Natural disasters are affecting communities across the United States more often. New research says safer homes need both stronger structures and smarter regulatory systems. The study was led by Susan Ostermann and civil engineering professors María J. Echeverría and Abbie Liel at the University of Notre Dame. It was funded by the National Science Foundation and appears in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction.
The team focused on Anchorage, Alaska, where a magnitude 7.1 earthquake in 2018 destroyed or damaged more than 750 homes. Many residents did not trust government rules, and the researchers say stronger codes alone do not ensure safer construction when rules are not followed. The researchers interviewed nearly 40 experts and found many homes lacked simple safety features like shear walls, proper garage framing, and hold-downs.
Difficult words
- natural disaster — a dangerous event in nature that hurts peopleNatural disasters
- regulatory — connected to official rules and controlregulatory systems
- structure — the parts of a building or constructionstructures
- magnitude — the size or strength of an earthquakemagnitude 7.1
- destroy — to damage something so it cannot be useddestroyed
- code — a set of official rules for buildingcodes
- shear wall — a wall that stops sideways movement in buildingsshear walls
- hold-down — a metal part that keeps parts connectedhold-downs
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Which simple safety features did many homes lack?
- Why is it important that people trust and follow government rules about buildings?
- What could make houses safer in your area?
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