[CEUS-earthquake-hazards] Steel reinforcement in Sichuan's buildings

[Julio J. Hernández]

The observation of David Overhoff is very right.    
There is a very outstanding absence of reinforcement steel in Sichuan's buildings.    
    
I would like to share with you the only picture in that I have been able to observe 
something of steel, of course in little quantity, and with excessively separate stirrups.

Photo from Xinhua, via Agence France-Press.
It was also published in The New York Times on May 12.

Best regards,
_______________________________________________________
Julio J. Hernández 
Consultant on Structural Engineering and Earthquake Engineering 
Caracas, Venezuela 
E-mail:  julher at cantv.net 
Cellphone:  +58-414-1293989


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: David Overhoff 
  To: Central and Eastern U.S. Earthquake Hazards Listserve 
  Sent: Friday, May 16, 2008 11:13 AM
  Subject: Re: [CEUS-earthquake-hazards] (no subject)


  Thanks Zhenming.  I hope any family you might have in the region are safe. 

  One thing we've noticed around here is that in all the photos and film seen, there is no reinforcing steel protruding from the collapsed concrete. 
  One photo we saw (Section A, page 8, USA Today, May 14th) showed large, nearly regular-shaped slabs of what appeared to be concrete...the edges all looked smooth and straight, as if they might have been pre-cast blocks assembled on-site. 



  David L. Overhoff, RG
  Missouri Department of Natural Resources
  Geological Survey Program - Geologic Resources Section 
  Phone: 573.368.2182
  david.overhoff at dnr.mo.gov



        "Wang, Zhenming" <zmwang at email.uky.edu> 
        Sent by: ceus-earthquake-hazards-bounces at geohazards.usgs.gov 
        05/16/2008 09:18 AM Please respond to
              "Central and Eastern U.S. Earthquake Hazards Listserve"        <ceus-earthquake-hazards at geohazards.usgs.gov> 


       To "ceus-earthquake-hazards at geohazards.usgs.gov" <ceus-earthquake-hazards at geohazards.usgs.gov>  
              cc "olboyd at usgs.gov" <'olboyd at usgs.gov'>  
              Subject [CEUS-earthquake-hazards] (no subject) 

              

       


  I would like to share with you all the Chinese National seismic design map (PGA with 10% PE in 50 years). This may explain one of the reasons that so many schools and hospitals collapsed in the Wenchuan earthquake. 
    
  Thanks. 
    
  ___________________________________ 
  Zhenming Wang, PhD, PE 
  Head, Geologic Hazards Section 
  Kentucky Geological Survey 
  228 Mining and Mineral Resources Building 
  University of Kentucky 
  Lexington, Kentucky 40506 
  Phone:(859)257-5500x142 
  Email: zmwang at uky.edu 
  Website: www.uky.edu/KGS/geologichazards 
  ____________________________________ 
   [attachment "China-PGAmap.jpg" deleted by David Overhoff/DGLS/MODNR] _______________________________________________
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