How are buildings made earthquake proof?
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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.
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