MAY 25 (Eagle News) — Have you ever wondered if your house can withstand a strong earthquake?
Or does it need further “earthquake-proofing” to make your house stronger and less vulnerable in case of a big quake?
Phivolcs recently released a “house self-check test” entitled “How Safe is Your House?” It can be viewed through the Phivolcs website
This “House self-check” can help an ordinary layman to understand and evaluate the integrity of his house and its vulnerability to strong earthquakes.
According to Phivolcs, the initial result will verify whether a house was properly built and have followed appropriate construction procedures and recommended measures or if it will require necessary strengthening.
The evaluation was initially intended for 1 to 2-storey Concrete Hollow Block (CHB) houses, including those residences with small shops, offices, garages and the like. It will help the house owners of this type to evaluate their houses by themselves and to understand the likely behavior of their houses during a strong earthquake.
Phivolcs still recommend that the house owner should consult a building expert or civil engineer on the structural stability of his house.
We are posting here the Phivolcs “house self-check” form.
So there’s no harm in trying to answer these 12 simple questions prepared by Phivolcs so you would be more aware if your house needs further strengthening in case of a strong quake. (Eagle News Service)
Courtesy of PHIVOLCS
