to branch out and work with contractors across the country.

The more you know about different geological hazards in different locations, the easier it will be to keep builders informed. Realtors constantly use the “location, location, location” motto when it comes to selling a piece of land or a home, but as a geologist, you can help them to find the ideal location that is as safe from disaster as it is beautiful.

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Working With Contractors

If you contract your services out, you can work with building contractors or directly with those interested in building or rennovating a home to make sure they aren’t building on land with geological concerns. On top of that, any good contractor is sure to ask their clients questions about what they’re looking for in a project, including how long they plan to stay in their home and other expectations they might have — which means you as a geological contractor should be doing the same.

You should also ask specific questions and make sure they understand your concerns about the location they’re choosing. You can ask them how they plan to utilize the property while guiding them on some of the best practices to keep their new construction safe. That could include foundational changes, like using shock absorbers or making the foundation more flexible, depending on the risk of geological activity in a particular area. It’s important to emphasize that on top of everything else homebuyers should keep an eye out for when buying a new house, they should also be aware of where that house is located.

If you spend enough time working with contractors, you might even think about designing your own buildings and homes that are structurally sound and meant to withstand some geological problems, like earthquakes. The more you learn about the construction industry, the more you can do to keep people safe. The more the home-building industry knows about geology, the more they will take natural disasters seriously when it comes to laying the foundation for a new house.

It’s a win-win situation for everyone, but it’s especially important for any family that wants to build a new house. Without the knowledge of a geologist in a geologically-active area, that family could be placing themselves in great danger in a very short amount of time.

Image credit Alex-Siale on Wunderstock

Working With Realtors

Another route you could take when it comes to utilizing your geological skills is to work with a local real estate office. Again, realtors want to list land that is appealing in every way possible. You can work with them by surveying their land options for things like:

●     Seismic activity

●     Likelihood of a landslide

●     Wildfire threats

●     Flooding concerns

These aren’t necessarily geological hazards that would completely prevent anyone from building on a lot. But, a home-builder needs to be made aware of these issues. It might force the realtor to lower the price of the land, but transparency can get it sold faster.

There are plenty of geology jobs to consider when you’re an expert in your field. But, working with people who are about to build a house can be an incredibly fulfilling reward, simply because you could be saving lives. The more geologists that get involved with building houses, the more people will take notice of geological concerns and potential hazards.

Find ways to work with builders, contractors, and realtors in your own neighborhood to make sure you’re all on the same page when it comes to keeping homeowners safe in their new construction for years to come. Even if you start small, you can use your skills to eventually branch out across the country and help connect geology and real estate once and for all. The more geologists who take an active interest in such things, the more lives can be saved from natural disasters.

Indiana Lee is a  journalist from the Pacific Northwest with a passion for covering workplace issues, environmental protection, social justice, and more. When she is not writing you can find her deep in the mountains with her two dogs. Follow her work on Contently, or reach her at indianaleewrites@gmail.com

Designing Buildings to Reduce the Impact of Earthquakes

Earthquakes rip through our cities, with seismic waves that tear down our buildings and take away lives in the process. Just two years ago, in September of 2017, a 7.1 earthquake thundered throughout Mexico City and killed nearly 230 people.

The main cause of damage isn’t from the earthquake but from the collapsing structures. Historical and pre-earthquake safe buildings are not equipped to shield themselves from these natural disasters, leading to loss of lives and immense costs.

How Earthquakes Wreak Havok

On average, collapsing buildings cause $2.1 billion in damage and 10,000 deaths a year. Let’s analyze how earthquakes damage manmade structures.

The shockwaves from earthquakes force horizontal pressure on buildings. Without the right structure to divert this energy away from the building, they collapse—killing the people inside of them. That’s because buildings are unable to handle side forces. Although they’re able to handle vertical forces, earthquakes attack the core of the building. The horizontal forces strike the columns, floors, beams, and connectors that hold them together—rupturing support frames.

How to Make a Building Earthquake-Proof

There are many methods that engineers use to make structures more earthquake-proof, they make improvements to the foundation, structure, material flexibility as well as preventing waves from hitting the buildings. Let’s examine the methods used to help buildings resist this deadly force. For a visualization of how these methods work check out the visuals at earthquake-proof visual by BigRentz.

1. Build A Flexible Foundation

One way to prevent seismic waves from traveling throughout a building is to use flexible pads made of steel and rubber to hold the building's foundation. In this manner, the pads “lift” the building above ground and absorb the earthquakes’ shocks.

2. Damping

Engineers also use shock absorbers (similar to the ones you find in cars) for earthquake resistant buildings. These fixtures help reduce the magnitude felt from the shockwaves for the building. They’re also responsible for slowing down the life-threatening movement when buildings sway after a quake.

To accomplish this, geological engineers use:

• Vibrational Control Devices

By placing dampers between a column and a beam at each building level, they use pistons and oil to convert the motion into heat. The heat absorbs the shocks felt from the earthquake.

• Pendulum Power

This method is used primarily in skyscrapers. Engineers use a large weight and hydraulics that move opposite of the earthquake’s motion to help reduce the effects of any seismic shocks that hit the building. 3. Shield Buildings from Vibrations

Concrete and plastic rings are built underneath three feet beneath the building in expanding rings. These rings are sometimes called, “seismic invisibility cloaks” because they keep waves from reaching the building. These rings channel shockwaves so that they move to the outer circles and divert away from the building. 4. Reinforce the Building’s Structure

Shear walls and cross braces help shift earthquake movement away to the foundation. Horizontal frames are also useful, as they redistribute forces to the building’s columns and walls. Lastly, moment-resisting frames help keep joints rigid, simultaneously allowing the structure to bend for safety. 5. Use Resistant Materials

It’s vital to note that the building materials you use have a huge effect on a building’s stability. Two of the best materials for earthquake-resistance are structural steel and wood. There are also innovative materials that are being incorporated into structures like bamboo and memory alloy (flexible but returns to its shape easily).

With the right geological engineering practices, we can make cities safer from unpredictable earthquakes. Many cities have implemented earthquake-safe codes and requirements for new construction. Although making structures completely earthquake-proof is difficult to achieve—the goal is to keep buildings standing tall and people inside them safe. Check out the 5600+ words guide on 251 Ultimate Disaster Preparedness Safety Tips and Procedures.