ESCI 1012 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Loess, Epicenter, Black Rat
Document Summary
Often leading cause of death when structures are composed of stone, brick, adobe, or non-reinforced concrete. Cheap structures are built using bricks, or the least expensive material, wood frame houses are less likely to cause injuries/death. Degree of shaking is obviously tied to size of earthquake. But is also related to distance from earthquake focus (horizontal and vertical), how far away from the epicenter you are. Consequently, a deep powerful earthquake may not do as much damage as a less powerful shallow event. More people that live in the area have more damage, and much more of an impact. Plays a crucial role in damage and death toll factors. This is the second greatest factor that plays a crucial role in how quickly first response can occur to get people out that are trapped. Shaking is also related to the type of ground surface. Bedrock is far safer than unconsolidated sediment. Firmly packed sediment is better than loose sediment.
