Reducing the Impacts of Earthquakes & Volcanoes
- The responses to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions can be short term or long term
- Short term responses are those which happen straight after an event and include aid and disaster relief
- Long term responses aim to reduce the impact of future hazard events and include risk assessments and hazard mapping
Earthquakes - long term responses
- Accurate prediction of earthquakes is not currently possible, but monitoring is
- Many different methods of monitoring are being used to help research possible prediction methods:
- Tiltmeters - which monitors ground changes
- Clusters of small earthquakes
- Changes in radon gas emissions
- Changes in animal behaviour
- Remote sensing of ground movement using satellites
- In developed countries building design and engineering is commonly used to reduce the impact of earthquakes
- Building regulations and codes require new buildings to include earthquake resistant features:
- Shutters on windows prevent falling glass
- Cross-bracing or diagonal bracing of steel frames
- Flexible building materials
- Foundations sunk deep into the bedrock
- Frames which sway with the earthquake tremors
- Rubber shock absorbers to reduce tremors moving through the building
- Reinforce walls/pillars with concrete
- Shatter proof/reinforced glass
- Fire resistant materials
- Automatic cut off for gas/electricity
- In many countries earthquake drills are regularly carried out
- The drills help people to prepare for what to do in an earthquake to protect themselves
- Education about how to prepare homes means that people are less likely to be injured by falling objects and furniture
Volcanoes and earthquakes - long term responses
- There are some examples of planning which are used in both areas vulnerable to earthquakes and those vulnerable to volcanic eruptions
- In vulnerable areas:
- Remote sensing of the Earth's surface by satellites such as Sentinel 1 provides data about changes in ground movement
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provides layers of data such as:
- vulnerable areas
- land use
- infrastructure such as roads
- GIS data is then used to assist with land use planning
- Land Use Planning
- Mapping of areas most at risk from earthquakes
- Planning can ensure that valuable services such as the fire service and hospitals are not built in high risk areas
- Densely populated housing can be located away from high-risk areas
Worked example
Explain how new buildings can be earthquake-proofed, so they are less likely to be damaged in an earthquake.
[4]
- Answer:
- Build deep/stronger/sturdier foundations/base [1]
- Reinforce/use concrete/bricks for buildings/walls/roofs [1]
- Use metal/steel/aluminium beams [1]
- Use diagonal bracing [1]
- Flexible building materials [1]
- Use dampers/shock absorbers in base of building [1]
- Computers controlled weights/counter balances on roof/weight on roof [1]
- Automatic window shutters [1]
- Shatter proof/strong/reinforced glass [1]
- Use fire resistant materials [1]
- Build low building/do not build high rise [1]
- Use automatic cutoff for gas pipes/electricity cables [1]