UNIFORM BUILDING CODE

Evening Star, Issue 23657, 17 August 1940, Page 16

UNIFORM BUILDING CODE

EARTHQUAKE PRECAUTIONS MODEL BY-LAWS SHOULD BE UNIVERSAL [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, August 16. Some observations on earthquake precautions were made to-day by Mr F. W. Furkort, former under-secre-tary and engineer-in-chief of the Public Works Department. “ In the tumult of war,” Mr Furkert said, ‘‘ such a thing as an earthquake, which kills only a doezn people, is apt to be overlooked. On May 18 of this year an earthquake, which was felt over 60,000 square miles (more than half the area of New Zealand) in California and an unknown but probably equal area in Mexico, occurred in South California with its epicentre near the Mexican border. Widespread damage was caused. A sum-ming-up of the position as given at the end of the report of the official investigation was as follows: ” As in practically every other earthauako of which an analysts has been made the fact has again been emphasised that adequate design will prevent earthquake damage to buildings and that any standard material may bo used safely if the construction methods are sound. Masonry failures are attributable directly to improper design aud poor mortar, concrete failures to inadequate reinforcing and poor design, and failure in wood frame building to inadequate foundations aud improper bracing. Once again an earthquake has proved that a ‘ uniform building code.’ if correctly enforced, will help to prevent loss of life and property and will in large measure alleviate the serious aftereffects of even a major earthquake.” “ The moral for New Zealand is plain,” Mr Furkort said. “ The New Zealand Standards Institute has drawn up model by-laws to deal with earthquake resistent construction. Many boroughs and cities are now adopting them, but all other local bodies controlling building construction would find it hard to justify their neglect to do the same if their district were the scene of another earthquake involving loss of life and property,”