 "Photo: Photo Illustration by Justin Kenward")
Living in California, residents have grown accustomed to experiencing earthquakes with unnerving frequency. With recent events in Haiti in mind, students may well be advised to have a plan to protect themselves and their property from the damage that may happen, especially if it occurs while on campus.
The outer surface of earth is what most geologists call plates. Earthquakes occur when these plates start to slide and move over or under one another.
Physics professor Chuck Hollenbeck has been teaching for 34 years. He is optimistic in his opinion about whether the campus buildings are adequate to withstand an earthquake. “I certainly hope so. They should have had been built according to a code.”
The code specifies on how the building should be built.
“The code itself compromises between the best possible structural integrity and cost,” said Hollenbeck. “We can make buildings a lot better but they cost 10 times as much. I am fairly confident that they meet the code, how good the code is …we will find out when the next big earthquake hits.”
Shock absorbers, which look like rubber pads, are used as safety tools underneath the surface of buildings to prevent damage from earthquakes.
Hollenbeck explained how the shock absorbers actually work.
“If the ground moves real fast, it compresses the pads and the building moves less,” he said. “If the ground goes sideways, they deform sideways and the building moves less. So they are isolators. They isolate the building, not completely but partially from the motion of the earth.”
Unfortunately, the Chaffey buildings are not equipped with any shock absorbers, Hollenbeck said.
Ruben Gonzalez, sociology major, is currently enrolled in geography.
“My teacher said there might be an 8.0 in California and it would pretty much destroy every building,” he said. “Most of the buildings are made out of bricks, so I am certain that it will crumble like it did in Haiti.”
According to Hollenbeck, Chaffey being built on a slope surface should not be a factor for earthquakes.
“Lots of building are built on sloped surfaces,” he said. “They level the area where the building is built and then, of course, the soil or whatever it is on top of is tested and, if necessary, compacted. So it should be perfectly safe. The fact that we are on a slide hill side here probably is not relevant for earthquake safety and damage.”
The heavily rock-laden ground upon which the campus is built is actually safer than one might assume.
“In major earthquakes sandy soil becomes like quick sand and buildings can actually sink into the sand and also not topple but tilt,” Hollenbeck said.
Hollenbeck seems certain that Chaffey is heading in the right direction as far its earthquake safety procedures.
“We have had those drills for the last three years now, where at least people go through the motions duck and cover and evacuate the building,” he said.
“They say get under the table, but I am not sure how wise that is,” Hollenbeck said. “If you are against the wall then less likely to have things fall on you. And then, of course, get out in the open as quickly as possible. Get away from anything that can fall.”
Being prepared has yet to sink in to everyone.
“No, I have not taken the proper precautions for an earthquake. It is not one of the priorities in my mind,” said Eriverto Vargas, political science major. “If it is 3.0, then we are ready for it. If it is more than that, then we are not.”
“I hear other comments of students that the drills should not be on the same day and time,” said Zury Vegas, math major. “They do not take it seriously. They see it as a way to get out of class.”
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