IMPORTANT FACTS TO PROTECT A HOME FROM AN EARTHQUAKE
BUILD RIGHT – BUILD FOR TOMORROW
A structure meant to serve as a home should be safe and built to withstand natural calamities, whether it is a high-rise residential building or a single storey home. It is important to build a residential structure with proper planning and the best quality materials. The best residential structure is one that serves the purpose of daily living with various utilities and comforts for its inhabitants while providing adequate safety in case of large-scale devastation which may be caused by floods or earthquakes.
ELECTROTHERM (INDIA) LIMITED – PRODUCING THE BEST STEEL CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS
With the philosophy of ‘Build it Right’ Electrotherm (India) Limited is a pioneer in manufacturing the best quality construction steel. It has been making high quality TMT steel bars, epoxy coated bars and other steel materials with a commitment to “Building it Right”. It has been producing high grade TMT steel bars for a decade using the cutting-edge integrated Iron ore – IF – Ladle Refining Furnace(LRF) process. Its steel products are manufactured using the Thermo-mechanical Treatment (TMT) method and include superior quality TMT steel bar grades such as the Fe 500D and Fe 550D which are ideal for use in earthquake prone areas.
HOW TO BUILD FOR TOMORROW
Certain crucial aspects must be considered while building a residential structure. It is best to keep in mind the topography and the geological conditions of the area during the planning, designing and construction phases. Adequate measures should be taken especially if the structure is to be situated in a high seismic activity zone, including zones, III, IV and V.
SEISMIC ZONES AS PER THE BUREAU OF INDIAN STANDARDS NORMS IN INDIA
As per the Bureau of Indian Standards [IS 1893 (Part I):2002], India has four seismic zones. Zone II, III, IV and V. Zone V has the highest seismic activity and Zone II has the least.
Areas included in Zone V are the whole of North-eastern India, parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, part of North Bihar and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Zone IV includes the remaining parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, Sikkim, Northern Parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal, parts of Gujarat and small portions of Maharashtra near the west coast and Rajasthan.
Zone III covers Kerala, Goa, Lakshadweep islands, remaining parts of Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and West Bengal, Parts of Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
Zone II includes the remaining parts of country.
(Source https://tinyurl.com/ulv9955 )
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR HOME AGAINST EARTHQUAKES
There are ways to protect your future home from the impact of an earthquake if your construction site falls in a high seismic activity zone –
– Use the best quality materials to ensure that the construction can withstand seismic disturbances. TMT steel bars are one of the most important components of good quality construction material. Using the correct grade of construction TMT steel bars with superior tensile strength is advisable. It is suitable for earthquake prone areas as it has extra strength, durability and ductility. These properties enable it to absorb the extra energy produced during seismic activity and hence protect the structure against wear and tear.
– At the initial stage, the design of the structure should comply with standard norms and a measurement of the load carrying capacity of the structure.
-It is also important to check the soil conditions before construction. The local soil and water conditions affect the foundation and hence the construction should be planned accordingly.
-Design and build the draining system with adequate measures. The design must protect against water logging to protect the floors below the roof. The rainwater collecting on the roof must also be directed into the drains and should flow away from the building. It should not collect under the base of the structure to protect the foundation from wear caused by water-logging.
– Reinforcement is another important aspect during this stage. The foundation and the base of the structure should be designed to withstand additional movement during the earthquake.
– Always ensure to protect the structure from moisture and other hazards which may potentially weaken the strength of the building. Get experts and legal and certified authorities to conduct periodic checks of the infrastructure of the building. Any damage or wear in parts of the building such as pillars, walls, roofs, beams should be repaired immediately to avoid any compromise to the overall strength of the building.
– It is important to eliminate these risks and practice higher maintenance standards so that during an earthquake or natural calamities these does not become a threat to the structure.
ELECTROTHERM INDIA LIMITED – BUILDING FOR A BETTER FUTURE
Electrotherm (India) Limited manufactures all its steel products at its state-of-the-art facility based in Kutch, Gujrat. The production uses cutting-edge technology including the Ladle Refining Furnace method using sponge iron instead of iron scrap. This ensures that the products are made from the finest quality raw materials and that impurities in the iron such as carbon, sulphur or phosphorous content, strictly meet the suggested BIS norms.
The company has emerged as a brand to reckon with and has gained an excellent reputation in the industry, among both competitors as well as the buyers. It has won several awards for pioneering technology, good business practices and for driving infrastructural growth with its superior products.
It has won the prestigious ‘Ispat Agradoot Award’ by the All India Induction Furnace Association (AIIFA). It has also bagged the ‘Gujarat Growth Ambassador Award’ by the Gujarat chapter of the Confederation of Real Estate developers of India (CREDAI) and the Silver Award under the Metal Sector , in the ‘Large Category’, India Manufacturing Excellence Awards (IMEA), by Frost and Sullivan.
At Electrotherm (India) Limited we continue our steadfast vow to “Build it Right”.