After a more-than-moderate (Mw = 6.8) earthquake that occurred in the Olympia, Seattle and
Tacoma areas in 2001, structural damage was most prevalent in older
un-reinforced masonry buildings and non-structural members, such as
chimneys and parapet walls. Minor damage was found in wood frame, concrete, and steel frame structures. Much of the damage was to
nonstructural portions of buildings, including contents and architectural
finishes. Some of the more widely reported damage, such as the control
tower at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, was a result of its age
and design; for the most part steel and concrete frame buildings fared
well.
As you can see in the text
above, both concrete and steel buildings fared well during the quake.
Genie Blocks combine the strengths of both concrete and steel in multiple
ways.
Galvanized Steel Bolts.
Many locations in a structure, such as where
blocks meet corners and around windows and doors, 5/8" galvanized steel
bolts are used to connect and secure blocks in place. These locations are
back-filled with concrete later to increase structural strength. The
illustration below will show you the difference between these bolts and a
common nail to use as a comparison..
Use of 3/4" Galvanized Threaded Rod, Rebar
and Concrete Back-Filling.
Within the walls of a Genie
Block structure is considerable reinforcing using threaded rod, rebar and
back-filled concrete. The illustration below demonstrates the pattern of
this reinforcement within all walls of the structure. It is this internal
grid of metal and concrete that provides earthquake resistance in the
structure.
