When it comes to safety in earthquakes, both onsite and modular buildings can be designed to meet specific safety standards and requirements. However, there are a few reasons why modular buildings may have an advantage in terms of earthquake safety.
Modular buildings are constructed in a controlled factory environment, where high standards of quality control can be consistently maintained. The factory-controlled process ensures that all materials used are of the best quality and that all construction is precise and accurate. This can lead to more structurally sound buildings which can better withstand the forces of an earthquake.
Offsite modules are built to comply with the same building codes as traditional structures and in many cases, because of the controlled environment in which they are built, they may even exceed these codes. For areas with high seismic activity, specific codes are put into place to ensure buildings can withstand the force of an earthquake.
They can be designed and constructed specifically for seismic resistance. These designs can include structural elements that provide additional stability during an earthquake, including shear walls and diaphragms. Every material has different qualities that will make it more or less resistant to earthquakes. Therefore, the materials chosen to build a modular home will be decisive in the behavior of the house during an Earthquake.
The most common materials used to build modular buildings are wood, steel, and concrete. Those materials with better resistance to Earthquakes are light but also ductile, meaning that the material can undergo some deformation without losing toughness or breaking.
Modular buildings aren’t earthquake-safe by definition, however, prefabricated buildings tend to be more resistant to Earthquakes than conventional construction. In fact, since each module of the modular home is manufactured in a factory and transported to the site where it is going to be assembled, its frame is designed in order to ensure the structural integrity of each one of these modules during transportation. Meaning, each module is designed and self-stabilized, taking into consideration the vibration to which it is exposed during the shipping process, a tremor similar to that one of an earthquake.
Design flexibility means they are often able to move slightly with an earthquake rather than opposing it, which can reduce the overall damage. There are multiple examples of Multi-Story Prefabricated Modular Buildings with high resistance to Earthquakes.
Even if modular homes aren’t Earthquake safe by definition, unless built for that purpose, any modular home built today is constructed following the safety measures established by its location and will therefore protect the life of its occupants. Due to the nature of the building process of modular homes, in most cases, their resistance to earthquakes is higher than on-site homes. As modular buildings are often quicker to construct than traditional buildings, this means there’s less time for an earthquake to strike during the vulnerable construction phase when a building is less able to withstand such an event.
While safety during an earthquake depends on many factors, including the magnitude of the earthquake, the soil condition, the building’s design, and more, modular buildings may offer some advantages over traditional onsite buildings when designed properly.
But it’s essential to remember that a well-designed and well-constructed onsite building can also be very resistant to earthquakes, especially if it’s built in compliance with modern earthquake-resistant design principles.
Gary Fleisher is the Editor in Chief of Modular Home Source and Offsite Builder magazine. Email at [email protected]
Gary Fleisher, the Modcoach
