Birla Vishvakarma Mahavidyalaya (Engineering College)

(An Autonomous Institution)

7th Semester, AY 2016-17
Course: Earthquake Engineering (2170612)

Assignment No. 1: Questions from Earthquake Tips:

(1) Explain the Phenomenon of occurrence of Earthquakes.

(2) Explain: Elastic Rebound Theory.
(3) Explain: Types of Earthquakes & Faults.
(4) Explain: Types of Seismic Waves.
(5) What is PGA?
(6) Define: Epicenter, Hypocenter, Magnitude, Intensity, and Isoseismals.
(7) What is the need of Seismic Zones in India?
(8) What is Inertia Force? Explain with sketch how they are transferred to the Soil?
(9) Generally Masonry walls fail more in comparison to RCC members. Why?
(10) Buildings with Weak story; Buildings on sloping ground; Buildings with floating
columns behave poorly during Earthquakes. Justify.
(11) What is pounding?
(12) How buildings twist during Earthquakes?
(13) Explain: Earthquake Resistant Design Philosophy
(14) Good Ductile behaviour of the buildings during Earthquakes is acceptable. Justify.
(15) Explain: Capacity Design Concept using chain analogy.
(16) Why Strong Column-Weak Beam Design concept is preferred in Earthquake
Resistant Design.
(17) Damage to Non-Structural components in very flexible buildings is significant.
Why?
(18) Which are the four important virtues that the buildings should have for good
seismic performance?
(19) Explain the behaviour of masonry walls during Earthquakes. How it can be
improved?
(20) Masonry buildings with small openings and as far as away from the corners have
performed well during past earthquakes. Justify.
(21) Buildings with plan shapes L, T, E, Y are to be separated with simple rectangular
block for better seismic performance. Why?
(22) Explain: Types of Bends to be provided in the masonry buildings and its importance.
(23) Why is vertical reinforcement required in masonry buildings?
(24) List the important Earthquake Resistant features in Stone masonry buildings.
(25) Explain: Rigid Floor Diaphragm action.
(26) Reinforcement is required on both faces in Structural members for the Good Seismic
design. Justify.
(27) Explain: Types of failure in Beam.
(28) Describe the importance of stirrups in RCC beams & its requirement as per IS:
13920.
(29) Why closely spaced horizontal closed ties are are provided in columns?
(30) Column c/s size plays an important role in Beam-Column Joint during Earthquake
shaking. Explain.
(31) Differentiate: Soft storey and Weak storey.
(32) Open ground storey buildings have shown poor performance during past
Earthquakes. Why?
(33) Explain Short Column Effect. What are the measures to prevent it?
(34) Explain Role of Shear walls in Seismic performance of Buildings.
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(35) What is Boundary Element? RC walls with boundary elements are less susceptible
to earthquake damage than the walls without boundary elements.
(36) What is Base Isolation? How does this technique works?
(37) What are load paths? Explain its importance.
(38) Explain the effect of diaphragms.
(39) Which are the primary requirements for proper load path?
(40) Explain how the discontinuity of columns and opening in walls adversely affects the
seismic performance?
(41) List the various non-structural elements.
(42) Which are the types of non-structural elements? Explain the strategies and measures
for its protection?
(43) Explain the basics of confined masonry construction.
(44) What are the essential features and guidelines for confined masonry building for its
better seismic performance?
(45) Explain the role of soil and foundations in seismic behavior of structures.
(46) What is liquefaction of soils?
(47) Explains the parameters influencing the liquefaction and state the measures to
overcome the liquefaction.
(48) Explain the importance of quality in seismic performance of buildings. How the
quality can be ensured?

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