1906 Earthquake Research Paper

Earthquakes can cause significant damage to building via waves of energy that propagate from the epicenter. The waves cause the ground to move, which can create structural failure of buildings, resulting in collapse or partial failure. Although the waves cause significant damage, what happens to the structure after the earthquake? A common theme from the 1906 California earthquake was fire. Two images in the text with descriptions, explained that the building had partially withstood the quake, only to burn down later.

To determine how the fire prevention systems in a structure weather an earthquake, a test was conducted at the University of California, San Diego, in 2012. The test was preformed outside on a 5 story building, located on an

outdoor shake table. The table is capable of simulating earthquakes ranging from 6.7 to 7.9 on the Richter scale. After the quake, the building’s fire prevention systems were assessed.
The study concluded that joints between compartments on the upper floors failed during the quakes, which would allow fire and smoke to spread more easily throughout the structure. Door frames failed, resulting in jammed doors, which could limit an occupant’s ability to escape the structure. The sprinkler system remained intact, but was displaced. A steel pipe, similar to a gas line failed inside the structure, given gases combustibility, this could have added more fuel to the fire. The study concluded that more work will need to be done to determine how the systems above can be designed to resist the effects of an earthquake.