This time we will talk about the earthquake safety of the prefabricated house, which is also one of the key factors in choosing a house in which you want to live safely. In the design and static calculations of each prefabricated wooden house, it is recommended to take into account the seismic load. Consequently, it is necessary to design the prefabricated house that is most resistant to seismic risk. Prefabricated house stress relief safety information is especially important for the buyer when installing a prefabricated house in a seismically threatened area.

WHY IS A WOODEN FRAME HOUSE AN ANTI-SEISMIC BUILDING?

The task of a wooden frame structure is the transfer of vertical loads. The horizontal load, which includes earthquake and wind, is carried by cladding plates (gypsum board, particle board), which are attached to the mechanical means of the frame. Therefore, with the correct design of the wooden frame and panel coverings, the seismic resistance of prefabricated structures can be guaranteed. Of course, the characteristics and behavior of timber frame structures during earthquakes cannot be generalized to all prefabricated houses, since each of them has a different construction system, various materials, and mechanical binders.

In the case of anti-stress safety, the resistances are among the advantages of a prefabricated house that responds better to seismic stress. The secret lies in wood which, unlike concrete or brick, at the expense of its greater elasticity (a larger modulus of elasticity) responds much better to shaking off the ground. Timber is much more tolerant of tensile or compressive loading over bending force, which arises as a result of ground movement in the earthquake.

 

Anti-seismic test of the wooden house.

 

The next key factor, that makes prefabricated houses respond better to earthquakes, is its weight in the building structure. Also in this sector, there are the advantages of prefabricated houses: the wooden structure is up to 5 times lighter than brick houses. For this reason, the horizontal earthquake force is considerably smaller in the mounting house.

So to summarize, wooden houses are designed to resist earthquakes, and can even resist up to 9 Richter scale. They are used around the world because they weigh less than traditional buildings and because they are more flexible to earthquake movements.

Marko Hrovatin