For as long as earthquakes have shaken the ground, they’ve sparked fear, uncertainty, and even superstition. In ancient times, many believed these powerful events were caused by angry gods, mythical giants, or enormous creatures hidden beneath the earth. The Japanese believed a giant catfish living at the bottom of the ocean would shake the Earth when he moved. The Greeks blamed Poseidon, the god of the sea. Mexican folklore explained quakes as acts of El Diablo, himself. Legend said he made huge crevices in the earth from which he and his helpers could emerge to stir up trouble.
Science, not storytelling
We now understand the science of plate tectonics and the cause of these sudden movements of the earth’s crust.
A study by CoreLogic estimates that a full rupture of the San Andreas Fault could result in simultaneous earthquake damage to both Northern and Southern California and cause $289 billion in destruction and damage 3.5 million homes. What’s not calculated in that figure is the residual economic loss from broken infrastructure, shuttered businesses and public services, widespread homelessness, and general chaos.
It’s human nature to dismiss frightening or uncomfortable topics. There is a lot of misunderstanding about earthquakes and seismic retrofits. Let’s clear up a few of these myths.
Myth No. 1: It is too expensive.
The University of California at San Diego, home to the world’s largest outdoor shake table, has found that seismic retrofits are quite effective in helping to control or even prevent damage to buildings.
Today, the economics of retrofits and resilience work. The costs of seismic retrofits are relatively affordable, resulting in a high return on investment. The National Institute of Building Sciences found that retrofitting existing residential building stock can produce up to $16 dollars in benefit for every dollar spent.
Myth No. 2: Tenants must be relocated during retrofits
In most instances, earthquake retrofit construction can take place without having to relocate any tenants.
It’s important to look for a seismic engineering and construction company that can accommodate tenants while doing the work. Much of that entails their construction schedule, and whether they cover and clean up their work to avoid disrupting tenants during non-business hours.
Myth No. 3: I will lose parking spaces from a retrofit
Seismic retrofits of soft-story structures focus on stabilizing the building at the ground-floor level where the parking is located. But that doesn’t mean parking spaces will be lost. Cars can be moved out temporarily while construction is done, but can return to their spaces at 5 p.m. each day.
Proper engineering studies identify the most effective and economical option for each individual property. When the engineering is done right, projects can be done with minimal impact to the structure and its residents. It also avoids permitting delays and/or the need for costly revisions in the future.
If your apartment building is a soft-story structure at risk of failure in an earthquake, call Optimum Seismic today at (833) 978-7664 or visit optimumseismic.com to arrange a complimentary evaluation of your building to find out precisely what risks and liabilities you may be facing.
