IIT efforts to make low-cost quake-resistant buildings on

SEISMIC engineers at the Indian Institute of Technology are making efforts to develop cost-effective and a perfect design for the earthquake-resistant buildings to avoid life loss on a large scale.

SEISMIC engineers at the Indian Institute of Technology are making efforts to develop cost-effective and a perfect design for the earthquake-resistant buildings to avoid life loss on a large scale.

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An eminent professor of the Civil Engineering Department at the IIT Professor CVR Murty while talking to Hindustan Times said that severity of ground shaking could be minor, moderate and strong. Minor shaking occurs frequently, moderate shaking occasionally and strong shaking rarely, he added. He said studies have revealed that on an average every year about 800 earthquakes of the magnitude 5.0-5.9 Richter scale occur through out the world while the number is only about 18 for magnitude range 7.0-7.9.

It was to prevent life loss and damage to property that seismologists were working upon a design. He said the engineers did not attempt to make earthquake-proof buildings that would not get damaged even during the strong earthquake. Instead, the engineering intention was to make earthquake-resistant buildings, which could resist the effects of the ground shaking though they may get damaged severely but would not collapse during the strong earthquake.

He said at least important buildings like hospitals and fire stations needed to be designed for a higher level of earthquake protection as they play a crucial role in post earthquake activities and needs to remain functional immediately, Dr Murty said.