Question

Buildings collapse due to earthquakes.

Answer 1

Hint: Poor foundation and lack of adequate steel in the interior design. They are not Earthquake proof buildings. Maximum buildings are not safe enough to resist the vibrations of Earthquakes.

Complete Answer:
There are several reasons by which buildings collapse due to earthquakes. First of all, we will understand about earthquakes. An earthquake is the trembling of the earth's crust as a result of a rapid release of energy into the lithosphere of the earth that causes seismic waves. It is also known as tremor. In the most general context, the term earthquake is used to describe any seismic phenomenon that produces seismic waves, whether natural or triggered by humans.

Earthquakes can also occur by other activities, such as volcanic activities, landslides, mine explosions, and nuclear testing. These disasters lead to earthquakes. Buildings collapse refers to the failure of the structure or the component. The failure of a building depends upon the materials, designs, methods of construction, environmental conditions, and building use.

Some of the main reasons of the building collapse are as follows:
1. Bad design- Lack of knowledge and multiple designs and bad calculations can result in failure.
2. Faulty Construction- Cheap material used in order to gain profits can damage buildings by earthquake.
3. Extraordinary loads- Too many people on the deck is a common reason for the collapse of such structures.
4. Foundation failure- When proper foundation is not provided and soil is of less bearing capacity.
5. Natural disasters- Earthquakes can make just about anything collapse if it is not designed for the magnitude of the accelerations occurring.
6. Soil Liquefaction- It occurs when water pressure within a mass of soil affects the soil particles to lose contact with one another.
7. Old Buildings- When too buildings are not renovated for years can collapse due to earthquakes.

Note: First earthquake in India, ever recorded, occurred on 12 June 1897 in Assam. January 15, 1934 in Bihar with a magnitude of 8.1 was considered to be one of Indian history's deadliest quakes. Its epicenter was in Eastern Nepal. Its intensity was so strong that its effect was felt in Kolkata-650 km from the epicenter. January 26, 2001 with a magnitude of 7.7 occurred in Gujarat was also one of the terrible earthquakes.