Earthquake Engineering

Elijah, Anika, and Mia are civil engineers designing a skyscraper in a region prone to earthquakes. They need to consider how big the loads will be on the skyscraper. Is this statement true?

• True

• False

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-1

NGSS.MS-ETS1-2

NGSS.MS-ETS1-4

NGSS.MS-ESS3-2

Which of the following forces are important to consider when developing a building able to withstand a severe earthquake? Select all that apply.

• Bending

• Magnetic

• Tension

• Torsion

• Compression

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

You will have read about Shoichi Sakamoto, a Japanese inventor, who designed a very different house capable of withstanding damage due to an earthquake. His idea was to lift the house off its foundations the moment an earthquake struck so that it floated on a cushion of air 3 cm thick. He demonstrated this using a model. The diagram below shows how the house would be levitated. Experts in safety of buildings during earthquakes considered the idea but found some problems and several reasons why levitating a house during an earthquake would not work. Do you think levitation would work to protect a building during an earthquake? Here are five reasons why it might not work. Select all reasons you agree with.

• Lifting a house 3 cm above the foundations would only protect a house if the seismic waves were less than 3 cm in amplitude.

• The house might be empty so on one could push the button to make the compressor work.

• The first earthquake tremors might be the strongest and most destructive.

• The bag might overinflate and the house would levitate too much.

• If it was very windy, the house might slide off the foundation completely.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-1

NGSS.MS-ETS1-2

During an earthquake in San Francisco, Jackson, James, and Rohan were discussing whether the way a building is constructed is more important than its age or weight. What do you think?

• True

• False

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-1

NGSS.MS-ETS1-2

NGSS.MS-ETS1-4

Evelyn, Ethan, and Scarlett are studying seismographs for a school project. They come across different patterns indicating different earthquake severities. Which pattern would Evelyn expect to see on the seismograph indicating the earthquake of least severity?

• Option A

• Option B

• Option C

• Option D

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-2

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

When engineers design buildings to withstand earthquakes, they need to consider how big the loads will be on the buildings.

• True

• False

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-1

NGSS.MS-ETS1-4

Is "Torsion" important or not important

to consider when developing a building able

to withstand a severe earthquake?

• Important

• Not Important

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-1

NGSS.MS-ETS1-2

NGSS.MS-ETS1-3

Is "Compression" important or not important

to consider when developing a building able

to withstand a severe earthquake?

• Important

• Not Important

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-1

NGSS.MS-ETS1-2

NGSS.MS-ETS1-4

NGSS.MS-ETS1-3

Is "Tension" important or not important

to consider when developing a building able

to withstand a severe earthquake?

• Important

• Not Important

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-1

NGSS.MS-ETS1-2

NGSS.MS-ETS1-4

NGSS.MS-ETS1-3

Is "Bending" important or not important

to consider when developing a building able

to withstand a severe earthquake?

• Important

• Not Important

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-1

NGSS.MS-ETS1-2

NGSS.MS-ETS1-4

NGSS.MS-ETS1-3