When you erect a domino on a table and slide the table from side to side, why does the domino fall over? I think it's because of air resistance on the domino. If it's not - my idea is useless. Anyway, assuming it's correct a possible way to protect large buildings from quakes is to build a minature vacum around them with super -reinforced glass or plastic.

Ah... a Liberal!

Google
earthquake "building failure" analysis
474 hits

http://www.mazepath.com/uncleal/sunshine.jpg

Shut up and calculate.

How about using the behive cone strategy as a possible construction to counter earthquakes since apparently this is the most stable structure ever created.

Why not put monitors on borders of tectonic plates? I am assuming you already know how earthquakes occur- so when the monitors detect no movement they will sound a caution signal.

It's not because of wind resistance.

It's because a building has a lot of mass and resists motion. And you get a torque going between the bottom part of the building attached to the ground that is moving and the top part of the building which is connected to nothing and doesn't want to move.

The japanese have ameliorated the problem considerably in some buildings with technology by building onto plates that move to counteract the moments produced when the ground shakes. We can also reinforce our buildings and use materials and construction methods that can take strain without breaking or significantly weakening.

But technology isn't always cheap.

thanks for all the info!
Surely people must realise that gradually making an entire city earthquake-proof is cheaper than having the city destroyed over and over again?!

Hi Rob - I don't mean to be critical but I have to chuckle on your proposal. Is it late their in the UK and you have had a couple too many pints ? Ok ! you got me to bite - the domino example is not analogous to a tall building in an earthquake except if the quake is strong enough both will be flat on the ground. You may want to pull a couple of books out on mechanical vibration, designing for earthquakes, etc....

Yeah, I reaslised the flaw in my plan but it was too late to edit my post. The vacum around the buiding would collapse as well. How silly of me!
I will read some books on mechanical vibration.
Unike the vacum plan, the monitor plan was thought-out properly -what did you think of that?