Seismic Events All Around

By: Murray Corey

At the time of writing this, we are all just absorbing the enormity of the earthquake in Japan and the subsequent destruction from the tsunamis that followed. As I took my warm shower this morning in our comfortable suburban home, I couldn’t help but think about what it would be like to have lost everything in a matter of a few minutes, to be left to fend for ourselves without water, heat, or food, all while surrounded by death and destruction. Our hearts go out to all those hit with this tragedy.

Naturally here in Vancouver we must take a minute to consider, what if? The frequency of which such incidents has become alarming, and we all know it is just a matter of time before we experience such an event closer to home. It’s no wonder that many of us are finally making the effort to prepare for such an emergency and are putting in place the grab bag and provisions to take care of ourselves and our families for at least 72 hours.

This past weekend immediately following the earthquake in Japan was a little too close to home for us as we had to check out our little boat down in False Creek after hearing about the tsunami hitting the coast near the California-Oregon. That event came with enough force on the US coast to cause some damage and even take a life.

What we are witnessing are true natural disasters that are unlike the tragedy of a manmade war of bombs dropping from the sky, but are events of destruction that defy politics and race, and strike indiscriminately. These are events that truly help us realize the fragility of life here on earth.

There is mostly just bad news from this catastrophic tragedy, but also some good news to take away for us in a possible similar event. We can’t help but look around and try to imagine what our city would look like in the aftermath of such an event. It appears that in Japan, the newer modern buildings and structures have basically survived a 9.0 rated earthquake. It’s still too early to say what permanent structural damage those buildings have incurred and if they will be safe for habitation in the long term. On the other hand, the older coastal rural communities were virtually wiped out and left in a pile of rubble.

Looking from this distance, one wonders why people all over the world build their homes and towns so close to the low shoreline which is so susceptible to the ravages of a tsunami that follows in the path of an earthquake. Why do people stay in such dangerous places even with the knowledge of what might happen? Like us here in the Lower Mainland, we often wonder why people choose to populate low-lying unstable land, typically close to the ocean where a tsunami would be deadly. Furthermore, developing and building significant and valuable properties that are susceptible to the carnage that nature might by chance happen to convey upon them.

Here in our part of the world, we have come to rely on such manmade tsunami warning systems that include evacuation plans to higher ground. I know that the first time I saw the tsunami warning signs posted on the west coast in Tofino and Ucluelet, I initially had a cold chill go up my spine. After a few days I guess we just found the whole thing somewhat amusing that the local folks just carry on everyday life in the shadow of such a possible life threatening fluke of nature. The only way to rationalize this being the existence of an early warning system now in place, that given sufficient warning, one would have time to escape. Talking to the locals though, I get the distinct impression that they take the whole thing quite seriously. Some have even gone through false alarm evacuations to the nearby mountain top which is their hope for surviving the big one.

The relevance of all this comes to us in the form of building code provisions for seismic areas such as the Lower Mainland. These provisions are developed by engineers who have determined the best way to reinforce building components, such as ceilings for example, to mitigate the damage in the event of a seismic event. The next time you get cranky about having to install a ceiling according to ASTM E585-08, you might just take a moment to think about how you would feel spending your earthquake experience under the ceiling you just installed. Once this most recent earthquake-torn country gets somewhat restored to normal, I’m sure that the engineers will conduct extensive research on the performance of the current building code provisions in an effort to determine the best way to reinforce potentially movable building components. Then, we shall look out for some new provisions to be added to our codes.

In closing, I think we all need to salute the powers that seek to improve our built environment and forgive them for their banality in coming up with new codes, rules, and various ways for us to survive on this planet even in spite or our own propensity for putting ourselves in harm's way. Why not make a plan now to review your preparation for our big one?

Murray Corey is the executive director of the BC Wall & Ceiling Association and can be reached at 604.575.0511 or <murraycorey@bcwca.org>.