BLACKSBURG, Va., July 1 -- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University issued the following news release:
As recovery efforts continue following a catastrophic 7.5 magnitude earthquake, Virginia Tech civil engineering expert Roberto Leon provides context on why some buildings collapsed, how soil conditions can exacerbate earthquake damage, and what we can learn from natural disasters like this to improve building design.
Building infrastructure and safety
Preliminary observations suggest that some failures may be due to insufficient reinforcement, construction quality, and the sheer age of some of the buildings in La Guaira. However, "significant structural damage can be expected when earthquake shaking reaches or exceeds design ...