Apparently liquefaction was an issue. Would you say you consider the fact that the building was under construction to be irrelevant?That's a big one. Disconcerting that a new building being constructed collapsed. You would hope that new structures are designed to resist seismic shaking. I wonder if it was a liquefaction issue affecting the soil supporting the foundation (still should have been designed for).
Developing countries may not be able to afford those types of mitigations. Even in the US we would see some damage from a quake of that magnitude on structures that pre-dated the latest codes.That's a big one. Disconcerting that a new building being constructed collapsed. You would hope that new structures are designed to resist seismic shaking. I wonder if it was a liquefaction issue affecting the soil supporting the foundation (still should have been designed for).
The collapsed building was in Bangkok, a fair distance from the epicenter, 600 miles. (I just checked.)Developing countries may not be able to afford those types of mitigations. Even in the US we would see some damage from a quake of that magnitude on structures that pre-dated the latest codes.
Same here in hurricane country. My 2002 built home did much better than the 1991 pre-Hurricane Andrew code update homes.
It's relevant because the design is in accordance most recent current building codes (and seismic considerations). Older building are more prone to collapse since they were likely not built to resist seismic forces or liquefaction issues.Apparently liquefaction was an issue. Would you say you consider the fact that the building was under construction to be irrelevant?
I guess my question is did the building collapse only because it was still under construction? If it had been completed would it still be standing?It's relevant because the design is in accordance most recent current building codes (and seismic considerations). Older building are more prone to collapse since they were likely not built to resist seismic forces or liquefaction issues.
I won't pretend to know the building codes in Thailand, but I would be very surprised if new buildings in Bangkok were being designed with no seismic considerations at all. They may not be as stringent as codes in other countries, so they may suffer more EQ damage, but they should absolutely be designed to resist collapse. This is a new building so it should be under the current building code.Developing countries may not be able to afford those types of mitigations. Even in the US we would see some damage from a quake of that magnitude on structures that pre-dated the latest codes.
Same here in hurricane country. My 2002 built home did much better than the 1991 pre-Hurricane Andrew code update homes.
Ah, got you. I'm not a structural engineer so can't say for sure, but I can't think of a reason that it would be more vulnerable to collapse because it's under construction. Any eq resistant structural features should already be in place (moment frames, bracing, shear walls). Maybe some shear walls hadn't been constructed yet? @step.eng69 may have thoughts.I guess my question is did the building collapse only because it was still under construction? If it had been completed would it still be standing?
Thank you for thinking of me, Grant...Ah, got you. I'm not a structural engineer so can't say for sure, but I can't think of a reason that it would be more vulnerable to collapse because it's under construction. Any eq resistant structural features should already be in place (moment frames, bracing, shear walls). Maybe some shear walls hadn't been constructed yet? @step.eng69 may have thoughts.
โProblematic constructionโ seems to have been a factor in the Bangkok collapse.Ah, got you. I'm not a structural engineer so can't say for sure, but I can't think of a reason that it would be more vulnerable to collapse because it's under construction. Any eq resistant structural features should already be in place (moment frames, bracing, shear walls). Maybe some shear walls hadn't been constructed yet? @step.eng69 may have thoughts.
Yikes. I guess better now than when the building was completed and full.โProblematic constructionโ seems to have been a factor in the Bangkok collapse.
โProblematic constructionโ seems to have been a factor in the Bangkok collapse.
Not really Grant,Yikes. I guess better now than when the building was completed and full.
Not really Grant,
There have been many issues of faulty construction practices in the Asian countries for the past decades.
attached a video that explains construction in China.
You would think that the ancient temples in Thailand would have been at risk during an earthquake but I have not read of any damage along these lines.There was a documentary on the Nepal earthquake a few years ago that had something fascinating, the buildings that survived were certain ages, not all old or all new but at certain specific times. They found the surviving buildings were built a certain way (some sort of wood frames if I remember) and then over the course of the next 80 or 100 years folks 'forgot' how to build in this earthquake safe way and those interim buildings didn't survive. An interesting comment on human nature, I would think.
edit: and a lack of wood resulted in the change as well, forgot that part!
Not really Grant,
There have been many issues of faulty construction practices in the Asian countries for the past decades.
attached a video that explains construction in China.
Wow, frightening. Crap materials, bribery/corruption, poor inspection. This was all in China. I don't want to assume it's consistent with other Asian countries, but this sure would make sense for the building that collapsed in Thailand.