Local structural engineers and Other People Who Know Shit About Earthquakes seem to think so: The Field Act, passed in 1933, which mandated that schools be built according to hard-core seismic standards designed to withstand quakes on par with the one that felled Sichuan provence earlier in the week. As we well know, (hello, Loma Prieta!) not every California building is up to par; apparently, the state keeps a trusty list of older, less-safe schools (and a plan to go along with that list, we hope). Of course, China has stepped up its seismic game over the past 20 years, too— can't forget that. (Incidentally, all the new stuff built for the Olympics is allegedly "earthquake proof"). Bonus points for the Bay Area: Oakland-based Earthquake Engineering Research Institute plans to send a recon team to China in order to study the causes and effects of this week's 7.9 point shakedown. Gavin, how about letting our planning department tag along?
· China quake shows flaws in building boom [SMC Times]
[Loma Prieta aftermath courtesy NASA]