Will This Building I’m in Survive the Next Earthquake?

January 29, 2016Posted in Building Codes, Earthquakes, Life SafetyWritten by adminLeave a comment

What size earthquake can a typical building built to modern building codes withstand? That question is not an easy one to answer. As with most complex issues, there are many things that will factor into the answer. Building Codes The first part of the answer requires us to know what modern building codes require. […]

Seattle’s Next Big One

August 14, 2015Posted in Cascadia Subduction Zone, Preparedness, Seattle FaultWritten by adminLeave a comment

There was a recent New Yorker Article (The Really Big One, by Kathryn Shulz) that discussed the potential Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake and how it will affect the Seattle area. As a structural engineer living and working in Seattle, I am familiar with the Cascadia Subduction Zone. I’ve written reports referencing it and talked to […]