Earthquake Hazards

Objectives:
• identify potential earthquake hazards;
• recognize the natural signs of an impending tsunami;
• analyze the effects of the different earthquake hazards;
• interpret different earthquake hazard maps; and
• apply precautionary and safety measures before, during, and after an
earthquake.
Essential questions

•What are earthquake hazards?

• What are the factors that affect ground
shaking?
Earthquake is a natural event feared by many, even by those
who have not recalled any experience of it or its effects.
Ground shaking and earthquake are usually used
synonymously because people perceive earthquake often
when the ground below shakes without warning.
What are the factors that affect ground shaking?
An earthquake is a phenomenon
caused by the sudden and rapid
movement of large volumes of rock
along fractures on the surface of
the earth called faults.

As these waves travel through rocks

beneath the earth, they radiate
energy in all directions like ripples
on water. This produces the shaking
felt on the surface.
 types of seismic waves

surface
body waves
waves.

Primary (P) Secondary Love Rayleigh

waves (S) waves waves waves
Primary (P) waves
• are the first waves that reach the surface of the earth and make the ground shake.
They move the ground back and forth along the direction they are traveling.
• The shaking from P waves is light or sometimes not felt.
Secondary (S) waves
• are body waves that vibrate perpendicular to their propagation direction, producing
an up and down motion.
• They move slower but shake the ground more strongly than P waves.
An earthquake is a phenomenon
caused by the sudden and rapid
movement of large volumes of rock
along fractures on the surface of
the earth called faults.

As these waves travel through rocks

beneath the earth, they radiate
energy in all directions like ripples
on water. This produces the shaking
felt on the surface.
Love waves
• are surface waves that have a horizontal motion
perpendicular to the direction they are traveling.
Rayleigh waves
• shake the ground in a rotational manner with no
transverse motion.
magnitude
• The severity of an earthquake is measured based on the energy it releases

magnitude
• The severity of an earthquake base on the effects on people and man-made
structures
Frequency

• is the number of times a movement such as

ground shaking is repeated within a certain
amount of time.

• High frequency earthquakes affect small

buildings more than the high rise ones.
Take note!
ground shaking varies depending on
(1) the type of seismic wave involved, whether moving the box vertically
and laterally,
(2) the duration and the frequency of the earthquake, like changing how
long and how fast you shake the box.

The intensity of ground shaking is also influenced by the distance from the
fault. Intuitively, you would expect to feel ground shaking more strongly if you
were closer to the fault. This is true for most earthquakes, but you may also
experience the same strength of shaking even if you were farther because of
the physical properties of the ground that the structure was built on, and the
structure itself.
Ground shaking
• is the primary cause of earthquake damage to man-
made structures. It causes buildings and other
infrastructures to collapse which may result to injuries
or casualties.
• Fire is a secondary hazard if the shaking sufficiently
damages electric and gas lines. Ground shaking also
triggers other earthquake hazards such as landslides
and liquefaction.
• A building code is a set of rules that set standards
on the construction of buildings. If properly
implemented, it can ensure that buildings are
constructed properly, can survive an earthquake
with minimal damage, and therefore, not endanger
the occupants. Earthquake-resistant buildings are by
no means immune to earthquakes, but will sustain
less damage than their conventional counterparts.