New Data Confirms Strong Earthquake Risk to Central U.S.

[XMan]

http://www.livescience.com/forcesofnature/050622_new_madrid.html

In response to the replies I'm sure will be posted . . .

Yes, Californians, we know that you're macho and handle them all of the time . . . but the eastern half of the US isn't setup for earthquakes the way Cali is. In addition to the soil structure as described in the article . . .

 

[Wallydraigle]

Sorry, there's nothing I can do.

 

[eigen]

The mississippi will flow backwards if this happens.

 

[dabuddha]

holy moly!

 

[Heisenberg]

Err...I didn't think Tennessee was considered "central". Anyway, looks interesting.

 

[nakedfrog]

Hm. I'm right on the fringe of the 1812 impact map.

 

[slycat]

yes please come...i've been waiting forever for a tsunami/earthquake to hit SF area. Most of the news is bogus...they never come..

 

[BlueWeasel]

Being a structural engineer in Tupelo (northeast Mississippi), I've noticed an increase in the amount of small earthquakes in MS, AL, Tenn, and Arkansas. Suprisingly, I've actually looked at insurance claims for people claiming an earthquake (who's epicenter was 200+ miles away) of about 3.0 on the Richter scale damaged their house.

The 1999 Standard Building Code increases the earthquake requirements for new structures. The International Building Code, which is slowly being phased in, the EQ requirements are a huge increase compared to the SBC. Since the Northridge quake in the early 1990's, importance has been placed on designing connections (typically the weak areas during an earthquake), that are "fluid" and can withstand earthquake forces.

In the designs I've done within a 50-mile radius of Memphis, earthquake lateral forces govern over wind simply because of the proximity of the New Madrid fault. That means, once I've worked up my numbers, the lateral force on a building from an earthquake is numerically greater than the force of a 80-90MPH wind.

Unfortuantely, it's not feasible to retrofit every building for current earthquake standards. If a huge quake does hit similar to the one around 1800, the buildings that will likely suffer the most damage are the older ones consisting of unreinforced concrete block and brick....ie, old brick churches.

This is a great place to search to see every recorded EQ occuring in a particular area or radius:
Did You Feel It?

 

[eigen]

Originally posted by: BlueWeasel
Being a structural engineer in Tupelo (northeast Mississippi), I've noticed an increase in the amount of small earthquakes in MS, AL, Tenn, and Arkansas. Suprisingly, I've actually looked at insurance claims for people claiming an earthquake (who's epicenter was 200+ miles away) of about 3.0 on the Richter scale damaged their house.

The 1999 Standard Building Code increases the earthquake requirements for new structures. The International Building Code, which is slowly being phased in, the EQ requirements are a huge increase compared to the SBC. Since the Northridge quake in the early 1990's, importance has been placed on designing connections (typically the weak areas during an earthquake), that are "fluid" and can withstand earthquake forces.

In the designs I've done within a 50-mile radius of Memphis, earthquake lateral forces govern over wind simply because of the proximity of the New Madrid fault. That means, once I've worked up my numbers, the lateral force on a building from an earthquake is numerically greater than the force of a 80-90MPH wind.

Unfortuantely, it's not feasible to retrofit every building for current earthquake standards. If a huge quake does hit similar to the one around 1800, the buildings that will likely suffer the most damage are the older ones consisting of unreinforced concrete block and brick....ie, old brick churches.

This is a great place to search to see every recorded EQ occuring in a particular area or radius:
Did You Feel It?

sweet an act of god will mainly destroy churchs.Oh the sweet Irony.

 

[Landroval]

It's strange when people from the midwest say nasty things about west coast fault lines... New Madrid is worse and WAY overdue. Anything that can make the Mississippi run backwards for several days scares the crap out of me.

 

[Kindjal]

Interesting link off same page Top 10 ways to Destroy the Earth.

"Fools.

The Earth was built to last. It is a 4,550,000,000-year-old, 5,973,600,000,000,000,000,000-tonne ball of iron. It has taken more devastating asteroid hits in its lifetime than you've had hot dinners, and lo, it still orbits merrily.

So my first piece of advice to you, dear would-be Earth-destroyer, is: do not think this will be easy."

 

think of all the corn crops that will be damaged

 

[91TTZ]

I predict the midwest will have an earthquake at the exact moment that Yellowstone erupts and an asteroid strikes Earth. That will weaken the US enough for the Tribbles to take over.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: Landroval
It's strange when people from the midwest say nasty things about west coast fault lines... New Madrid is worse and WAY overdue. Anything that can make the Mississippi run backwards for several days scares the crap out of me.

Though this is more like mideast( :Q ), it would be ironic if it sank into the ocean and California didn't.

 

[TheToOTaLL]

Great.... hope my insurance covers earthquakes! I'd get a kick out of seeing downtown Memphis land in the Mississippi river though

 

[FoBoT]

that sucks , but i am probably far enough from it that we'll feel it but not get major damage

st louis will collapse into a big hole

 

[ElFenix]

texas > yall

 

[Steve]

I remember once feeling an earthquake while in Arkansas a few years ago.

 

[NiKeFiDO]

odds are between 7-10 percent of a quake within 50 yrs. so, basically...this is interesting story but ..hyped up?

 

[Landroval]

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: Landroval
It's strange when people from the midwest say nasty things about west coast fault lines... New Madrid is worse and WAY overdue. Anything that can make the Mississippi run backwards for several days scares the crap out of me.

Though this is more like mideast( :Q ), it would be ironic if it sank into the ocean and California didn't.

Well, my in-laws are in Western MO and we have been talking about this for over a decade. I've read many accounts of the last big one there and it will be devastating when the next one strikes, both in human life and economic toll on the nation.

 

[Landroval]

Originally posted by: NiKeFiDO
odds are between 7-10 percent of a quake within 50 yrs. so, basically...this is interesting story but ..hyped up?

90% that a large earthquake, 7-10 that a HUGE one. On silty ground and with crappy buildings, 6+ could still be pretty nasty.