Reference Terms
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Making existing structures earthquake resistant
Seismic retrofitting is the modification of existing structures to make them more resistant to seismic activity, ground motion, or soil failure due to earthquakes. Seismic retrofit techniques will vary with the nature of the structure, soil conditions, local topography, and distance from various faults. A nearby minor fault, capable of generating only a small earthquake, may be more dangerous to a structure than a distant major fault. In some cases, structures have been built spanning faults, and an appropriate retrofit may be to attempt to keep the portions together or to remove or make a spanning portion flexible.
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