B.S.C.E.

-5
TECHNICAL ELECTIVE 1

1. What is the difference of the term magnitude and intensity?

Magnitude and Intensity measure different characteristics of earthquakes. Magnitude measures
the energy released at the source of the earthquake. Magnitude is determined from measurements
on seismographs. Intensity measures the strength of shaking produced by the earthquake at a
certain location. Intensity is determined from effects on people, human structures, and the natural
environment.
2. How many magnitude scale do we have based from Phivolcs? Describe these magnitude
scales in one to two words only.
3. How many intensity scale do we have based from Philvocs? Describe these intensity
scales in one to two words only.
The PEIS has ten intensity scales represented in Roman numerals with Intensity
I being the weakest and Intensity X being the strongest.
Describing intensity scales in one to two words:
I Scarcely perceptible
II Slightly felt
III Not strong (weak)
IV Moderately strong
V Strong force
VI Very Strong
VII Destructive Force
VIII Very Destructive
IX Catastrophically destructive
X Completely Devastating

4. What are the different impact of earthquakes?

The effects from earthquakes include ground shaking, surface faulting, ground failure, and
less commonly, tsunamis. Past experience has shown that several types of landslides take
place in conjunction with earthquakes. The most abundant types of earthquake induced
landslides are rock falls and slides of rock fragments that form on steep slopes. Shallow
debris slides forming on steep slopes and soil and rock slumps and block slides forming on
moderate to steep slopes also take place, but they are less abundant. Reactivation of dormant
slumps or block slides by earthquakes is rare. Large earthquake-induced rock avalanches, soil
avalanches, and underwater landslides can be very destructive.
5. What are the different failures to buildings an earthquake may cause?
If earthquakes only moved the ground vertically, buildings might suffer little damage
because all structures are designed to withstand vertical forces -- those associated
with gravity to some extent. But the rolling waves of an earthquake, especially Love
waves, exert extreme horizontal forces on standing structures. These forces cause lateral
acceleration which scientists measure as G-forces. A magnitude-6.7-quake, for example,
can produce an acceleration of 1 G and a peak velocity of 40 inches (102 centimeters) per
second. Such a sudden movement to the side (almost as if someone violently shoved you)
creates enormous stresses for a building's structural elements, including beams, columns,
walls and floors, as well as the connectors that hold these elements together. If those
stresses are large enough, the building can collapse or suffer crippling damage. Another
critical factor is the substrate of a house or skyscraper. Buildings constructed on bedrock
often perform well because the ground is firm. Structures that sit atop soft or filled-in soil
often fail completely. The greatest risk in this situation is a phenomenon known
as liquefaction, which occurs when loosely packed, waterlogged soils temporarily behave
like liquids, causing the ground to sink or slide and the buildings along with it. Clearly,
engineers must choose their sites carefully. Up next, we'll discover how engineers plan
for and design earthquake-resistant buildings.