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PS. I forgot to mention that it looks to us like our foundation is
brick all the way down, with a large timber, like a railroad tie,
sitting on top of it, with the rest of the house resting on that
timber. I do agree with one of the commenters that our main concern
is more surviving the actual event, and less preserving the
building. Even with a 10% deductible, we'll have enough insurance
money to build something and replace the contents. So I am more
interested in figuring out how to avoid the pancake scenario where
the ceiling and walls pancake down on us occupants. One of my
roomies said "Maybe we should build canopy beds that would be strong
enough to hold up the roof."<br>
<br>
Someone mentioned liability of frackers, there are a few cases
wending their way through the courts. It's interesting because they
are setting up a clash of titans -- Oklahoma Oil Bidness verses the
Oklahoma Insurance Bidness. Everyone is generally amazed that the
Corporation commission has actually moved as fast as it has to curb
produced water injection well which people seem to think are the
primary cause. The further north you go in the OKC metro area, the
more upscale the neighborhoods, and the most upscale neighborhoods
are squarely within the heightened danger zone. And also folks are
amazed at how obedient the oil companies have been. Only one
company balked, and the legislature rammed through a bill this
session with great haste confirming that the corporation commission
does in fact have the authority to dictate injection pressures and
volumes if earthquakes are happening in the area. <br>
<br>
So basically there's a giant science experiment going on -- "how
much water can be injected at what pressures without causing a
devastating earthquake or too many minor earthquakes." <br>
<br>
rmw<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 3/30/2016 2:52 PM, Bob Waldrop
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote cite="mid:56FC2E98.1090509@att.net" type="cite">
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Thanks everyone for these detailed comments and suggestions.
There's a lot to take in, I'm printing the emails and will share
them around a bit and see about coming up with a plan of action.
One "low hanging fruit" item we're taking care of this week is
making sure that nothing furnishing-like can fall on us while in
bed or casually sitting around. This involves re-siting some
large mirrors, paintings, and book cases. <br>
<br>
Bob Waldrop, Okie City<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 3/30/2016 8:32 AM, Alan Abrams
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote
cite="mid:CADj3_s6ifrTQ0hKJG_bc9BvYtL3g-M-qwO8mTR+mvzAehK2pGw@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">Bob--<br>
<br>
imagining the Oklahoma version of "The Big One," I think the
gravest danger is the collapse of the brick foundation walls.
in our region,bricks from the 20's can be pretty soft, and the
mortar can be powdery.
<div><br>
</div>
<div>if that all describes the scenario, simply anchoring the
floor system to the top of the brick walls might be
inadequate. the strength of the foundation walls would be
limited to the compressive force exerted by the weight of
the house above. in this sense, the weight of the brick
veneer is your friend--but I think the veneer is going to be
the first element to fail when things start to shake. The
point being, that even if the floor is anchored, the
foundation walls could rotate in, between corners. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>one could of course jack up the house and install a new
reinforced cmu or poured concrete foundation beneath it. Or
form up and pour new walls against the existing walls.<br>
<br>
but less intrusively, one might strengthen the walls by
increasing the compressive force--perhaps by excavating and
installing a set of pier footings at intervals around the
basement perimeter, each pier footing undermining the
existing footing--maybe 2' wide or so. each pier would have
a reinforced anchor bolt, to fasten some set of threaded
rods and turnbuckles--which in turn would be bolted to the
floor joists. Ideally, there would be two rods for each pier
footing, run diagonally in opposite directions, parallel to
the foundation walls. <br>
<br>
There a lot of boggling variables here--such as the moisture
content and plasticity of the soil, height of backfill,
direction of seismic waves--so sizing the footings and rods,
and determining how many to install would be speculative.
Maybe a big shaker would overcome this effort. Or maybe it
would hold up long enough for you to escape before it all
comes down. I don't envy your situation.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>-aa<br>
<br>
<br>
</div>
</div>
<div class="gmail_extra"><br clear="all">
<div>
<div class="gmail_signature">
<div dir="ltr">
<div>
<div dir="ltr"><font size="2"><font size="2"><span
style="color:rgb(102,0,0)">Alan Abrams</span></font><b
style="color:rgb(102,0,0)"><br>
</b><i><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102)">certified
professional building designer, AIBD<br>
certified passive house consultant, PHIUS</span></i></font>
<div><i><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102)">certified
passive house builder, PHIUS</span></i><font
size="2"><span style="color:rgb(102,0,0)"><font
color="#666666"><i><br>
</i></font></span></font><font
style="color:rgb(102,102,102)" size="1"><font
size="2">cell </font></font><font
style="color:rgb(102,102,102)" size="1"><font
size="2">202-437-8583</font></font><font
style="color:rgb(102,102,102)" size="1"><font
size="2"><br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
style="color:rgb(102,102,102)"
href="mailto:alan@abramsdesignbuild.com"
target="_blank">alan@abramsdesignbuild.com</a><br
style="color:rgb(102,102,102)">
</font></font><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.heliconworks.com/index2.html"
target="_blank">HELICON WORKS <i>Architecture
and Education</i></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Mar 29, 2016 at 11:05 PM,
ErgoDesk <span dir="ltr"><<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:ergodesk@gmail.com" target="_blank">ergodesk@gmail.com</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0
.8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div dir="ltr">
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial
narrow,sans-serif;font-size:small">California... I
would reinforce your FIRE Insurance first.</div>
</div>
<div class="gmail_extra"><br clear="all">
<div>
<div>
<div dir="ltr">
<div>
<div dir="ltr">
<div>
<div dir="ltr">
<div>
<div dir="ltr">
<div>
<div dir="ltr">
<div><span
style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:proxima-nova-1,proxima-nova-2,Tahoma,Helvetica,Verdana,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:21px">Sincerely,</span><br
style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:proxima-nova-1,proxima-nova-2,Tahoma,Helvetica,Verdana,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:21px">
<span
style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:proxima-nova-1,proxima-nova-2,Tahoma,Helvetica,Verdana,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:21px">George
Hawirko</span><font size="2"
color="#0000ee"><u><br>
</u></font></div>
<div><font size="1"
color="#0000ee"><u><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://about.me/StyroHome"><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://about.me/StyroHome">http://about.me/StyroHome</a></a></u></font><br>
</div>
<div><font size="2"
color="#0000ee"><img
moz-do-not-send="true"
src="https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0B-dHkb_CdyxzV0tCYlkxcWdaOGM&revid=0B-dHkb_CdyxzOGFzdFhvVmNXc012RFVRTFQzM2hyUjhJS2V3PQ"
height="150" width="200"><br>
</font></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Mar 29, 2016 at 11:40
AM, Jason Holstine <span dir="ltr"><<a
moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="mailto:jason@amicusgreen.com"><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:jason@amicusgreen.com">jason@amicusgreen.com</a></a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0
.8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div> <font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica,
Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><br>
I think you can find retrofit resources online
from California. I think their state emergency
mgmt agency, state NAHB, etc. have docs. It
could become a nice side biz tightening up
Okie corrals.
<div>
<div><br>
<br>
<br>
On 3/29/16 1:41 PM, "Bob Waldrop" <<a
moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="mailto:bwaldrop1952@att.net"><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:bwaldrop1952@att.net">bwaldrop1952@att.net</a></a>>
wrote:<br>
<br>
<font color="#0000FF">> So here in
central Oklahoma, we have been
experiencing a growing series <br>
> of earthquakes over the last few
years. The USGS just released a map <br>
> showing the risk of human-induced
earthquakes, and Okie City is right <br>
> there. The news said we were at
perhaps a 10% risk of a level 6 <br>
> earthquake. Most of the thus far
have been in the 2 to 4 range.<br>
> <br>
> Now we are not only tornado alley,
but also earthquake central, more <br>
> earthquakes last year even than
California had.<br>
> <br>
> I lived in the Bay Area of
California and in SLC (on top of the
actual <br>
> wasatch fault a geologist friend
told me), and never experienced a <br>
> quake, but I've felt several here.
I've also been watching the cracks <br>
> in the interior plaster/lathe walls
and my exterior brick veneer develop <br>
> and progress.<br>
> <br>
> I do have earthquake insurance, but
it is really only good for a <br>
> complete catastrophe. It has a 10%
deductible, and it doesn't cover <br>
> masonry.<br>
> <br>
> The house has always seemed very
sturdy. It was built in 1929, the <br>
> studs are on 12 to 14 inch centers
and are a hard wood. THe sheathing <br>
> is 1 x 8 planks. Then there is
brick veneer over that. The foundation <br>
> is brick. The back and front porch
construction seems separate from the <br>
> rest of the house. The concrete
front porch is certainly pulling away <br>
> from the rest of the house over the
16 years I've lived here.<br>
> <br>
> Any thoughts about retrofits that
would strengthen the house in the face <br>
> of the growing earthquake risk
here?<br>
> <br>
> Bob Waldrop, Okie and Shaky City<br>
> <br>
>
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