The terrifying events in Nepal with over 2,000 people killed serve as a tragic reminder of the risks that earthquakes pose to our lives and our homes.
If you are coming to Portugal from the UK you probably have not experienced a seismic event as the UK to date has been very stable.
On the other hand you were from Japan you would for sure understand and be fully aware of the risks of Foreshock, Earthquakes and Aftershock.
Most people don’t know that Portugal has suffered major earthquake damage in the past which is why homes and offices are now constructed like this
The reinforced concrete frame provided a very strong structure which is resistant to ground tremors dependant of course upon the earthquake duration and magnitude.
An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth’s crust that creates seismic waves.
The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time.
Earthquakes are measured using observations from seismometers. The moment magnitude is the most common scale on which earthquakes larger than approximately 5 are reported for the entire globe. The more numerous earthquakes smaller than magnitude 5 reported by national seismological observatories are measured mostly on the local magnitude scale, also referred to as the Richter magnitude scale. These two scales are numerically similar over their range of validity. Magnitude 3 or lower earthquakes are mostly almost imperceptible or weak and magnitude 7 and over potentially cause serious damage over larger areas, depending on their depth. The largest earthquakes in historic times have been of magnitude slightly over 9, although there is no limit to the possible magnitude. The most recent large earthquake of magnitude 9.0 or larger was a 9.0 magnitude earthquake in Japan in 2011.
Locally old stone houses have proved to be flexible in that as long as they are not too big or built too high the mud and stone construction allows a little movement without walls falling down (in a minor tremor situation) anything more that than that and give me reinforced concrete every time.
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Whether it is an old house that you want to refurbish or a new home which you want to construct. We help you to make the most of any property project with our professional, design, construction, project management and maintenance services.
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