That is true so far as traditional building methods go - that areas with traditional construction methods based on timber fare better in earthquakes than areas like Kashmir where people don't build wooden houses because they don't have the wood.
Nevertheless, there do exist cheap technologies for building houses that are not timber and yet have a reasonable degree of earthquake resistance, and ultimately local village builders have to be educated in these methods.
Roger Musson
British Geological Survey
West Mains Road
Edinburgh EH9 2NA
Scotland
tel:+44-(0)131-650-0205
fax:+44-(0)131-667-1877
email: [log in to unmask]
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Natural hazards and disasters
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of
> [log in to unmask]
> Sent: 21 October 2005 17:30
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Kashmir quake/EQ safe buildings
>
>
> This is all really useful,but unfortunately shows how crucial
> things learned
> years ago have not been taken up by governments etc...
>
> I understand that one of the problems in the
> KAshmir/Karakorum and related
> regions is a serious shortage of trees! Timber would have to
> be brought in
> from quite some distance.
>
> In an evaluation of the Karakoram region years ago, I seem to
> remember Ian
> Davis also suggesting that there is a problem with the
> shortage of carpenters
> and the decline of knowledge of safer building techniques in
> that region.
> Might this also apply to Kashmir?
>
> On a more positive note, last year I heard in Colombia that
> there had been
> successful trials using bamboo in earthquake-proof
> construction, to achieve
> the flexibility that James mentions. But no idea if it has
> been taken up
> widely...
>
> Terry Cannon
>
>
> Quoting James Lewis <[log in to unmask]>:
>
> >
> > I have been away for most of this week having a look at some of the
> > flood-prone areas of the UK, hence this delayed response to
> > reconstruction issues in Kashmir. It might make things
> easier to add
>
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