How are buildings made earthquake proof?
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Simple buildings can just be made with a strong frame or base so the whole thing moves as one piece instead of collapsing.
For bigger constructions you can build in vibration absorbers. Some are similar to shock absorbers on a car with a spring and damper system. Others can use systems with big tanks of water or heavy masses tuned to the natural frequencies of the building so the movement transmitted into the device prevents a destructive resonance building up the amplitude of the building’s movement.
There are a few approaches, but the main ones involve using some sort of giant “shock absorber” and using flexible materials to “tie” otherwise solid walls and structures together. Newer large buildings in earthquake prone areas tend to have large rubbery “feet” built into their foundations – the buildings literally rest on top of huge sort-of squishy devices that absorb much of the shaking force during an earthquake. Some larger buildings may have a counterweight built on a higher floor as well, so when the building tries to lurch to the left, the counterweight swings to the right (for example), dissipating the sideways forces. Some also have actual shock absorbers – giant hydraulic dampeners connecting the building to the foundation – that lessen the transfer of energy from the moving ground to the building.
Smaller structures often have some sort of rope looped through the walls that help prevent structures from collapsing when they shake. The buildings may still be heavily damaged, but they tend not to topple over into a pile of rubble – the rope keeps the walls more or less together.
I kind of wanna see a house that is a little off the ground, and under it have heavy duty springs/shock absorbers like the inside of semi trucks underneath as its’ foundation. When an earthquake hits, because of those, the house wouldn’t move. 🙂
No building is earthquake proof. If the earth wants to move, it’ll move, and a puny sky scraper isn’t going to stop it.
But buildings can be made to be more resilient, to try to minimize the damage of an earthquake if a not-too-big one occurs. Pick materials like wood that can bend and absorb energy without breaking, like concrete will. Design structures that can bend and deflect, spreading the load broadly across the building instead of it being concentrated in one place.
Imagine you’re riding a car and going through a pothole.
The shock absorber on the car tyres will absorb the impact, making you feel less shock. [it’s kind of the same way with buildings](https://www.reddit.com/r/gifs/comments/bg5p5r/earthquake_resistant_building_model_demonstration/)
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