1.

Earthquake

Earthquake (noun)
A sudden and violent shaking of the ground, sometimes causing great
destruction, as a result of movements within the earth's crust or volcanic action
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A sudden movement of the Earth's lithosphere (its crust and upper mantle).
Earthquakes are caused by the release of built-up stress within rocks along
geologic faults or by the movement of magma in volcanic areas. They are usually
followed by aftershocks.
Earthquakes are caused by the sudden release of accumulated strain along
these faults, releasing energy in the form of low-frequency sound waves
called seismic waves. Although thousands of earthquakes occur each year, most
are too weak to be detected except by seismographs, instruments that detect
and record vibrations and movements in the Earth. The point where the
earthquake originates is the seismic focus, and directly above it on Earth's
surface is the earthquake's epicenter. Three kinds of waves accompany
earthquakes. Primary (P) waves have a push-pull type of vibration. Secondary
(S) waves have a side-to-side type of vibration. Both P and S waves travel deep
into Earth, reflecting off the surfaces of its various layers. S waves cannot travel
through the liquid outer core.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/earthquake

earthquake
[urth-kweyk]
noun
1. a series of vibrations induced in the earth's crust by the
abrupt rupture and rebound of rocks in which elastic strain
has been slowly accumulating.
2.
Something that is severely disruptive; upheaval.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/earthquake

An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the result of a

sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves.
Theseismicity or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size
of earthquakes experienced over a period of time. Earthquakes are measured
using observations from seismometers. The moment magnitude (or the partly
obsolete Richter magnitude, numerically similar over the range of validity of the
Richter scale) of an earthquake is conventionally reported, with magnitude 3 or
lower earthquakes being mostly almost imperceptible and magnitude 7 and over
potentially causing serious damage over large areas, depending on their depth.
The largest earthquakes in historic times have been of magnitude slightly over 9,
although there is no limit to the possible magnitude. The most recent large
earthquake of magnitude 9.0 or larger was a 9.0 magnitude earthquake in Japan
in 2011 (as of March 2011), and it was the largest Japanese earthquake since
records began. Intensity of shaking is measured on the modified Mercalli scale.
The shallower an earthquake, the more damage to structures it causes, all else
being equal.
At the Earth's surface, earthquakes manifest themselves by shaking and
sometimes displacement of the ground. When a large earthquake epicenter is
located offshore, the seabed may be displaced sufficiently to cause a tsunami.
Earthquakes can also trigger landslides, and occasionally volcanic activity.
In its most general sense, the word earthquake is used to describe any seismic
eventwhether natural or caused by humansthat generates seismic waves.
Earthquakes are caused mostly by rupture of geological faults, but also by other
events such as volcanic activity, landslides, mine blasts, and nuclear tests. An
earthquake's point of initial rupture is called its focus or hypocenter.
The epicenter is the point at ground level directly above the hypocenter.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquake

An earthquake is a natural phenomenon that results from underground

movement along a fault plane.
Shaking and vibration at the surface of the earth resulting from underground
movement.

An earthquake is a series of vibrations induced in the earth's crust by the abrupt

rupture and rebound of rocks in which elastic strain has been slowly
accumulating.
It is also something that is severely disruptive.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_definition_of_earthquake
2. Earthquake Resistant Structure

Building designed to prevent total collapse, preserve life, and minimize damage
in case of an earthquake or tremor. Earthquakes exert lateral as well as vertical
forces, and a structure's response to their random, often sudden motions is a
complex task that is just beginning to be understood. Earthquake-resistant
structures absorb and dissipate seismically induced motion through a
combination of means: damping decreases the amplitude of oscillations of a
vibrating structure, while ductile materials (e.g., steel) can withstand considerable
inelastic deformation. If a skyscraper has too flexible a structure, then
tremendous swaying in its upper floors can develop during an earthquake. Care
must be taken to provide built-in tolerance for some structural damage, resist
lateral loading through stiffeners (diagonal sway bracing), and allow areas of the
building to move somewhat independently.

http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/earthquake-resistant+structure

Building designed to prevent total collapse, preserve life, and

minimize damage in case of an earthquake or tremor. Earthquakes exert lateral
as well as vertical forces, and a structures response to their random, often
sudden motions is a complex task that is just beginning to be
understood. Earthquake-resistant structures absorb and dissipate seismically
induced motion through a combination of means: damping decreases the
amplitude of oscillations of a vibrating structure, while ductile materials (e.g.,
steel) can withstand considerable inelastic deformation. If a skyscraper has too
flexible a structure, then tremendous swaying in its upper floors can develop
during an earthquake.

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1368970/earthquake-resistant-
structure

The most important part of the structure is to isolate the base. When the
horizontal seismic waves come, the base must be flexible and be able to move
with the wave. To do this, you might build the base on a rubber material and build
a moat around it. You might also make it so the base can shift without disrupting
the building.
To dissipate the energy, you should make the frame of a metal that has a high
shear strength and do not forget the cross bracing. It is also a good idea to use
hydraulic systems to help balance out forces because it gives you additional
flexibility.
In poorer countries, a lot of buildings are made of concrete block. These type of
structures are very heavy and are not flexible. As a result, more people die
because the heavy building caves in on them. The best structures are light,
strong, and flexible.
The worst thing to do is to have a heavy roof. The roof must remain light. In some
areas there is a height requirement on buildings because so many people get
killed from falling debris.
http://www.earthquakes.bz/earthquakeproofbuildings.html