June 2022, Newsletter
Ali Sahabi, GEC
Principal,
Optimum Seismic, Inc.
Your building survived past quakes, but will it withstand a Big One?
I’ve had people tell me their buildings are safe from earthquakes because they survived past ones.
But all buildings and earthquakes are different, so guessing whether your apartment building, business or home is safe from earthquakes is bad reasoning. Science and engineering are the best predictors of how structures will hold up in major earthquakes.
To understand what modern science says about your building, get a well-prepared engineering study. That is your first line of defense. It is important that your building’s study be thorough and complete in its analysis.
If you think your building is at risk of damage in an earthquake, Optimum Seismic can help you to find a solution that is right for you. Call 833 978-7664 or visit OptimumSeismic.com.
Balcony Collapse Anniversary
This week marks the 7th anniversary of the Berkeley Collapse where 5 students were killed & 7 others students were hospitalized. The group was celebrating a 21st birthday at the time of the balcony collapse.
In May 2015 they reached a settlement with some of the companies involved in the construction phase.
A Californian district attorney decided last year not to bring any criminal charges in relation to the incident.
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Powerful earthquakes strike along ‘Ring of Fire’
An earthquake of epic proportions shook southern Peru recently, measuring 7.2 in magnitude. It was one of several to strike along the Pacific “Ring of Fire” in May, including a 6.4-magnitude quake in East Timor, a 6.1-magnitue quake in the Philippines, a 6.8 magnitude quake in Chile. Large earthquakes are common along the land masses rimming the Pacific Ocean, including California.
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Hero Rats train to help in earthquake rescues
Innovations for earthquake resilience seem endless. Rats are now learning to wear backpacks equipped with location trackers and microphones so Rescue teams can communicate with survivors. It’s an amazing way to save survivors trapped under earthquake debris.
The HERO RATS Project is led by Dr. Donna Kean from Glasgow, Scotland. Seven rats went through training and show a two week learning curve to get up to speed.
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A mega-tsunami in the Pacific northwest?
Scientists have long predicted a giant 9.0-magnitude earthquake reverberating out from the Pacific northwest’s Cascadia fault and quickly triggering colossal waves barreling to shore.
What if these predictions are missing an important piece of information – one that, in certain scenarios, could tell an even more dire story?
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First high-resolution images of Imperial Valley faults
The San Andreas Fault slices through Coachella Valley before tapering off below the waters of California’s Salton Sea, just south of the famed lowland.
Valerie Sahakian, a geophysicist at the University of Oregon has published a new study in Geology, saying her team of researchers, seismically imaged faults along the canal. They found new faults, traced existing ones and identified deformation that likely resulted from past earthquakes.
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Solar system’s largest quake detected on Mars
NASA has detected the largest quake ever recorded on another planet: a magnitude 5 tremor on Mars. The space agency detected the quake using its InSight Mars lander, which is equipped with a highly sensitive seismometer. Mars does not have tectonic plates like Earth, but it does have volcanically active regions that can cause rumbles.
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Scientists drill into fault to uncover its mysteries
To know what happens to a fault during an earthquake, we need to have our eyes on it. A new drilling project in Taiwan gets instruments as close as possible to the source of a future earthquake. The goal is to establish an ambitious and comprehensive long-term fault monitoring observatory to better understand the dynamics involved in earthquakes.
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Balcony law seminar draws full house at AAOC
Optimum Seismic’s seminar on California’s new Balcony Law, SB 721, drew a capacity audience at the Apartment Association of Orange County. Topics included structures required to be inspected and repaired, impacts of the law on apartment owners, and what to expect from the inspection process. Call us at 833-978-7664 for more information, or visit an upcoming workshop.
Click here for upcoming events
Optimum Seismic takes part in USGBC-LA event
Optimum Seismic participated in the U.S. Green Building Council-L.A.’s My Green Building Conference and Expo recently. In addition to activities focused on green building, the event presented information on sustainability skills you can use in your home and lifestyle. We are proud to be a member of this very important organization!
