Most of us build a house only once in a lifetime. Into it goes
decades of savings. And it can be heartbreaking if your cherished
home becomes the victim of a natural calamity like an earthquake.
A little bit of care can ensure that your house is strong enough
to withstand even a monster earthquake. Here are a few safety
points that you should look into when you build your dream home.
Concentrate on quality of construction as much as design.
Use quality material, especially concrete and metal.
The foundation should go all the way down and rest on the
hard strata of soil.
The foundation should be made of stone. Bond stones, although
more expensive, should be provided at regular intervals. Generally,
less expensive, smaller stones are used and the gap is filled
with tiny stones. Such a foundation is never strong.
RCC (Reinforced Cement Concrete) should be provided around
the plinth. Very often, to cut costs, PCC (Plain Cement Concrete)
is used. This affects the quality of the building.
Concrete bands should be provided at the window sill level,
lentil level and the roof level.
Square and rectangular shaped buildings are generally preferred
over circular or oval ones. It has been observed that when
quakes and natural calamities strike, square and rectangular
buildings suffer less damage.
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