What steps should a civil engineer take when constructing a building in an earthquake prone area?

Answer 1

First the engineer should appraise himself of any building codes that have to be followed. These will require the building to be hardened against earthquakes and the engineer must ensure his building design and construction method/quality meets these codes. The engineer may also choose (with the customer for the building) to protect the building even further. Such protection may include isolating the building form its foundations with dampers and perhaps installing a counter mass in a tall building. All these additions would need to be computer modeled and scale tested to ensure they were effective for the type of ground movement expects.

Answer 2

When constructing a building in an earthquake-prone area, a civil engineer should first conduct a thorough site investigation to understand the seismic hazards present. They should then design the building to meet or exceed local seismic building codes, including incorporating features such as base isolation, dampers, and appropriate reinforcement to improve its earthquake resistance. Lastly, regular inspections and maintenance should be performed to ensure the building remains resilient to potential earthquakes.