The type of earth material through
which seismic waves travel
will affect the amount of shaking felt on the surface. Unconsolidated material tends to amplify and increase shaking. The more solid the substrate the less shaking is felt at the surface.
What affects ground shaking?
Ground shaking can vary over an area as a result of factors such as
topography, bedrock type and the location and orientation of the fault rupture
. These all affect the way the seismic waves travel through the ground.
Which type of ground material would shake the most during an earthquake?
Soft soils such as sand
tend to amplify the shaking compared with hard soils such as bedrock. In addition to being soft, sand can also undergo a “liquefaction process” during an earthquake.
How does soil type affect earthquakes?
Soil type is a critical factor, because the density of the ground has a
direct effect on the amount of motion
the ground will experience during a quake. Hard ground propels the energy quickly with a small amplitude, while soft ground slows the energy down and increases the amplitude of the motion.
What causes ground shaking in an earthquake event?
Ground shaking is a term used to describe the vibration of the ground during an earthquake. Ground shaking is caused by
body waves and surface waves
. … Body and surface waves cause the ground, and consequently a building, to vibrate in a complex manner.
Does the ground always shake in an earthquake?
The
seismic waves shake the earth
as they move through it, and when the waves reach the earth’s surface, they shake the ground and anything on it, like our houses and us!
Why is my house shaking but no earthquake?
The reason you could be feeling an earthquake and and another person nearby doesn’t is that
the kind of building you are in transmits the shaking more than another type
or the soil that your building is built on is looser and more easily shaken.
What type of ground causes the most destruction?
Seismic waves can be classified into two basic types: body waves which travel through the Earth and
surface waves
, which travel along the Earth’s surface. Those waves that are the most destructive are the surface waves which generally have the strongest vibration.
Is Clay Good for earthquakes?
However, contrary to the report,
the presence of clay helps
, and if the saturated sand contains enough plastic clay, this may prevent it from liquefying. Soft, water-saturated clays, on the other hand, can also cause serious problems during an earthquake, but for a completely different reason.
What does the P stand for in P wave?
Compressional waves
What would you do if you felt the ground shaking?
First, FEMA advises, people indoors during a quake should “DROP to the ground; take COVER by getting under a
sturdy table or other piece of furniture
; and HOLD ON until the shaking stops. . . . Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and walls, and anything that could fall, such as lighting fixtures or furniture.”
What do you call the unstable ground due to shaking?
Landslides
.
Landslides
are caused by earthquakes both by direct rupture and by sustained shaking of unstable slopes. They can easily destroy buildings in their path, or block roads and railroad lines, or take hilltop homes with them as they tumble.
How do you stop ground shaking?
First, FEMA advises, people indoors during a quake should “DROP to the
ground
; take COVER by getting under a sturdy table or other piece of furniture; and HOLD ON until the shaking stops. . . . Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and walls, and anything that could fall, such as lighting fixtures or furniture.”
Where is the safest place to be during an earthquake?
COVER your head and neck
(and your entire body if possible) underneath a sturdy table or desk. If there is no shelter nearby, get down near an interior wall or next to low-lying furniture that won’t fall on you, and cover your head and neck with your arms and hands.
How many shakes Will the earthquake last?
While the shaking of small earthquakes typically lasts only
a few seconds
, strong shaking during moderate to large earthquakes, such as the 2004 Sumatra earthquake, can lasts couple minutes. 4.
What type of building material could stop ground shaking?
Wood and steel
are much better at withstanding seismic waves. Both of these materials flex as the earth shakes. Weak materials can be reinforced to make them relatively safe. Reinforcing structures with a steel frame, or driving beams through a structure will help support it during shaking.
