China’s recent earthquake has left thousands dead and many more injured or homeless.  According to media reports, buildings almost seem to collapse immediately, leaving piles of rubble and trapping hundreds. 

Quality construction is key to preventing such large-scale destruction.  The ability of any structure to withstand an earthquake—whether it is a concrete high-rise, a steel bridge, or wood-frame house—hinges on whether the structure was properly designed, detailed, and constructed to resist the lateral or side-to-side loading created by the shaking of the earth.   In fact, a structure's likelihood of surviving an earthquake depends more on how well it is engineered than on what type of material is used to build it.

PCA’s Buildings Department is uniquely qualified to help your audience understand what goes into engineering and constructing a building that will resist an earthquake’s forces.

Engineers with decades of experience in structural engineering, PCA staff regularly works with the building community, providing technical assistance and recommending the solutions to a variety of building challenges such as seismic design or sustainable development.

About PCA
Based in Skokie, Ill., the Portland Cement Association represents cement companies in the United States and Canada. It conducts market development, engineering, research, education, and public affairs programs. More information on PCA programs is available at www.cement.org.

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