Q: (Initially posted June 5, 2004) FROM STUDENT MEMBER NICOLE F. IN NJ
[I'm interested in engineering that will make the world a safer place. Many people do not realize that engineers help everyone be safer in cars, in homes, in office buildings...everywhere! For example during an earthquake, the buildings built by smart engineers will stay standing. I have a brain teaser for all those structural engineers out there:] Is there a good design that can withstand an earthquake? The challenging part is the base can only be 10 cm. x 10cm. square?

June 11, 2004
A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK IN RI
I recently heard that in industrialized countries the building codes and engineering are so much better that an earthquake of any given size kills only a small percentage - I forget exactly how small, 10% or 1% - of the people it would kill in underdeveloped countries with poor construction standards. So a lot of progress has already been made.

How tall is your building with a base of 10X10 cm? Surely the height matters in an earthquake? But I'm not an engineer. Luckily I don't think either of us would fit inside a building that skinny! Try the Multi-disciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research at http://mceer.buffalo.edu/infoservice/faqs/asdesign.asp